Test - savings

Showing posts with label savings. Show all posts

Organizations Leading the EPA’s Annual Green Power Partnership Lists

January 30, 2013 Add Comment Edit

The EPA’s annual Green Power Partnership lists includes dozens of organizations that are now using 100 percent green energy to power their US operations. Organizations achieve this amazing feat with the help of renewable energy certificates, on-site generation and utility green power products.

The "100 percent" list is updated quarterly and identifies a range of organizations (businesses, government agencies, organizations and universities) that use only renewable energy in their US operations. (Usage figures are based on annualized partner contract amounts, such as kilowatt-hour, not calendar year totals).

As stated on the EPA's site, "Using green power helps reduce the environmental impacts of electricity use and supports the development of new renewable generation capacity nationwide."

The top three companies on the EPA's 100% Green Power Users list are Intel, Kohls, and Whole Foods.

1. Intel

Intel had the largest annual green power usage on both the general and the 100 percent green power lists, with 3.1 billion kilowatt-hours from biogas, biomass, small hydro, solar and wind sources generated on-site and purchased from provider Sterling Planet.

2. Kohl’s Department Stores

Kohl’s followed on both lists with 1.53 billion kWh from solar and wind green power sources. Kohl’s meets its 100 percent green power standard through on-site generation and from providers 3Degrees, Nexant and Sterling Planet.

3. Whole Foods Market

Whole Foods had the third-largest amount of green power usage among those using 100 percent green power, with 800 million kWh of solar and wind power via on-site generation and provider 3Degrees. Staples, the District of Columbia, City of Austin, TD Bank, EPA, Deutsche Bank and Washington Real Estate Investment Trust rounded out the top 10 100 percent green power users.

Other companies that made the list

TD Bank, Deutsche Bank, NYSE, EuroNext, BMO, Harris Bank, Adobe Systems

To go the EPA leaders in each category see below:

100% Green Power Users.
National Top 50
Top 20 Retail
Top 20 Colleges and Universities
Top 20 Local Governments
Top 20 On-site Generation

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
The EPA's Top Green Powered Organizations
EPA's Energy Winners for 2012 Energy
EPA's Green Power Partnerships
EPA's 2012 Green Power Partnership Winners
EPA's Top Green Powered Organizations
Top Companies in the 2012 Climate Leadership Awards

The Green Cup Challenge®

September 19, 2012 Add Comment Edit

The Green Cup Challenge® (GCC) was launched in 2007, it is an annual month long inter-school energy challenge that takes place each January/February to call attention to peak winter energy use. Originally designed to help schools measure and reduce electricity use and greenhouse gas emissions, GCC provides hands-on learning opportunities for students and school staff, including facilities managers, to work together to reduce their school’s carbon footprint. GCC integrates education and action, quantifies progress and aggregates success.

Some of the activities students and staff undertake during GCC include: making videos, reading electric meters, collecting and aggregating data using spreadsheets, calculating average energy use and learning to use the Energy Star Portfolio Manager to establish a building’s baseline energy consumption. Students can view their own school’s results week-to-week and compare them with other schools’ data. Participation in GCC can greatly enhance a school’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curriculum. More importantly, GCC’s impact is real.

In the last five years, GCC participating schools have saved nearly six million kilowatt hours of electricity and prevented more than 3,500 metric tons (or 7.7 million pounds) of global warming carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere. During the 2012 GCC, some top performing schools managed to reduce energy use by more than 30 percent, thus showcasing the collective impact of hundreds of people performing simple actions like turning off lights in unoccupied spaces.

In April 2011, 20 participating GCC schools launched the first Green Cup “Recycle” Challenge to promote compliance with their recycling programs. The top three schools achieved recycling diversion rates of more than 80 percent. These program numbers demonstrate the enormous potential of a national school-based resource conservation movement. Lessons learned ripple outward from schools to families and workplace and endure long after GCCs are over.

