EPA recognizes green power purchasing leaders

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on October 22 recognized 17 leading organizations that are taking voluntary steps to address climate change by purchasing green power and helping advance the development of the nation’s green power market. This year’s green power purchaser award winners included a mix of Fortune 500 companies, businesses, municipalities and a university.
 
"America is shifting to a 'green culture', with more and more businesses understanding that environmental responsibility is everyone’s responsibility,” said Marcus Peacock, EPA’s deputy administrator. "EPA commends the Green Power Leadership Award winners for making a long-term commitment to protecting the environment by purchasing green power."
 
The combined commitments of these leading organizations amount to nearly four billion kilowatt-hours of green power annually, which is the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power nearly 250,000 average American households each year. EPA also estimates that the combined environmental impact of these leading purchasers will avoid the equivalent amount of CO2 emissions of nearly 450,000 vehicles each year.  
 
These organizations have also demonstrated efforts to increase awareness about green power by way of communicating their achievements to a broad audience.
 
EPA recognized these leading purchasers in three categories. Each of the 17 purchaser award winners are EPA Green Power Partners, who must meet or exceed EPA purchase requirements for green power. This year’s Green Power Leadership Awards include:
 
Green Power Partner of the Year:

• City of Bellingham, Wash.
• Johnson & Johnson
• Mohawk Fine Papers
• PepsiCo
• Staples
• Wells Fargo & Company
• Whole Foods Market

On Site Generation:

• City of Chico, Calif.
• Macy’s Inc., West Division
• The Timberland Company

Green Power Purchasing:

• Kohl’s Department Stores
• PepsiAmericas Inc.
• The Pepsi Bottling Group Inc.
• Pepsi Bottling Ventures
• New York University
• Sloan Valve Company, Illinois Manufacturing Facility
• Starbucks 

Green power is generated from renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass and low-impact hydro. Green power sources produce electricity with an environmental profile superior to conventional power technologies and produce no human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. Purchases of green power also help accelerate the development of new renewable energy capacity nationwide.
 
The Seventh Annual Green Power Leadership Awards were held in conjunction with the Twelfth National Renewable Energy Marketing Conference in Philadelphia. The awards serve to recognize the leading actions of organizations, programs and individuals that significantly advance the development of green power sources.
 
EPA co-sponsored the Green Power Leadership Awards in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS).
 
EPA’s Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that encourages organizations to purchase green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with electricity use.

2007 Green Power Leadership Award Winners: http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/awards/winners.htm

Full listing of EPA’s Green Power Partners and information about buying green power: http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/

More information on the Center for Resource Solutions: http://www.resource-solutions.org/