President Obama, who I can also describe as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of my company, the U.S. federal government, ordered us to start measuring our greenhouse gas emissions and set targets within 90 days to reduce them by the year 2020.
In the president’s Executive Order, which he issued October 5, there are two important things to bear in mind with this requirement. One is that the U.S. federal government is the largest energy consumer in the U.S. economy, occupying nearly 500,000 buildings, operating more than 600,000 vehicles, and purchasing more than $500 billion per year in goods and services. I am also one of more than 1.8 million civilian employees. In other words, that’s about the same number of employees as Walmart, the world’s largest employer, had in 2005.
Which brings me to the second point: President Obama wants his employees to lead by example “when it comes to creating innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency, conserve water, reduce waste, and use environmentally-responsible products and technologies.”
Along with coming up with a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, we “feds” are also being asked to meet other targets such as 50 percent recycling and waste diversion by 2015, a 30 percent reduction in vehicle-fleet petroleum use by 2020, and a 26 percent improvement in water efficiency by 2020.
I’m curious to see what plans the State Department will come up with by January 5, 2010. From my tiny little corner of the federal government, I can see one way of making my workplace more green: automatic hand dryers as an alternative to paper towels.
Comments (19)
BUDI SANTOSO
Location: jakarta, indonesia
6 October 2009 at 17:08 EDT
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salut to President barrack obama to reduce gas emission, i think it s hard job, but if we do it seriously, we can reduce it. thanks to Mr President from here TO SAVE TO THE EARTH
Roger Caase
Location: chicago, IL. usa
6 October 2009 at 17:45 EDT
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I voted for obama because he obama will end the war. BUT I am upset and I did not like his choice of sending more troops to Afghanistan. mr. presdient if you read this PLEASE PLEASE bring ALL of our troops home NOW . we do not have to be their. mr. presdient end this war that cheney and robert gates and bush STARTED !!!
it is cheney and zionist robert gates that started the in iraq war and afghanistan war.
obama should FIRE robert gates.
mr. obama do NOT let robert gates tell you what to do . YOU ARE THE PRESDIENT OF THIS NATION NOT ROBERT GATES !!!
Jitendra Kaushal
6 October 2009 at 19:57 EDT
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Hullo Steve
With Mahatma Gandhi so fresh in your mind, that is a very small list to begin your ‘go green’ campaign with. Think again.
Stretch your imagination to see with how little, comparatively, your ancestors of a century or two back, survived on.
Stephen Kaufman
America.gov Staff
7 October 2009 at 05:55 EDT
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Hi Jitendra,
Part of the challenge is that there is basically an infrastructure already in place at my office for people to live a much greener lifestyle. We can take stairs instead of using elevators, read documents on computers instead of printing them, have a secure bicycle rack in the garage, and recycling bins for nearly everything, lights that operate on sensors, etc. I think what you are referring to is less about what the State Department mandates from on high, and more about the choices individuals make.
I like to think I am a good example for others by not driving a car to work, reusing items instead of throwing them away or even recycling, following a strict vegetarian diet, as well as many other practices I do in my own home and garden. I’m not perfect and am constantly learning better ways to have less of an impact on the earth. But I think perhaps the best thing I can do is show others that “going green” is not a hardship, and that I actually feel healthier and happier as a result of my choices.
My office’s responsibility, as it directly affects me, is over common, shared resources. But you are absolutely right that we as individuals can significantly contribute through our choices in how or whether to use those resources.
Jitendra Kaushal
9 October 2009 at 16:23 EDT
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Steve
I am impressed.
r
7 October 2009 at 03:46 EDT
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Nature is the Mother of life for the Mother of Mothers as seed and so when the nature represents the female domain of progeny that we call all green plus the life of beings on it of its biological necessity, the father of fathers also joins in as the sun of life because both make a whole of life as Boss to say that human kind is a product of nature enjoying at the cost of nature?