Source: Sustainable Solutions Green Schools: A 21st Century Imperative : Center for a Better Life

Emily Alix Fano is a consultant with the Green Schools Alliance. She has a Master’s degree in Urban and Environmental Policy from Tufts University and writes on green schools, biotechnology and the environment for national and international forums. A passionate environmentalist devoted to the goal of zero-waste schools, Fano is an active member of the District 3 Green Schools Group – a coalition of parents creating model green programs in New York City public schools. She has been recognized as a Changemaker by Planet Green. E: efano@greenschoolsalliance.org

Related Posts
The Green Market Oracle Green School Series 2011
The Green Market Oracle Green School Series 2010
The Need for Global Environmental Education
The Green Schools Alliance
The New Era of Green Schools
The Need for Global Environmental Education
Call to Service: Teaching Sustainability at Business Schools
Business Education in Sustainability (Video)
The Role of Business Schools Embedding Sustainability (Video)
Green Schools are Bridging the Knowledge Gap
Sustainable Education is Key to Accessing the Green Economy
Investing in Education is the Key to Developing the Green Economy
Green School Buildings Serve our Collective Best Interest (Video)
The Academic Superiority of Green Schools
Green School Buildings Health and Performance Benefits Part 1
Energy Efficiency with the Green Schools Program
Zerofootprint Challenge is Greening Schools
Billion Dollar Challenge: Schools Investing in Green and Creating Sustainable Jobs
WWF-Canada's Green CommUnity School Grants Program
Campus Consortium for Environmental Excellence
The Federal Government's Green Ribbon Schools
The 2011 AASHE Campus Sustainability Awards
Chill Out: Climate Action on Campus
Campus Consortium for Environmental Excellence
The Global Green USA Green School Makeover Competition
Energy Efficiency: Obama's Jobs Act and the Green Schools Program

Obama Administration's New Vehicle Standards

August 31, 2012 1 Comment Edit

New vehicle standards have been issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Obama Administration has finalized new standards of 54.5 mpg that will be implemented by 2025.These new vehicle standards in concert with previous Obama administration standards will almost double the fuel efficiency of future vehicles as compared to new vehicles currently on our roads today. The previous Obama administration standards for cars and light trucks for Model Years 2011-2016 raised average fuel efficiency to 35.5 mpg by 2016.

Described by President Obama as "the single most important step we’ve ever taken to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.” This new standard is not only good for the environment, it is good for national energy security, good for Americans looking to save on gas, good for automakers and good for everyone that breathes the air.

These moves will serve as a catalyst for new innovation and help increase the adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles in the US.

This will save consumers more than $1.7 trillion at the gas pump which is a savings amounting to $8,000 over the life of a model year 2025 vehicle.

The standard reduces US oil consumption by 12 billion barrels or 3.1 million barrels per day by 2030. It also reduces carbon pollution by almost 6 billion metric tons. The reduction of 570 million metric tons in 2030 is equivalent to taking 85 million of today’s cars off the road or shutting down 140 coal-fired power plants.

The new standard is also a winner for automakers as it increases their profits and creates jobs. It is anticipated to create 570,000 new jobs across the nation between 2017-2025.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Posts
Car Sharing Programs a New More Efficient Way to Drive
Jaguar F Type a True Hybrid Sports Car
Jaguar C-X75 Electric Hybrid Supercar
Jaguar XJ: A Greener Luxury Car
BMW Investing in EVs
Porsche's Electric e-Boxter Sports Car
Porsche and Audi`s Greener Vehicles
Mercedes-Benz Hybrid and Electric Cars
The Nissan Esflow Debuts
Honda's CR-Z and Second Generation Hybrid Sports Car
8 Greener Cars at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show
Jaguar C-X75 Electric Hybrid Supercar
Jaguar XJ: A Greener Luxury Car
BMW Investing in EVs
Porsche's Electric e-Boxter Sports Car
Porsche and Audi`s Greener Vehicles
Mercedes-Benz Hybrid and Electric Cars
The Nissan Esflow Debuts
Honda's CR-Z and Second Generation Hybrid Sports Car
8 Greener Cars at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show
The Top 10 Green Cars of 2011
Global Demand for Hybrid Vehicles
EV Sales Predictions in the US
Factors Determining Adoption Rate of EVs
Electric Vehicles Increasingly Competitive
The US is Positioned to Lead the Global Demand for EVs
Consumer Groups Push for a US Vehicle Standard of 60 mpg by 2025
America's New Fuel Efficiency Standards
ISO Standards and Greener Vehicles
American Electric Vehicle Strategy
Competition in Green Vehicles
Greening Vehicle Fleets
The Value of Electric Vehicle Subsidies
Assessing the Environmental Impact of Electric and Hybrid Vehicle
Hybrids Could Substantially Reduce US Fossil Fuel Consumption
Electric Vehicles Will Drive Demand for Lithium

