13
United States Environmental Protection Agency
EPA747-N-01-002August 2001www.epa.gov/oppt/epp
Pollution Prevention and Toxics(7409)
ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE PURCHASINGI s s u e 9 | A u g u s t 2 0 0 1
2 Printed on paper that is processed chlorine-free and contains at least 50 percent postconsumer fiber.
EPPUpdate
< Continued on Page 6 >
Need some laboratory glassware,file folders, or a lamp for youroffice? Before they purchase any
of these items, employees at the U.S.Geological Survey’s (USGS) campus inMenlo Park, California, have learned tofirst check the stock at the “SupplyExchange.”
Spearheaded by Susan (Sue) Hunt, alogistics management specialist at USGS’sRedwood City Marine Facility, the
SupplyExchange is aplace whereemployees candrop off andpick upunwanted, butstill usable,office, field,and laboratorysupplies. Sue
Carpet is quiet, soft, slip-resistant,and often quite beautiful. Thesequalities make it an extremely
common choice as a floor covering foroffice space. But carpet is also a problemfor solid waste management programsaround the country and contributes toconcerns about poor indoor environmen-tal quality. By considering a variety oflifecycle attributes, from the materialsused to manufacture and install carpet torecycling and disposal issues, purchaserscan make informed decisions about car-pet options.
Key Health and EnvironmentalIssues Associated With Carpet
Health and environmental concernsassociated with carpet include indoor airquality, toxic chemical emissions frommanufacturing and disposal operations,
and solid waste impacts. A variety ofvolatile organic compounds (VOCs) canbe emitted from carpet materials. Forexample, 4-phenylcyclohexene has a verylow odor threshold and has been associ-ated with indoor air quality complaintsafter new carpet is installed. Other com-pounds emitted from carpet, such asformaldehyde and styrene, can presentacute or chronic health concerns undercertain exposure conditions. The manu-facture and disposal by incineration ofpolyvinyl chloride, a common compo-nent of carpet backing, is a source ofdioxin contamination in the environ-ment. Dioxin is a potent carcinogen thatis highly persistent in the environmentand bioaccumulates through the foodchain. About 4 billion pounds of carpetenter the solid waste stream in theUnited States each year, accounting for
PROFILE OF A PIONEER:
Wanted: Good Home for Excess Supplies
• Paper Sets the Standard
• WasteWise Updatedelivers EPP Theme
• King County AnnualReport
• Sharing Responsibility forSustainability
• New Eco-Labels Web Site
• Green Conferences
• Arizona National GuardEco-Building
• EPP Database
Highlights
1EPA
< Continued on Page 3 >
Carpet Products and the Environment:Don’t Sweep the Issues Under the Rug
2
Arecent issue of EPA’s WasteWise Update, a technical assistance pub-lication focusing on waste reduction, highlights environmentallypreferable purchasing. The Update discusses the environmental
and business benefits of environmentally preferable purchasing andprovides guidance on setting up a green purchasing program.
WasteWise partners’ success stories support suggestions for devel-oping, implementing, and assessing an environmental purchasingprogram. To appeal to a larger audience, the Update presents infor-mation and examples that are useful to both businesses and gov-ernment agencies. An extensive list of resources directs readers toadditional sources of information on green purchasing standardsand initiatives.
To obtain a copy of the Update, call the WasteWise Helplineat 800 EPA-WISE, or visit the WasteWise Web site at<www.epa.gov/wastewise>.
WasteWise Update Delivers EPP Theme
Paper Sets the Standard
As many of our readers are aware, with eachnew issue, the EPP Update highlights a dif-ferent type of paper determined by EPA to
have certain positive environmental attributes. Weare using this issue to highlight EPA’s new paperstandard for EPA publications and photocopiers—making it easier for everyone at EPA Headquarters(HQ) to print “green.” The new policy requiresthat paper used at HQ contain at least 50 percentpostconsumer fiber and be bleached without theuse of chlorine or chlorine-containing compoundswhenever possible.
