Sustainability in NC GovernmentsWelcome to NC PROJECT GREEN!

Today’s Agenda…•What is Sustainability?

•Why go GREEN?

•What is NC Project Green?-buildings

-waste reduction

-transportation

-water

-energy

-purchasing

•Related Programs?

•Where do we go from here?

what is…

SUSTAINABILITY?…meeting the needs of the

presentgeneration without compromising the ability

of future generations to meet their needs.

GREENCOOL

DENR

Sustainability Team, since 1999

Environmental Concerns:• INCREASED DROUGHT CONDITIONS

– Right now, 73% of our state is subject to voluntary or mandatory water usage restrictions

– Entire state is listed from abnormally dry to under exceptional drought conditions

• AIR QUALITY ISSUES– EPA’s AQ watch list– Charlotte, Greensboro,

Raleigh/Durham, Hickory, Fayetteville, Rocky Mount, Swain

• MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE– Close to 12 mil tons in 06-07, about 20 yrs of landfill space

left

• GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

Sustainability in GovernmentNationally, Federally, Other State Programs, and here in NC

Why government?

As the whole, government is the single largest employer, consuming energy and natural resources and creating massive amounts of waste and other environmental impacts.

Government is a highly visible role model for the state’s citizens, businesses, and industries.

Government creates laws and policies that shape the economic growth of the state and its impact on the environment. They also spend billions of dollars a year on supplies and services, demonstrating significant purchasing power.

Executive Order 156

General Statutes 143

Local gov actionwww.p2pays.org/epp

Financial Influence• Electricity• Natural gas• Fuel oil• Water and sewer costs• Hazardous waste management• Vehicle fuels• Solid waste management• Goods and services

Government Scope and Impacts• Largest employer• Billion dollar operation budget• Millions of square feet property• Thousands of buildings• 77 universities and community colleges• 118 school systems• Hospitals and medical facilities• Miles and miles of highway• Prison facilities• Thousands of vehicles• Parks, pools, beaches, rest areas

why GO GREEN?1. Set an example2. Save money3. Create jobs4. Water quality 5. Conserve energy6. Legislatively directed7. Global climate change8. Reduce emissions, impacting

air quality (GHG emissions)9. Conserve natural resources10.Conserve landfill space & reduce

energy used by recycling materials

what is NCPG???• Historically

• Communication

• NCPG Meetings

• Share lessons and progress

• Tools and resources

• Learning opportunities, workshops

• Workgroups towards sustainability

Long-term Efforts• use resources & materials more efficiently &

wisely– Use renewable resources– Make buildings & vehicles as efficient as possible– Recycle– Minimize hazardous waste– Conserve water

• use purchasing power to protect the environment– Avoid products containing mercury– Utilize green building standards for buildings and roads– Life Cycle Cost, Environmentally Preferable Products, recycled content

products

• promote sustainable decision making– Incorporate environmental and health issues into daily routine– Ensure long-term environmental, health, and economic impacts are

incorporated into decision making-process

COMMONALITIESin State and Local Governments

• Surplus• Procurement• Energy regulations• Executive Order/General Statutes/local statutes• Permitting• Air Quality issues• Reporting - energy, recycling, purchasing• Restrictions• Contracts

DIFFERENCESrequirements for State vs. Local Governments

• State agencies – purchasing, recycling, energy (link to the resources and guidance)

• Local govs – harder to quantify, but there are some statewide mandates and reporting requirements, and then there are local regulations and ordinances

TOPIC AREAS

buildings- IMPACTGoal: Implement sustainable design to minimize

environmental impacts and provide healthy, productivehigh-performance buildings for employees, while reducing long-term LCC of buildings