Car Sharing Programs a New More Efficient Way to Drive

August 30, 2012 Add Comment Edit

Car sharing reduces the number of privately owned cars; and a proportional reduction in the number of parking spaces needed. Car sharing that relies on electric vehicles are of great environmental benefit. They have no emissions and fuel costs are typically 60-70 percent lower than comparable fossil fuel powered vehicles. Car sharing programs are an efficient way of using a car without having to buy one. These programs are particularly environmentally sustainable when they employ electric vehicles.

Premium car brand BMW is working to become a "mobility services" company with their first EV car sharing program in the US. Their program features a fleet of 70 electric BMW ActiveE cars available at eight stations in the San Francisco Bay area. Their DriveNow, program allows drivers to take a car from one point to another rather than have to return it to the point of departure as is the case with other car sharing programs. and leave it, unlike other car-sharing programs which require vehicles to be returned to the same pick-up location. They even enable enrolled drivers to use a smartphone app to reserve a car.

The program originally lauched in Germany where there are 45,000 in the cities of Munich, Berlin and Düsseldorf.

Other car companies are also getting involved with car sharing. Daimler has a program in the US and Canada called the Car2Go car-sharing service that has 50,000 members. It launched in Austin, San Diego, and is now in the cities of Miami, Calgary and Toronto. Daimler has a network of 200 to 300 Daimler Smart Fortwos in each location.

In Canada, AutoShare was the first car sharing or rental company to add 100 percent electric vehicles to their fleet. As part of their commitment to sustainable transportation, they are working with a number of companies to install a network of charging stations for this project in Toronto.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Posts
Jaguar F Type a True Hybrid Sports Car
Jaguar C-X75 Electric Hybrid Supercar
Jaguar XJ: A Greener Luxury Car
BMW Investing in EVs
Porsche's Electric e-Boxter Sports Car
Porsche and Audi`s Greener Vehicles
Mercedes-Benz Hybrid and Electric Cars
The Nissan Esflow Debuts
Honda's CR-Z and Second Generation Hybrid Sports Car
8 Greener Cars at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show
Jaguar C-X75 Electric Hybrid Supercar
Jaguar XJ: A Greener Luxury Car
BMW Investing in EVs
Porsche's Electric e-Boxter Sports Car
Porsche and Audi`s Greener Vehicles
Mercedes-Benz Hybrid and Electric Cars
The Nissan Esflow Debuts
Honda's CR-Z and Second Generation Hybrid Sports Car
8 Greener Cars at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show
The Top 10 Green Cars of 2011
Global Demand for Hybrid Vehicles
EV Sales Predictions in the US
Factors Determining Adoption Rate of EVs
Electric Vehicles Increasingly Competitive
The US is Positioned to Lead the Global Demand for EVs
Consumer Groups Push for a US Vehicle Standard of 60 mpg by 2025
America's New Fuel Efficiency Standards
ISO Standards and Greener Vehicles
American Electric Vehicle Strategy
Competition in Green Vehicles
Greening Vehicle Fleets
The Value of Electric Vehicle Subsidies
Assessing the Environmental Impact of Electric and Hybrid Vehicle
Hybrids Could Substantially Reduce US Fossil Fuel Consumption
Electric Vehicles Will Drive Demand for Lithium

Energy Managment Tips for IT (White Paper)

August 29, 2012 Add Comment Edit

Energy Aware Planning and Decision Making White Paper

Freeform Dynamics Ltd: Energy Aware Planning and Decision Making, Five Imperatives for IT

Proactive management of energy consumption is becoming increasingly critical. Businesses rely on IT, and IT relies on energy – often quite a bit of it in the case of corporate data centers. According to leading market research firm Freeform Dynamics Ltd* three consequences of this are:

•	Energy consumption via the IT infrastructure is a significant cost, and therefore a potential constraint on IT-related activity when pressure to manage that cost is applied.
•	Energy availability, i.e. being able to source enough energy to power the IT infrastructure and be confident in its supply, is fundamental to both growth and business continuity.
•	Energy-related regulation will almost certainly have a direct or indirect impact on IT.

