Vendors and Climate Change: A Tool for Reducing Greenhouse Gases

1. Vendors and Climate Change:A Tool for Reducing Greenhouse Gases

2. Organization of Topics

3. A Changing Climate is Affecting Our World Many actions to address the changing climate will benefit our: • environment • economy • health • society Image Credit: NOAA

4. But First, What is Climate? “Climate is What We Expect; Weather is What We Get”-Mark Twain

5. The Earth is Getting Warmer Each of the last three decades has been successively warmer than any preceding decade since 1850. Source: IPCC

6. What are Greenhouse Gases (GHG)? • By trapping heat in the atmosphere, the accumulation of too many harmful gases raises the Earth’s temperature and alters climate • This trend is called the “greenhouse effect” • Priority GHGs are:

7. Sources of GHG Emission Pollution

8. Greenhouse Gases Affect Climate Greenhouse gases, especially carbon pollution, lead to long-lasting climate changes, such as: • Rising global temperatures • Increasing sea levels • Extreme weather and precipitation patterns • Altered ecosystems, habitats, and species diversity

9. Climate Change Affects Health Long lasting changes in climate can negatively affect our health: • Increased heat stress and heat-related mortality • Increased difficulty controlling infectious diseases like malaria and dengue • Water shortages threaten agricultural production and may increase malnutrition • In other areas, more flooding may increase gastrointestinal waterborne diseases

10. Improved Energy Use Limits Climate Change • Limiting climate change requires substantial and sustained reductions in energy use that produces harmful pollution • We should waste less energy -- in our cars, homes, and businesses

11. Federal Climate Change Action “The question is not whether we need to act. The question is whether we will have the courage to act before it's too late…The problem with all these tired excuses for inaction is that it suggests a fundamental lack of faith in American business and American ingenuity…A low-carbon, clean-energy economy can be an engine of growth for decades to come.” – President Barack Obama, 2013

12. Why Ask Vendors to Reduce GHG Pollution? The federal supply chain is responsible for up to 80% of the U.S. Government’s total GHG pollution Federal agencies must reduce GHG pollution Therefore, the federal supply chain must also reduce its pollution

13. Reducing Greenhouse Gas pollution: Business Benefits

14. Business Benefits of Reducing GHG Pollution

15. Begin With These Categories for Savings • Help the environment and lower costs at the same time • Many low-risk, high-return actions can be made in the following areas:

16. Be Outstanding Among Competitors • Federal agencies can use GHG emissions reporting status as an evaluation factor in contract awards • Vendors that already calculate their GHG emissions would have a competitive advantage

17. Reducing GHGs: Benefits for Small Businesses

18. Systematically Reducing GHG Pollution: Preparing to Conduct a GHG Emissions Inventory

19. What is a GHG Emissions Inventory? A list of emission sources and the associated pollution, quantified using standardized methods.

20. A GHG InventoryMeets Business Goals • Address sustainable development policies • Manage GHG risks and identify reduction opportunities • Participate in GHG markets • Meet mandatory reporting requirements • Earn recognition for early voluntary GHG action

21. Steps for Preparing a GHGEmissions Inventory • Form an inventory project team • Identify emission sources • Establish base year and organizational boundary • Identify your data sources • Establish data collection processes • Review data for immediate benefits • Review and select GHG inventory tools

22. Step 1: Form Inventory Project Team Team members should have knowledge of major GHG pollution sources for your business. Consider people from the following areas: • Property management • Fleet management • Process or production engineering • Accounting or finance • Office management

23. Step 2. Identify Your Emission Sources

24. CO2, N2O, CH4 PFC, SF6, HFC, NF3 Examples: Emission Sources by Scope

25. Scope Examples: Office-based Businesses

26. Step 3: Establish Base Year and Boundaries • Base year – The first data set from which a GHG inventory is calculated. Future GHG data will be compared against this year • Organizational boundary – Typically, the same operational structure for which you report financial information is part of emissions inventories

27. Example: Operational Boundary

28. Step 4: Identify Data Sources

29. Step 5: Determine Data Collection Processes

30. Step 6: Review Data for Immediate Benefits Review the data for ways to save money and make your business more efficient. • Can processes be improved to reduce waste? • Can inefficient equipment be discarded or upgraded? • Are buildings well sealed and insulated? • Are you using ENERGY STAR®appliances and lighting?

31. Step 7: Review & Select Inventory Tools • The Greenhouse Gas Protocol is the international standard for GHG inventories and provides general guidance: http://www.ghgprotocol.org • The U.S. EPA provides a variety of technical resources for GHG inventories: http://www.epa.gov/climateleadership/inventory/guidance.html • The online ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager allows you to track and assess consumption across an entire portfolio of buildings: https://www.energystar.gov/buildings/facility-owners-and-managers/existing-buildings/use-portfolio-manager/new-energy-star-portfolio-manager

32. Reducing Your GHG Pollution: Simple Ways to start Saving

33. Lighting • Replace light bulbs with ENERGY STAR®qualified compact fluorescent (CFL) or LED bulbs . CFLs cost about 75%less to operate and last longer • Install switch plate occupancy sensors to automatically turn lights off when no one is present, and back on when people return

34. Heating and Cooling According to the EPA, 30% of energy in buildings is used inefficiently or unnecessarily • Service your HVAC system regularly • Change or clean air filters regularly • Install a programmable thermostat • Consider replacing equipment more than 10 years old

35. Unplug cell phones and chargers when not in use • Turn off power strips when not in use • Use power management settings on computers and monitors rather than screen saver • Products with a light display, digital clock, or network connection consume power even when they appear to be off • Consider laptops for next computer purchase, which use less energy than desktops Office Equipment Use ENERGY STAR®products

36. Office Kitchen & Food Service Equipment • ENERGY STAR® food service equipment can reduce energy used by more than 45%. • Also, you should - • Regularly clean refrigerator coils • Set the appropriate temperature (35 - 38 degrees Fahrenheit) • Make sure door seals are airtight

37. More Ways to Reduce Pollution

38. More Resources for Businesses • Energy Crossroads lists links to energy and environmental information resources: http://eetd.lbl.gov/resources/energy-crossroads • What You Need to Know About the Extended Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency: http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/what-you-need-know-about-extended-federal-tax-credits-energy-efficiency • Use this locator to find ENERGY STAR® special offers from its partners, such as sales tax exemptions or credits, or rebates on qualified products: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=rebate.rebate_locator • Working 9 to 5 on Climate Change: An Office Guide– for reducing CO2 emissions from small businesses not involved in manufacturing: http://www.ghgprotocol.org/files/ghgp/tools/working9-5.pdf

39. Summary • Climate change is real, affects all aspects of society, and represents one of the greatest challenges of our time. • Energy efficiency offers opportunities to save money, be more competitive, and reduce greenhouse gas pollution. • Reduction of greenhouse gas pollution is a federal priority, and an inventory is a tool for reducing pollution. • Simple, cost-effective actions can collectively make a big difference in reducing pollution and limiting climate change.

40. Thank You!