? – Human kind as the material manager of nature climbing relative steps of infinity with the sensitivity of it as material progress has the natural tendency to forget the provider and that is called blind race into domains without a limit and that is exactly what ego provides as excessive materialism crossing the dangerous levels of Nature as the Mother of life is, “is” what the governing power of life for the planet earth of life has to convey.
The governing power of life is the complete power of the planet Jupiter that has picked the person of Obama to sign the executive order on environments meant to be followed by all big and small nations of the world with respect on it for sharing likewise of its individually based concept. Green house affect is necessary to restore on its biological deficiency that offers awakening for all to be worthy of it in respective regions of the world. It should not be divisible by money power for its recreation keeping in view the devastating trend of nature of its preview that has lead to climatic changes of their normalcy as trend now being linked with global warming. It is not an alarming situation yet globally but requires tackling side by side to restore the normal order of life to a level that is self absorbed by the nature of life of its biological entity housing under it also the material entity of its developed form of hi tech formation as on earth, - a step very much within the human kind limits to achieve before it is too late to start on it?
? – What the life requires is the right direction on it without selfishly getting involved on the possessions of money power and wealth that is individually based and the preview of nature calls for a universal vision on it that speaks to preserve the natural self generating energy of the planet earth that is of its health state for all. Does that health state not being attacked by diseases and natural furies and uncalled for wars? They are all contributing to pollution over the pollution both directly and indirectly where money powers and weapons power management comes into the picture in relation to the basic nature of life marred by toxins of emissions in the atmosphere of earth due to excessive industrialization that the competing ego of life has helped grow of its energy constituents that are negatively basic to the positive raw energy of the earth of its natural self generating biological formation. Remember, human kind is not inviting an end to that as has been the forecast on it 5000 years ago. The Supra mental has already arrested that end right at the beginning of its live descent about 40 and odd years back and right now is occult on course to impart realization through the Consciousness of life for the governing essence of the heads of power who have to appropriately act to reinstate the natural glory of biological life as it continues to progress materially under the super sense of development of life materially that is on course to become the mini sun of life directly under the Power of Sun of Its thermonuclear energy state connected with the rest of all as SUPRA COSMOS. Can we “all united” come to call Supra Cosmos as God? No harm in it because the no God situation for life is also of God.
Cathy Wineger
Location: new york
7 October 2009 at 12:43 EDT
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n/a yet
dark knight batman
Location: batcave
7 October 2009 at 17:37 EDT
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I batman am not NO super hero.
I do not fight REAL crime.
I am a FAKE like superman and like santa clause and the easter bunny.
BUT OBAMA MY GOOD MAN IS THE REAL TRUE HERO WHO WILL SAVE THIS NATION FROM THE CHENEYS AND THE BUSHES AND ALL TRUE EVIL ON THIS EARTH !!!!!!!!!!
Mohammed Azzim
Location: islamabad pakistan
7 October 2009 at 18:17 EDT
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presdient obama must put a end to this war in afghanistan and in iraq. so many many rufgees from afghanistan are all coming to pakistan and we pakistan now have to take care of both. obama needs to help america first and take care of the usa. NO MORE DROPPING BOMBS on women and children like what bush and cheney did. i trust that obama will end this war really soon. I pray for obama and to end this evil war which was started by cheney and bush .
God bless us all on earth
website design
10 October 2009 at 23:06 EDT
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I beg your pardon. The war in Afghanistan was started by Mr. bin Laden.
We were pretty much minding their own business on September 10th, 2001. Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney too.
Prof.Moses Isaac ODHIAMBO
8 October 2009 at 07:08 EDT
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First we must salute President Obama and his Administration in delivering the goods of excellent performance in this short period of time. The Green INDUSTRIAL POLICY POLITICAL MANAGEMENT is what the World needs now than ever.