5 key imperatives for effective energy management:

•	Acquire visibility
•	Assign responsibility
•	Rationalize applications
•	Optimize the infrastructure
•	Manage dynamically

DCIM: Bringing together the worlds of facilities and IT in a software solution that stresses availability, efficiency, and cost savings.

Click here to register to download the White Paper

EPA's 2012 Green Power Partnership: Top 20 K-12 Schools

August 28, 2012 Add Comment Edit

The Top 20 K-12 Schools list represents the largest green power users among K-12 school partners within the Green Power Partnership. The combined green power use of these organizations amounts to more than 221 million kilowatt-hours of green power annually, which is the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power more than 19,000 average American homes each year.

The Green Power Partnership works with a wide variety of leading organizations — from Fortune 500® companies to local, state and federal governments, and a growing number of schools. The following Top Partner Rankings highlight the annual green power use of leading organizations within the US and across individual industry sectors.

Using green power helps reduce the environmental impacts of electricity use and supports the development of new renewable generation capacity nationwide. Usage amounts reflect US operations only and are sourced from US-based green power resources. Organizations can meet EPA Partnership requirements using any combination of three different product options: (1) Renewable Energy Certificates, (2) On-site generation, and (3) Utility green power products.

Usage figures are based on annualized Partner contract amounts (kilowatt-hours), not calendar year totals. These rankings are updated on a quarterly schedule.

Related Posts
EPA's 2012 Green Power Partnership: Top 20 Colleges Universities
America's Greenest Schools from Sierra (2012)
Best Green Colleges: Sierra's Cool Schools 2012 (Video)
The Greenest College Campuses (Infographic)
Sierra's 2011 List of Cool Green Schools Points West
Sierra's Top 100 Cool Green Schools (2010)
Sierra Magazine's Top 10 Green Schools (2009)
Green Schools are Cool (2009)
Princeton Review 2013 Green Honor Roll Ranking of US Colleges
Best Green Colleges: Princeton Review 2013 (Video)
The Princeton Review's 2012 Top Green Schools Honor Role
Princeton's Green Schools Honor Roll (2009)
The Princeton Review Green Colleges Honor Role (2010)
The Princeton Review Green Schools Honor Roll (2009)
Fiske's Top 10 Colleges for Environmental Education
AASHE Campus Sustainability Data Collector and the STARS Reporting Tool
Searchable Environmental Education Resources
The Green Market's Green School Series 2011
The Green Market's Green Schools Series 2010
Searchable Environmental Education Resources
Green School Census
Find Sustainable Education at GreenDegreeDirectory
CareerOneStop’s Environmental Education Finder
Butte College 2012: Grid Positive School (Video)
Green School Buildings Serve our Collective Best Interest (Video)

2012 World Green Roof Congress

August 05, 2012 Add Comment Edit

The 2012 World Green Roof Congress (WGRC) will take place in Hangzhou China from October 22nd to October 26th. The 2012 WGRC will be co-sponsored by World Green Roof Infrastructure Network, International Rooftop Landscaping Association and Hangzhou Municipal People’s Government.

The WGRC event is a friendly public platform for people from the Vertical Planting industry around the world and from other industries who share concern for the global environmental protection. The event is a platform to exchange information on new concepts, technologies and policies of ecological environmental protection and to promote the development of Green Roof industry in all countries. The goal is to contribute to efforts that tackle global warming by building ecological, low-carbon and livable city.

Leaders, designers, architects and students will gather in Hangzhou, the most beautiful garden tour city in China. Hangzhou is also one of the richest cities in China, it has a rapidly growing economy and is a leader in green roof development.

