House Releases Recommendations for Greening the U.S. Capitol
Recently, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer announced they will begin a project to green our Nation’s Capitol.
By CleanLink Editorial Staff
Recently, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer announced they will begin a project to green Capitol Hill.
The preliminary Greening of the Capitol Report outlines a series of six recommendations in an effort to help the Capitol complex reduce its carbon footprint. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimated the operations of the House as being responsible for 91,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions in fiscal year 2006 – equivalent to the annual carbon dioxide emissions of 17,200 cars.
The recommendations include:
- Operating the House in a carbon neutral manner
- Shifting to 100 percent renewable electric power
- Aggressively improving energy efficiency
- Adopting sustainable business practices
- Continued leadership on sustainability issues
- Offsets to ensure carbon neutral operations
The recommendations are a first step in creating a green Capitol and more sustainable House operations. A final report is expected on June 30 to provide a framework for guiding future decisions, according to the
U.S. Green Building Council.
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