To ensure adherence to the new policy, EPAchanged two of its direct-deal contracts with theGovernment Printing Office (GPO) to incorporaterequirements for the new specifications. Due toavailability issues with colored stock, the require-ments apply only to white cover and text stocks.For one-time bids through GPO, EPA specifies therecycled content levels required by the new policyand encourages the use of process chlorine freepaper, if available to meet the requested schedule.Therefore, although the paper used for this EPPUpdate is processed chlorine free, all EPA publica-tions cannot be assumed to be.
EPA’s new policy strengthens the existing federalstandard requiring all Executive Agencies touse paper containing at least 30 percentpostconsumer fiber. The new policyalso encourages EPA Regions andother government agencies to adoptthe 50 percent postconsumer standard.Some EPA Regions, including Regions3,4, and 10, have already done so.
Based on typical EPA copy paperusage and printing, EPA estimatesthat annual savings over the 30 per-cent postconsumer standard willequate to eliminating 71.7 tons of solidwaste, conserving 157,872 gallons ofwater, saving 205,920 kilowatt hoursof electricity, preventing theemission of 1,135 pounds ofgreenhouse gases, saving 396 cubic yards of landfill space,and saving nearly 1,600 trees.
For more information on EPA’s newpaper policy, contact Russ Clarkat <[email protected]>.
3
explains that the SupplyExchange program, which is freeto all participants, is an importantpart of the campus culture, savingboth landfill space and trash col-lection fees, reducing procure-ment costs, and conservinggovernment resources. Recently,the Supply Exchange received aWhite House Closing the CircleAward in recognition of its recy-cling and reuse accomplishments.
Sue and a group of colleagueswere inspired by activities thatthey participated in during the1990 Earth Day commemoration.The extensive USGS recyclingprogram evolved from there, andin 1996, when the first of manyoffice relocations began, theSupply Exchange was born. Sincethen, Sue has had to contendwith several relocations of theSupply Exchange itself, because
the dedicated space required tomake the program work isincreasingly hard to come by onan ever-shrinking campus.However, she acknowledges thather efforts, which are above andbeyond her normal job responsi-bilities, are well worth it whenshe sees the results. “It is satisfy-ing,” Sue says, “when someonetells me that they discoveredsomething they really needed atthe Supply Exchange. One labmanager said he picked up$5,000 in laboratory glassware inone trip alone!”
Although the Supply Exchangedoes not accept furniture items orelectronic equipment, Sue workswith the agency property office todonate surplus office furnitureand computers directly to schoolsthat desperately need them. Inaddition, items that are no longer
in demand by USGS employeesare made available to localschools and nonprofitorganizations.
Sue, a 27-year veteran of USGS,grew up in Tucson, Arizona, andsays she has always had a passionfor not wasting things. A con-fessed pack rat, she also is an avidbirder and native-plant gardener.In addition to the SupplyExchange, Sue has spearheadedseveral related efforts, including aprogram to collect items such asphotographic negatives, blue-prints, foam packaging, and inkcartridges, which are typically notcollected as part of most officerecycling programs.
For more information on theUSGS Supply Exchange, contactSue at 650 329-5860 or<[email protected]>.
Pioneer < Continued from Page 1 >
King County Reports EPP Successes
King County, Washington’sEnvironmental PurchasingProgram has had 9 years of
success, spending $3.5 million forenvironmentally preferable prod-ucts and saving $575,000. Thecounty publishes an annual reportthat contains information about itsEPP program, including implemen-tation, challenges, and opportuni-ties. The report also containsinformation about specific productsthat the county purchases each yearand how its purchasing decisionslead to financial savings. For exam-ple, the Renton MaintenanceFacility in King County is usingrecycled plastic sideboards for theirdump trucks rather than the tradi-tional wood sideboards. The plastic
sideboards are more impact-resis-tant and need replacing less fre-quently, which saves money in thelong-term. Though the recycledplastic sideboards have a higherinitial cost, replacement of the side-boards has been reduced from twowooden sideboards per week tofewer than one plastic sideboardper month, saving the county$5,000 per year.
“The central message of thereport is that users are making thissuccess happen,” says EricNelson, King County’s EPPProgram Coordinator. “The reportshows that successful environ-mental purchasing is an incremen-tal process—we haven’t had anymajor breakthroughs but have seen
many small successes.”
The 2000 annual report is avail-able online at <www.metrokc.gov/procure/green>. For more informa-tion about the program and report,contact Eric Nelson at <[email protected]> or 206 263-4278,or Karen Hamilton at<[email protected]> or206 263-4279.