For more information contact the International Liaison Department of the Organizing Committee of the World Green Roof Congress in Hangzhou China c/o William Wei:

Phone: 0086-1371 8888 305
E-mail: wrgmay2010@hotmail.com
Chinese website: www.greenrooftops.cn

To register click here.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Posts
Benefits of Green Roofs
Types of Green Roofs
Green Roofs and Storm Water Runoff
The Green Roof Industry is Growing Fast
The Benefits of Cool Roofs
Cool Roofs from Energy 101 (Video)
Cool Roof Research from the University of Melbourne (Video)
Cool Roofs Reduce Emissions and Save Energy (Video)
The Cool Roof Project (Video)
The Effectiveness of Cool Roofs in Hot and Cold Climates
20 Cool Roof Resources from the CRRC and Other Sources
Cool Roofs Savings Calculators
Three Types of Cool Roofs
Green Buildings Offer Many Benefits
The Extraordinary Growth of Green Building
The Implications of the Growth of Green Buildings
Green Building Environmental Benefits
Green Building Economic Benefits
Green Building Social Benefits
Green Buildings Resources
Green Buildings Combat Climate Change
Green Buildings Health and Performance Benefits Part 1
Green Buildings Health and Performance Benefits Part 2
Green Buildings: The Many Benefits of Natural Lighting
Green Buildings: The Many Benefits of Ventilation
The Future of Green Buildings
Top 10 Green Building Trends for 2010
25 Blogs Leading the Sustainable Building Revolution

2012 Mid-Atlantic Green Roof Science & Technology Symposium

August 05, 2012 Add Comment Edit

The 2012 Mid-Atlantic Green Roof Science & Technology Symposium (MGRST) will be held on August 16-17, at the University of Maryland College Park, Maryland. The event is subtitled "Redefining Green Roof Science." This is the first annual MGRST event. Due to the fact that standards for green roof performance have not been established the MGRST symposium will be dedicated to disseminating results of scientific research that will lead to the establishment of green roof performance standards for the Mid-Atlantic region.

Topics include:

•Optimal system infrastructure
•Green roof media substrates
•Plant palette criteria
•Green roof performance monitoring programs
•Standardization of green roof testing methodologies

Speakers:

Dr. Manfred Kohler, University of Applied Sciences
Dr. Rob Berghage, Pennsylvania State University
Dr. Brad Rowe, Michigan State University
Ed Snodgrass, Emory Knoll Farms Dr.
Colleen Butler, University of Toronto
Dr. Andrew Ristvey, University of Maryland
Dr. John Lea–Cox, University of Maryland
Olyssa Starry, University of Maryland
Dr. Elizabeth Fassman, University of Auckland
Dr. Stuart Gaffin, Columbia University
Charlie Miller, Roofmeadow
Michael Furbish, Furbish Company
Stewart Comstock, Maryland Department of Environment
Michael Clar, New Castle County,
DE Ray Mims, Architect of the Capitol
Darren DeSteffano, U.S. General Services Administration

For more information contact: Dr. Steven M. Cohan, (301) 405-6969 and scohan@umd.edu

To register click here.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Posts
Benefits of Green Roofs
Types of Green Roofs
Green Roofs and Storm Water Runoff
The Green Roof Industry is Growing Fast
The Benefits of Cool Roofs
Cool Roofs from Energy 101 (Video)
Cool Roof Research from the University of Melbourne (Video)
Cool Roofs Reduce Emissions and Save Energy (Video)
The Cool Roof Project (Video)
The Effectiveness of Cool Roofs in Hot and Cold Climates
20 Cool Roof Resources from the CRRC and Other Sources
Cool Roofs Savings Calculators
Three Types of Cool Roofs
Green Buildings Offer Many Benefits
The Extraordinary Growth of Green Building
The Implications of the Growth of Green Buildings
Green Building Environmental Benefits
Green Building Economic Benefits
Green Building Social Benefits
Green Buildings Resources
Green Buildings Combat Climate Change
Green Buildings Health and Performance Benefits Part 1
Green Buildings Health and Performance Benefits Part 2
Green Buildings: The Many Benefits of Natural Lighting
Green Buildings: The Many Benefits of Ventilation
The Future of Green Buildings
Top 10 Green Building Trends for 2010
25 Blogs Leading the Sustainable Building Revolution

Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )