Federal Government Going Greener

Posted on Jan 30, 2010

Wikimedia Commons / Ansgar Walk

The White House says it will cut energy consumption by the federal government over the next 10 years, a promise that holds the possibility of slowing glacial melting and destruction of polar bear habitats.

The U.S. government is finally jumping on the green bandwagon, announcing it will make efforts to cut energy use and reduce emissions by 28 percent by 2020, a move that could save $8 billion to $11 billion. The reduction figure is based on 2008 levels.

The New York Times:

The federal government will take steps to cut its energy use and reduce its heat-trapping emissions by 28 percent by 2020, compared with 2008 levels, the White House announced on Friday.

The government is the largest user of electricity and fuel in the country, accounting for roughly 1.5 percent of the nation’s annual energy consumption and emissions of the gases that contribute to global warming. The White House said the emissions reduction goal, if met, would save $8 billion to $11 billion in energy costs over the next decade.

The actions would provide only a fraction of the emissions reductions that President Obama has pledged the United States will achieve across all sectors of the economy by 2020: 17 percent below 2005 levels. But he said the federal government must lead by example.

“As the largest energy consumer in the United States, we have a responsibility to American citizens to reduce our energy use and become more efficient,” Mr. Obama said in a statement. “Our goal is to lower costs, reduce pollution and shift federal energy expenses away from oil and towards local, clean energy.”

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