As we remember the Mahatma on his birthday, we must also renew our commitment to live his ideals and to celebrate the dignity of all human beings. .He was a promise-maker and a promise-keeper and he had spoken to the hearts of the roots of the nonviolent social action movement. We should always avoid war as a means of bringing PEACE. WE SHOULD GIVE LONG TIME TO DECISIONS OF WAR STRATEGIES DESPITE THE GOLDEN SOUNDING WAR MONGERING ADVICE .The chronological history of our time has taught us that what sounds gold may not be even copper either.
Mahatma laid down some of the foundational pillars of DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE STATE REFORMS FOR HUMANKIND. Thus, the Challenge of Change of our time depends on host of GODLY REWARDS which are as the result of an individual MANAGEMENT POLITICAL LEADER or SOBRE ORGANIZATION ’s authenticity and service. They are: courage, wisdom, honesty, discipline, abundance, integrity, confidence, humility, grace, non-attachment, proactive, engaged, character, action, availability, vision, perseverance, rejuvenation/play, responsibility, non-resistance, communications, listening, respectful, interconnected, trust, compassion, facilitative, present moment and non-judgment.
As WORLD MANAGERS and LEADERS of CHANGE we need to remember CONCRETELY that STRATEGY behavior change takes time when we expect change from ourselves or those we lead. Ask any TECHNOLOGICAL STRATEGIST coach you know and they will tell you that it can sometimes take many months or several years for their clients to truly implement permanent change into their lives. While not impossible, change is difficult in our fast-paced culture.
Expect to be rewarded as you diligently seek the Lord. “[God] is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). You can ask in faith for a token for God to encourage and rekindle your confidence. God is always on time, and he knows you need a ray of hope and good news in your testing time. Expect him to keep his promise to reward you now when you are in greatest need. God cannot lie. He said he rewards those who diligently seek him. Seek him daily and believe that this year will be your year of great spiritual blessing for DYNAMIC CHANGE SUCCESS IN YOUR LIFE.
AS GOD REWARDS YOU, LISTEN, DIALOGUE CAREFULLY, YOU MUST NOT HURRY IN DECISION MAKING BUT KEEP BAD MESSIAHS ABAY.
THE WORLD AS A WHOLE owe an enormous measure of gratitude to the Mahatma. His teachings and ideals, shared with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on his 1959 pilgrimage to India, transformed American society through their civil rights movement. The WORLD OF CHANGE TODAY has its physiological and psychological affectation roots in the Mahatma Gandhi and the nonviolent social action movement for the Indian independence which he led.
LISTENING and DIALOGUING as LEARDERS make us Smart Powerful Technique STRATEGISTS for Turning Every Encounter Into a Mutual Win in the World - BY seeing evidence of a progressive miracle in your life. “With God all things are possible” (Mark 10: 27).I believe in instantaneous and progressive miracles. Progressive miracles start in unseen, quiet ways and unfold little by little, one small mercy at a time. Expect to see God working in mysterious ways, unseen to the human eye
In the IDEALS of MAHATMA GANDHI let us be environmentaly friendly by taking the WAR OUT OF OUR WORDS for the sake of PEACE and FREEDOM of humankind in the WORLD.
-Let the WORLD judge us the way we treat our team-mates, colleagues , friends and in general world civil communities. Life is only sweet and natural when there are WINNERS and LOSERS.NOBODY HAD EVER HAD IT SWEET FROM YOUTH TO OLD AGE.EVEN JESUS NEVER HAD IT!! SUCH A BEING HAD NEVER BEEN BORN IN LI FETIME!! -SOBREITY KEEPS OUR PEACE OF MIND INTACT NOT TO BE UNCLOUDED WITH EARTHLY DEEDS. -To solve the DEADLY WAR problems in this world NOW we need to lift our thinking to a higher level than what it was when we created these EARTHLY WAR problems.for good democratic governance of our people in the World.