- Air Quality – indoor and outbuildings account for 46% of sulfur dioxide emissions, 19% of

nitrogen oxide emissions, and 36% of carbon dioxide emissions

- Energy Consumptionconsume 37% of all energy consumed in the US

and 68% of all electricity

- Generate 136 million tons of waste each year- Account for 25% of the world’s wood harvest+ Habitat Preservation

buildings- GREEN BUILDING RESOURCES

www.ncprojectgreen.com/buildings/home.asp

• NC Green Building Database

• NC Solar Center Building and Energy Professionals

• Building Green

• US Green Building Council

buildings- YOU CAN BUILD GREEN

1. Retrofit older buildings – energy and water2. Landscape Architecture and site location3. Adopt LEED standards & incorporate sustainable design

language into leasing agreements4. Buy recycled products like carpet5. Install low-flow toilets, faucets, and

showerheads6. Natural lighting7. Solar energy8. New sustainably

designed schools

GREEN SQUARE

waste reduction- IMPACTGoal: Reduce waste produced, including hazardous waste,

and divert from landfills by increasing recycling rates- Extracting natural resources destroys the environment- Manufacturing products uses energy & water- Landfills produce gas, contaminate surface water run-off,

and generation leachate- Trash costs money – minimize disposal costs through

reducing and recycling+ Diverting waste preserves open space+ Creates 14,000 jobs and fosters economic

development

Waste reduction- RECYCLING RESOURCES

www.ncprojectgreen.com/wastereduction/home.asp

• Recycling Markets Directory• Local government website, incl. contacts• NC Waste Trader• Recycle Guys and RE3• NC SWANA• CRA• CRA’s Collegiate Recyclers Coalition

waste reduction- RECYCLING…YOU’VE HEARD IT BEFORE

1. Conduct a waste assessment2. Recycling toolkit3. Increase recycling; Re3.org4. Food waste/Composting5. Reuse materials6. C&D recycling7. Surplus8. Tracking/Reporting9. DMRM10.Grants

Legislative Composting

DOT 3R Program

Electronics Recycling

transportation-IMPACT

Goal: Operate as efficiently as possible through vehicular choices & changing employee activities, & compliment with a change to renewable and possibly local resources

- Cars emit NOX and VOCs which create ground-level ozone, impacting Air Quality

- Burning fossil fuels generates CO2 and otherGHGs, causing climate change

+ RENEWABLE and LOCAL resources are available

+ New technologies can save $money$

TransportationRESOURCES

www.ncprojectgreen.com/transportation/home.asp

• NC DAQ Motor Vehicles

• NC Solar Center Clean Transportation

• Federal Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clean Cities Program

• Triangle Clean Cities Coalition

transportation- GET MOVING NOW BY…

1. Using biodiesel in school bus fleets2. Purchasing hybrid vehicles for

department cars3. Taking advantage of telecommuting, video

and conference calling, and virtual meetings

4. Creating incentives for hybrid car drivers, carpooling, and public transportation riders

5. Implementing polices that suggest idle reduction, regular maintenance and properly inflate tires, slow acceleration, and maintaining the speed limit

6. Using the smallest vehicle appropriate for your needs

Motor Fleet Management Division:116 hybrid vehicles6118 ethanol using vehicles

water- IMPACTGoal: Conserve water & minimize impact on water

quality

- Pollute waterways, impairing habitats that support plant and animal species

- Contaminants drawn into drinking water supplies effect H2O quality

- Run-off causing water contamination

+ Change from drought to conservation

water-RESOURCES

www.ncprojectgreen.com/water/home.asp

• Save Water NC

• Division of Water Quality

• Division of Water Resources

water – JUMP IN & START WITH…

1. Tracking/Reporting/Audit2. Check and repair leaks3. Install low-flow fixtures4. Purchase water efficient equipment

and create smart-use kitchen procedures

5. Minimize outdoor water usage6. Think about landscape archit/design7. Create rainwater catchment8. Install porous pavement & catch basins

NC State University:

10 projects5 monthscapital cost totaled $264,000, resulting in almost 10 milliongallons of water saved per year

energy- IMPACTGoal: Lower energy consumption & GHG

emissions through energy efficiency & conservation, using renewable sources, & changing employee practices

- GHG emissions cause global warming- Mining for fossil fuels (coal, oil, & natural gas)

depletes natural resources & causes habitat destruction

+ Options for LOCAL and RENEWABLE resources+ Realize measurable reductions in global

warming pollution & release fewer air pollutants

energy- RESOURCESwww.ncprojectgreen.com/energy/home.asp

• NC Energy Office

• NC Solar Center

• Energy Star

• NC Green Power

energy- JUMPSTART YOUR PROGRAM BY…

1. Conducting an energy audit2. Using EE products –

appliances, electronics, vending, CFLs, LEDs

3. Evaluating energy-intensive systems; HVAC, water heating, lighting, electric power

4. Seeking renewable energy resources5. Adopting Energy Efficient Building Design

Standards6. Purchasing carbon offsets (NC Green Power)7. Installing solar panels or wind turbines

State Energy Office's USI:energy use per gross square foot of space operated by state agencies and universities is down 14 %

purchasing- IMPACTGoal: Reduce, minimize, and/or eliminate

environmental & health impacts associated with products & services & support recycling markets

+ Reduces energy consumption+ Conserves natural resources – air, water, trees,

space+ Decreases toxic materials in waste stream+ Creates markets for recycled materials+ Builds local economies+ Creates jobs

purchasing- RESOURCESwww.ncprojectgreen.com/procurement/home.asp

• NC EPP

• Watersense; www.epa.gov/watersense

• NC Purchase and Contracts Division

• EPA’s EPP Program

DOARecycled Carpet and Green Cleaning Contracts

1. Create a policy with implementation guidance and reporting

2. Focus on high impact purchases3. Use local suppliers4. Pilot green products5. Create take-back policies6. Identify LCCA for savings/alternatives7. Avoid hazardous products (especially mercury)8. Buy recycled content PAPER and paper products9. Design a preference for recycled content and EPPs10. Choose durable over disposable products11. Procure Energy Star products and Green Cleaners

purchasing- YOU HAVE THE POWER TO…

PROGRAMS FOR GOVERNMENTS

• NC’s Climate Action Plan Advisory Group; http://www.ncclimatechange.us

• The Climate Registry; http://www.theclimateregistry.org $$• DSIRE – Database of State Incentives for Renewable

Energy and Efficiency; www.dsireusa.org/• N.C. League of Municipalities Green Challenge;

www.nclm.org/greenchallenge.htm• Local Governments for Sustainability ICLEI;

http://www.iclei.org/ $$• Cool Cities; http://coolcities.us/• Mayors for Climate Protection; www.coolmayors.org/

NC Participants

7 7

Ashville, Black Mountain, Boone, Brevard, Buncombe County, Canton, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Clyde, Concord, Durham, Flat Rock, Fletcher, Franklin, Gastonia, Greenville, Highlands, Hillsborough, Orange County, Raleigh, Salisbury, Surf City, Wake Forest, Wilmington, Winston-Salem, Woodfin

PARTNERS• NC’s Environmental Stewardship Initiative;

www.p2pays.org/esi/• UNC Environmental Finance Center;

www.efc.unc.edu/greengov_listserv.htm• Energy Office; www.energync.net/• Solar Center; www.ncsc.ncsu.edu/• Waste Reduction Partners;

www.landofsky.org/wrp

Today We Covered…•What is Sustainability?

•Why go GREEN?

•What is NC Project Green?-buildings

-waste reduction

-transportation

-water

-energy

-purchasing

•Related Programs?

•Where do we go from here?

Join NC Project GREEN!www.ncprojectgreen.com

Rachel EckertNC DPPEA919-715-6505rachel.eckert@ncmail.net

Claudia PowellNC DPPEA919-715-6532claudia.powell@ncmail.net

Where do we go from here?

Meetings & Locations?

Topics?

Join listserv!

What are you gonna do?

DISCUSSION• Who are you?• Who has policies – sustainability or other?• Future topics to discuss• Green Activities• Questions/Assistance Needed (note cards)• Share resources

Upcoming topic opportunities• vehicular – grants, afv, biodiesel, rerefined motor oil• case studies - dot, school buses, public tanks• new energy goal requirements• school sustainability• recycling - remote offices, cc, universities, electronics• sustainability communities• greening cafeterias• surplus issues• green building - new building (leed) and retro fit your old

building, construction and deconstruction• green purchasing - office, electronics, STC• reporting