KingCounty
Recent energy shortages in theWestern United States highlightthe need for meaningful coopera-
tion among federal government agen-cies in the areas of planning,purchasing, and managing valuableresources. The Federal Network forSustainability (FNS), a voluntary groupof representatives from several westernfederal agencies, aims to promote thistype of interagency collaboration.
Sustainability—which means meetingcurrent social, economic, and environ-mental needs without compromisingthe ability of future generations to dothe same—has become a guidingprinciple in planning and oper-ating strategies for manybusinesses, institutions,and governmental orga-nizations. FNS capital-izes on theexperiences andresources of its memberagencies to efficientlyimplement sustainable prac-tices in their regions.
On Earth Day 2000, 11 federalofficials representing 6 governmentagencies in western regions signed aStatement of Unity, pledging to coordi-nate federal leadership efforts on sus-tainability and to demonstratesustainable practices within the federalgovernment. The officials formed FNSas an outgrowth of this signing ceremo-ny to provide an operational focus forsustainability projects and programs,including environmental initiatives,resource conservation, and green pur-chasing, both within and among thesignatory agencies.
Currently, FNS focuses on three goals:expanding the market power of “green”government purchasing, increasing theuse of renewable energy sources, anddeveloping and using environmental
management systems, which help busi-nesses incorporate environmental man-agement into everyday practices. Afterjust 1 year, FNS touts several accom-plishments in these areas. For instance,two green power summits were held inSan Diego and Seattle, where more than300 federal and utility sector partici-pants learned about renewable energyresources and mechanisms for develop-ing or purchasing these resources in afinancially conscious manner. FNS alsois reassessing purchasing specificationsfor recycled paper and electronic equip-ment to boost the market for theseproducts.
The way FNS operates is effec-tive. First of all, leveraging
the expertise andresources of severalwestern federal agen-cies maximizes tax-payer dollars. In
addition, FNS membersincorporate sustainability
activities into their every-day work responsibilities, and
in the end, each agency benefitsfrom pooling resources. Voluntary par-ticipation ensures motivated, productivemembers, committed to pollution pre-vention and long-term sustainability.“Because of FNS,” says EPA’s BarbaraLither, “we don’t have to reinvent thewheel when we want to buy greenpower or research a green product.”FNS member agencies can provide sup-port based on their past experiences,which, according to Curtis Framel ofthe Department of Energy, ensures effi-ciency and a “streamlined approach tosustainability that avoids duplication.”
For more information or to become a member of FNS, please visit<www.federalsustainability.org> orcontact FNS Chair Alan Hurt at 619 524-6253.
Sharing Responsibility forSustainability
4
FNS MemberOrganizations:
• Navy
• Air Force
• Army
• Environmental ProtectionAgency
• Department of Energy
• National Park Service
• General ServicesAdministration
• Bonneville PowerAdministration
• National Aeronautics andSpace Administration
5
Do you know what it means when aproduct claims to be “organic” or “envi-ronmentally friendly?” Moreover, who
monitors companies’ claims? A new “eco-labels” Web site helps consumers decipherlabels on food and wood products so they canmake more informed decisions about the prod-ucts they buy.
Developed by the Consumers Union, thepublisher of Consumer Reports magazine, theeco-labels site provides users with informationabout the products on which the eco-labels areused and the organizations and standardsbehind each label’s environmental claims.
Users can search the database three differentways—by label, product, or certifier—and aregiven a list of the associated eco-labels. Forexample, selecting “Sustainable Wood” in thelabel search box identifies three labels found onproducts claiming to use sustainable wood.Clicking on the specific label brings the user toa page of detailed information, including a pro-gram description, how a particular productqualifies to carry that label, and a
Consumer’s Union evalua-tion assessing the qualityof the labeling program.The site also providescontact information fororganizations and a listof products carryingthat label.
Searching byproduct providesusers with anotherway to sort and accessthe information on eco-labels.For example, entering “coffee” in theproduct search box identifies five differentlabels found on coffee. Each label represents adifferent positive environmental attribute, suchas organic, bird-friendly, and social responsibil-ity. The user can then access the same detailedinformation mentioned above. The site doesnot, however, evaluate specific product brands.Users also can search for a certifying organiza-tion or program, such as Rainforest Alliance,Green Seal, or the Department of Agriculture,and access information on standards at boththe state and federal level.
In addition, the site provides a glossary and apage describing the criteria used to evaluate“What Makes a Good Eco-Label.” For userswho like interactive learning, the virtualkitchen provides pop-up style informationabout food, wood, paper, and coffee products.
Information is still being added to the site, socheck back often. You can visit the eco-labels Web site at <www.eco-labels.org>.For additional information, contact IrvashiRangan at 914 378-2351.
How Well Do You Know Your Labels?
more than 1 percent by weight and about 2 percentby volume of all municipal solid waste. Furthermore,the bulky nature of carpet creates collection and han-dling problems for solid waste operations, and thevariety of materials present in carpet makes it diffi-cult to recycle.
Consideration of the Entire Life Cycle and Trade-off Issues is Important
Significant impacts can occur throughout the lifecycle of carpet, and these impacts vary with the typesof materials used, the pattern of carpet use andreplacement, and the options available for reuse,recycling, or disposal. An approach for evaluating thelifecycle impacts of carpet and other floor coveringsis included in the Building for Environmental andEconomic Sustainability (BEES) tool, which can bedownloaded from <www.epa.gov/oppt/epp/bees.htm>. BEES includes lifecycle impact data onnylon and recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET)carpet. General information on lifecycle analysis andits role in environmentally preferable purchasing canbe found in the EPP General Training Tool at<www.epa.gov.oppt/epp/gentt/>.
Nylon is the most popular fiber used in commercialcarpet facing. Two closely related forms of nylon—“nylon 6” and “nylon 6,6”—are used in carpet facing.Recycled nylon 6 is available and is used by somemanufacturers. Currently, there are no commercialsources of recycled nylon 6,6. Some manufacturersbelieve that nylon 6,6 provides better performancefor certain characteristics such as stain resistance.Polypropylene and PET are also used in carpet facefiber. Recycled PET is widely available, but carpetmade with PET face fiber is not as durable as nylonor polypropylene carpet and is usually recommendedonly for light to moderate wear conditions.
Carpet fibers can be “solution dyed” by the fibermanufacturer or dyed later at the carpet mill as thecarpet is manufactured. Some believe that solutiondyeing during fiber manufacture results in loweremissions and better color fastness than subsequentdyeing at the carpet mill. However, the differencesbetween solution dyeing and mill dyeing dependhighly on the particular processes used, and it is dif-ficult to generalize about the advantages of oneprocess versus the other.
Carpet backing is used to provide structural sup-port to the face fiber. The primary materials used incarpet backing are jute, polypropylene, polyvinylchloride (PVC), and polyurethane. Jute is a renew-able biobased product but is not as durable as the
synthetic backings. Recycled-content (up to 100 per-cent) PVC backing is available, but dioxin and otherchlorinated byproducts are formed during the manu-facture and disposal (by incineration) of PVC.Polypropylene avoids the chlorinated byproductissues of PVC, but its manufacture requires moreenergy than PVC does, and recycled-contentpolypropylene backing is not readily available. A newpolyurethane backing under development uses apolyol derived from soybean oil. In addition to therenewable resource advantage, it appears that soy-based polyurethane requires less energy during thecuring step than polyurethane made from standardpetroleum-based polyols.
Carpet cushion is placed underneath the carpet toprovide additional comfort, insulation, and noisereduction. In some cases, the cushion is integratedwith the backing. Materials commonly used in carpetcushion include polyurethane, jute, synthetic rubber,PVC, and other synthetic fibers. All of these sub-stances can be obtained from recovered materials.
Because of its complex nature (typically at leastthree different materials bonded together), carpet isdifficult to recycle. However, some manufacturers dohave programs to collect used carpet for materialsrecovery and subsequent processing into a variety ofproducts. Most of the carpet in the United States thatis recycled is separated and processed into new prod-ucts in Georgia by the DuPont Carpet ReclamationProgram (800 4DUPONT). A few other carpet manu-facturers incorporate postconsumer materials in their carpet. A description of recycling activitieswithin the carpet industry can be found on theCarpet and Rug Institute’s (CRI’s) Web site at<www.carpet-rug.com>.
VOCs can be emitted from any or all carpet com-ponents, as well as from adhesives that are sometimesused during carpet installation. Field or laboratorytesting is needed to identify and quantify the com-pounds emitted. Currently, it is not possible to pre-dict the identities and quantities of these emissionsbased solely on the chemical composition of thematerials used in the carpet.
The Choice is YoursEnvironmentally preferable carpet choices each
have their own merits, and choosing one depends onthe specific need, location, and use for the carpet.Some questions to consider in determining the bestchoice for your situation include:
6
Carpet Products and the Environment< Continued from Page 1 >
•What are the durability requirements?Because increasing the durability of carpet generallyrequires a more resource-intensive manufacturingprocess and makes use of recycled material difficult,it is important to anticipate the expected use patternand replacement schedule in order to make the bestenvironmental purchase. For example, don’t specifythe most durable carpet for a temporary space withlight use and frequent change in tenants and, there-fore, frequent renovations and flooring replacement.
•Tiles or broadloom? Tiles use more material initially because of the needfor a thicker backing but, depending on the use pat-tern, they can save materials in the long run becauseworn or soiled tiles can be replaced individuallyrather than replacing the entire carpet. Also, keep inmind that broadloom carpet comes in standardwidths—typically 6 and 12 feet. Because tiles aresmaller, less carpet is wasted when tiles are installedin spaces with different dimensions.
•What is the recycled content of the carpet face fiber,backing, and cushion?
•Is there a mechanism for recycling some or all of thecarpet components?
•What are the chemical emissions from the manufac-ture and disposal of carpet materials?
•What are the emissions from the carpet itself orfrom other materials used during its installation(e.g., adhesives)? Do any of these emissions pre-sent indoor air quality concerns?
Carpet Standards and SpecificationsA number of states and EPA Regions have
incorporated contract language that considershealth and environmental factors when pur-chasing carpet. Massachusetts state agenciesspecify minimum levels of recycled contentfor carpet purchases; both Massachusettsand Minnesota allow only low-VOCadhesives; and Washington state speci-fies the maximum emissions allowed inthe first 30 days following installation.EPA Region 7 specifications prohibitcertain chemicals and require emis-sions to meet standards of CRI’s“Green Label” program, whichencourages manufacturers toreduce chemical emissions fromcarpet products. Region 10allows only low-VOC andformaldehyde-free adhesives
and requires that any carpet unable to be reused mustbe recycled with the Dupont Carpet ReclamationProgram or its equivalent.
EPA also is exploring the development of voluntaryconsensus standards, which would incorporate envi-ronmental factors into the product design and manu-facturing process. In addition, under EPA’sComprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG), federalagencies are required to purchase carpet and carpetcushion, among other items, with recovered content.The CPG currently addresses only polyester carpet, butEPA is considering adding a requirement for nylon car-pet and nylon carpet backing.
Purchasers can find contract language and other vol-untary standards for carpet in the EPP Database at<www.epa.gov/oppt/epp/database.htm>. For CRI’sGreen Label Emissions Limits and additional carpetresources, go to <www.epa.gov/oppt/epp/carpetresources.htm>.
Other Activities, Future DirectionsThe Midwestern Workgroup on Carpet Recycling<www.moea.state.mn.us/policy/carpet/index.cfm>
is a partnership of several states, the carpet industry,and EPA, which is addressing concerns about the large
quantity of carpet that enters the solid waste stream.EPA’s participation in the Midwestern Workgroup sup-
ports the Agency’s Extended Product ResponsibilityProgram, which calls on those in the product life cycle—
manufacturers, retailers, users, and disposers—to share respon-sibility for reducing the environmental impacts of their products
(www.epa.gov/epr). The Midwestern Workgroup concluded itsmeetings in January 2001 with the following outcomes:1. Government partners committed to developing model procure-
ment guidelines that address EPP in the context of carpet pur-chases by public entities.2. Government and the carpet industry agreed to negotiate national
outcomes for the end-of-life management of carpet, including theestablishment of reuse and recycling rates. The process to create these
outcomes began in March and is expected to conclude by fall 2001.3. The carpet industry agreed to create, fund, and manage a third-party orga-
nization that will be responsible for achieving the negotiated outcomes.
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[EPA has recently begun updating and expanding its green con-ferences/green meetings Web site, so keep checking it out at<www.epa.gov/oppt/greenmeetings>!]
Don’t be left behind—more and more people areadopting the “green meetings” concept whenplanning events and conferences. Although
some might view green meetings as a fad, current ini-tiatives that are under way are proof to the contrary.Before going any further, however, it is important toidentify what exactly a green meeting is, the environ-mental impacts of holding a meeting, and how tominimize those impacts. Then, this article profilesorganizations that are helping develop the green meet-ings market, and shows how coordinated and collabo-rative this type of work is.
What makes a meeting green?Bringing people together for meetings, often for
multiple days at a time, can create a variety of envi-ronmental impacts—from the smog and greenhousegas emissions associated with air and ground travel tothe paper, plastic, and food waste associated withfeeding attendees. Fortunately, however, more andmore meeting planners are realizing that they canreduce these impacts and save money in the process,without sacrificing the quality of the attendees’experience.
The Oceans Blue Foundation, a Canadian coastalconservation group, defines green meetings as “anassembly or gathering of people for the purpose of theexchange of information, where, through careful plan-ning, negative impact on the environment is mini-
mized.” In the early1990s, a greenmeeting might havemeant thatbrochures wereprinted on recycled-content paper orthat soda cans werecollected for recy-cling. The costsassociated witheven these simplesteps were often
prohibitive formost meetingplanners and
meeting service suppliers. Today, however, the oppor-tunities to organize green meetings and events arealmost limitless—often offering ways to save moneyand increase efficiency.
What can be done to minimize the impacts?Depending on the size of a conference, incorporat-
ing environmentally responsible decisions into meet-ing planning can begin months, even years inadvance. Start by carefully choosing the city and con-ference site that offers the most environmental advan-tages. This can be the most critical step in laying thegroundwork for either a green or brown meeting.Other opportunities to reduce meeting-relatedimpacts on the environment can be divided into sixcategories. The following lays out a few steps in eachcategory:
Accommodations• Choose a hotel that has energy and water conserva-
tion programs, including automatic controls for theHVAC system; fluorescent lighting and automaticlighting controls; low-flow taps, showerheads, andtoilets; and gray water initiatives (the recycling andreuse of unpurified water).
• Give hotel guests the option to reuse towels andsheets.
Transportation• To minimize vehicle emissions, plan a meeting so
as to maximize the ability to reach meeting loca-tions, accommodations, area restaurants, attrac-tions, and the airport via mass transportation or bywalking.
Food and Beverage• Plan menus around abundant, locally produced
ingredients and avoid threatened species.
• When possible, all surplus food should be donatedto local shelters and food banks.
• Consider providing drinking water in pitchers orlarge reusable containers instead of small plasticbottles.
Meeting Facilities• Look for facilities that invite meeting attendees to
share in energy conservation and the waste reduc-tion process—for example, by reducing papertowel use, supporting use of soap dispensers vs.individual soaps, avoiding waste, and participatingin recycling programs that utilize visible signage
Save Money and the Environ
Conference
OfficePaper
NameTags
ment by Meeting Green informing attendees on what is and is not recy-clable.
Exhibits• Use signage and evaluation bins that are reusable
whenever possible.
• Discourage exhibitors from bringing to the showlarge quantities of excess materials, which oftenend up in the trash because exhibitors don’t wantto ship the excess back at the show’s conclusion.Encourage exhibitors instead to refer clients totheir Web site. Also, useful environmentallyresponsible gifts are preferable to items that willbe discarded at the end of the show.
General Office Practices and Communications• Take advantage of or promote the use of electron-
ic communication, registration, and proceedingsdistribution.
• Use double-sided copies.
Who is working to green meetings?Europe and Canada are far ahead of the United
States when it comes to planning green meetings orproviding green meeting services such as transporta-tion, food and beverage, or lodging. For example,Fairmont Hotels, formerly Canadian Pacific Hotels,has created its own Eco-Meet program. There is anever-increasing number of green meeting “pioneers”in the United States, but many meeting planners arestill having a difficult time finding green services fortheir meeting. This is why it is important to remem-ber that asking for green is key. It is the first steptoward showing that there is a demand for reducedenvironmental impacts associated with a meeting.For example, when enough meeting planners ask forreusable mugs, nontoxic cleaning services, orenergy-efficient lighting, then hotels, conventioncenters, and meeting service providers will begin torespond.
Several organizations have undertaken efforts topromote green meetings.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green
Conference Initiative
<www.epa.gov/oppt/greenmeetings>
The goal of this initiative is to develop a “one-stopshopping” location at which meeting planners andservice providers can learn about green meetings.
The information is meant to help planners request,and help suppliers provide, green options for meet-ing planning. The Web site includes the following: achecklist of opportunities that minimize the environ-mental impacts of holding meetings; contract lan-guage for obtaining greener conference planning/support services; and links to information on otherrelated initiatives.
Oceans Blue Foundation
<www.oceansblue.org>
Oceans Blue Foundation (OBF) is a Canadianenvironmental charity that was created in 1996 tohelp conserve coastal environments through envi-ronmentally responsible tourism. It is the first orga-nization in North America to focus on developingand promoting best practices and standards for allsectors of the tourism industry, as well as the first todevelop guidelines for green meetings. OBF will beleading an effort that will involve working with EPAand other stakeholders to develop a Web-based toolto help meeting planners plan green meetings.
The Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies
(CERES) Green Hotel Initiative
<www.ceres.org/about/Programs/ghoverview.html>
The Green Hotel Initiative seeks to increase greenlodging and meeting options by catalyzing marketsupply and demand. This multi-stakeholder effort—involving business, the hotel industry, nongovern-mental organizations, labor, academia, andenvironmental advocates—promotes environmental-ly responsible hotel services and encourages meeting
Meetings Facts and Figures• Approximately 93,000 federal travelers are traveling to
8,000 locations across the country on any given businessday.
• Federal travelers use 24 million room nights of hotel spacein the United States annually.
• An average hotel purchases more products in a week than100 families purchase in an entire year.
• Travel and tourism is now the world’s largest industry.Meetings make up a growing component of this industry,which weighed in a few years ago at $280 billion annually,worldwide.
9
< Continued on Page 12 >
10
In an innovative project, the Arizona Army National Guard is making sustainablebuilding practices a reality. The National Guard constructed a fully self-sustainingoffice building using recovered materials and energy-efficient practices that will serve
to educate the public about sustainability. Walls made of scrap tires and compactedearth, a passive cooling design, a photovoltaic system to generate power, and a numberof other features make the National Guard’s new “Eco-Building” a showcase facility forother organizations.
The walls of the 5,200-square-foot facility are made from approximately 4,500 tires,weighing 300 pounds each when packed with dirt. The tires are stacked like bricks andpacked with dirt. In addition to diverting tires from stockpiling or disposal, the tire wallsstore heat in the winter and absorb heat during the summer, reducing the amount ofenergy required to regulate the building’s temperature. “Cool tubes” also were installed tocool the building during summer. These tubes are large pipes buried 10 feet below thebuilding. Air is brought into the tubes through an external shaded opening and is cooledby the temperature of the earth. Cooled air is pulled into the building through the cooltubes when the air in the building gets hot and rises. Heating is not required due to theinternal energy load from people, computers, and printers, as well as by strategic win-dow placement.
With its energy and water systems, the building operates independently from utilitycompanies. The Eco-Building gets all of its energy from a photovoltaic power system.The main sources of lighting are windows, six energy-efficient skylights, and solar tubes.The roof captures rainwater and funnels it into cisterns that supply water for drinking,bathroom sinks, and toilets. Water is heated by a solar hot water system, and all thewater is supplied to the building with solar-powered pumps. Gray water, captured fromthe sinks, is filtered and used for watering the garden.
In recognition of its unique design and construction, the Eco-Building received the2000 Arizona Governor’s Environmental Leadership Award. “The construction conceptsand principles used for this building are not revolutionary in and of themselves—what isrevolutionary is the willingness of this organization and the innovative approaches it hastaken to embrace environmental sustainability,” said T.J. Roe, Eco-Building project man-ager. The National Guard was able to build the Eco-Building at half the cost of a conven-tionally constructed office building. The organization achieved cost savings by usingreclaimed materials salvaged from buildings slated for demolition and inmate labor pro-vided through a partnership with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. This partnershipprovided valuable technical skills to the inmates while minimizing construction costs,Roe said.
Photos and information about the Eco-Building are available at<www.azecobuilding.com>. For more information about the project, contact T.J. Roe at 602 267-2663 or <[email protected]>.
Greening the Guard in Arizona
Shattering the myth
that green buildings
cost more, this extra-
ordinary building cost
the Arizona National
Guard only half of
what a conventionally
constructed office
building would have.
How did they do that?
Creative use of
reclaimed materials
salvaged from build-
ings slated for demoli-
tion and inmate labor
provided through a
partnership with the
Maricopa County
Sheriff ’s office.
Worker preparing for place-ment of the final layer of dirt.
11
Whether you’re looking to purchase a new fleet of energy-efficient vehicles or a less hazardous bathroom cleaner,EPA’s EPP database <www.epa.gov/oppt/epp/
database.htm> is your one-stop shop. For almost a year, the data-base has provided environmental information about a wide vari-ety of consumer products. Users can search the database of morethan 600 products—from computers and home electronics totoothbrushes and toilet tissue—in a “shopping mall” format bybrowsing a “store” or searching for a specific product.
The EPP database currently contains 10 speciality stores,including Furniture/Appliances, Computers, Hardware, IndustrialProducts and Services, Scientific/Medical, and Grocery/Miscellaneous. For more convenient “shopping,” the stores arefurther divided into “aisles.” For example, the “grocery store” isdivided into aisles for cleaning supplies, food, toiletries, and petproducts. Other stores may be added as the demand for informa-tion on a given product increases.
Several government agencies, as well as private sector groupsand organizations, originally compiled the information in thedatabase. The database contains a wealth of information, includ-ing the contract language created and used by federal and stategovernments to buy environmentally preferable products and ser-vices. It also provides the environmental standards and guidelinesfor certain products, as well as vendor lists of product brandsthat meet these standards.
To ensure that the database ismeeting the needs of its users, theEPP program is actively seekinginput from users to enhance thedatabase and make it more user-friendly. Because the purpose ofthe database is to help consumersidentify environmentally prefer-able products, EPP wants toensure that it is including themost relevant information in auseful format.
Anyone with comments orsuggestions on how to improvethe database should contact Christopher Kentat <[email protected]>.
EPP DatabaseContinues to Expand and Evolve
The Eco-Building is ashowcase facility fordemonstrating:
• Sustainability
• Use of unwantedand waste materials
• Partnerships
• Energy efficiencyand solar energy
• Costs and benefits ofconstructing self-sustaining officebuildings
Tires and dirt are used to constructthe conference room walls.
1EPAUnited States Environmental Protection Agency(7409)Washington, DC 20460
Official BusinessPenalty for Private Use $300
planners and travel buyers to stimulate the hotelmarket.
Meeting Professionals International (MPI)—
Green Meeting Task Force
<www.mpiweb.org>
In October 1997, Meeting ProfessionalsInternational’s Board of Directors authorized the cre-ation of a task force on green meetings. The task forcedeveloped a white paper to address options for plan-ning green conferences. Information includes recom-mendations to MPI planner members and MPI suppliermembers on how they can make their services andproducts more environmentallyresponsible. It also providesspecific recommendations toMPI on how to make its ownmeetings more environmen-tally responsible.
Fairmont Hotels Eco-Meet Program
<www.cphotels.ca>
Fairmont Hotels (previously Canadian Pacific), thelargest hotel company in Canada, has developed anenvironmental program, which is recognized as themost comprehensive in the North American hotelindustry. Fairmont Hotels offers conference planners a “ready-made” green conference package called Eco-Meet.
Look for more details on these initiatives and forinformation on many other initiatives and activitiesfocused on greening meetings and hotels at
<www.epa.gov/oppt/greenmeetings>. Thedescriptions can be found under the
“Current Initiatives” button.
For more information on greenmeetings, contact Russ Clark ofEPA at <[email protected]>.
Green Meetings< Continued from Page 9 >
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