-PROF.MOSES ISAAC ODHIAMBO
r
11 October 2009 at 00:12 EDT
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Besides what you beautifully convey bringing in your experience of life as intellect, it is also necessary to dissolve the crux of good intellect into zero to silence its language because the speed of soul is Infinite and can hammer the good intellect of a professor of life from above for an opening after breaking the walls of intellect and by retaining the good essence of the intellect for the person of the intellect on it and for its further becoming as Light directly under the Power of the Supreme Light of Lights. “No body can know this in advance because it is sudden and spontaneous where it has to act time related for Time through a being of life”?
? – When we talk about change from the horizons of Supra Cosmos, it is different of its kind in the sense that those on earth as life may or may not readily accept such a change because they are unaware of such a concept of its chance element for life to otherwise save the world from its disastrous consequences and my dear professor, such a manifestation that had stood destined already stands arrested by the Supra mental that accompanies the Supreme Light of Lights.
You will wonder how I am writing on that and that is where the mystery stands of its unconscious state for life that has come to highlight Obama for change and that is where world’s mind through leadership is seen engaging because Nature’s fury coupled with Nuclear fury of its subtle inherent state of sudden invasion accompanied by Formless Power manifestations in Time’s Power of Timeless where all the Godheads of life both of personal as well as impersonal nature have retired into zero to stand with the Chance Power of mystery for life that has to bring about change at mortal levels of life psychically in play; in other words, it is a transition that has already been taken over for the mortal good of life, - life that already stands of its super material state touching horizons of Supra Cosmos. That is why I am on it without knowing who I; know that it is Supra mental that has captured me and I am not the Supra Mental?
? – I think I leave the question here for life to ponder over me materially for my life as the ordinary being with the members of my family where I am placed for my work as worship for my global family. Only intellectually learned persons like you as humans can be addressed with such communications as I have attempted to do so out of my sixth sense for it. Thank you.
boo
Location: egypt
14 October 2009 at 03:53 EDT
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how can you both say so much, and have so little to say?
website design
Location: http://www.whiteinkstudio.com
10 October 2009 at 23:09 EDT
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We need a big push to convert to electricity as a replacement for fossil fuels.
That would kill a lot of birds with one stone.
Keith Casey
Location: Parkland, FL
10 October 2009 at 23:28 EDT
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Obama is not your boss. The American people are but you and the rest of the government seem to have forgotten that.
boo
14 October 2009 at 04:17 EDT
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yes, the government and the people forgot the president is the employee of the people. but they forgot it back in bush’s reign when the president ignored the constitution, ignored what was best for the country, and told the population if they did not support him, then they did not support the soldiers. [as an american soldier serving in iraq, i cannot impart to you the immense anger this caused me!] this is when the people should have said, ’shut up and get to work benefiting the country.’ instead they bought it. and unfortunately in bush’s regime, what was good for him, was good for his cronies as well. so we could not have expected them to stand and do the right thing… now traveling the world, i am so sick of hearing ‘hate bush, love obama’. but, ignoring the inane extremity of it, of course the majority is happy to see obama in. the only people who prospered under bush were his people, which unfortunately did not encompass the american population. while i do not see obama as the superman the majority of the world does, at least he seems like he is making an effort to help the country as a whole and actually give attention to his peoples’ opinion. so — sorry this has gotten so wordy — to your response on the government forgetting who they work for, i think now they may be finally remembering due to the president’s attention to whom he works for… and if you have a particular complaint toward particular individuals, tell them. it is america. we have the right to hold our officials accountable. but we have to do it. and making general, blank-statement complaints while offering no solutions, well, it has not done us so much good in the past decade, now has it?
abang ajijia
Location: abuja-nigeria
12 October 2009 at 06:19 EDT
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keep this pursit high as a president and servant of the people of the world generally and USA. your view as president will be respected most instead of people here and there.say it do it and live for the rest to see and practice also
mawuli
Location: france
16 October 2009 at 17:57 EDT
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president obama is really a God sent . and we thank God for that
Drakshyani
Location: India,Karnataka,Bangalore
19 October 2009 at 10:54 EDT
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The president obama really dedicated for peace nobel prize i thnka from bottom of my heart and many thnaks for celebrating divali at White house ….