The Maryland Chamber of Commerce Environmental Task Force has released its Green Best Practices Guide, which outlines efforts made by member companies to implement environmentally friendly practices. The Guide also includes survey results from the Maryland Chamber Green Business Survey and states the Chamber’s endorsement of the 13 Principles for Change proposed by the US Chamber’s 21st Century Energy Institute.
MARYLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
GREEN BEST PRACTICES GUIDE
Green Businesses – The Numbers Speak:
95 % of Maryland Chamber survey respondents have a recycling program
82 % of Maryland Chamber survey respondents have an energy conservation program
71% of Maryland Chamber survey respondents have a “green plan” to encourage an implement environmental and energy conservation
48 % of Maryland Chamber survey respondents have performed energy efficient building retrofits
36% of Maryland Chamber survey respondents have a telecommuting program
Personal Stories: Did you know……
Allegheny Power provides its customers with informative environmental education materials throughout the year. The information explores how to conserve energy and reduce monthly electric bills. The company provides fact sheet, including Energy Efficient Tips to Make Your Home More Comfortable, Energy Efficient Holiday Decorating Tips, The Cost of Operating Appliances and 100 Ways to Help Control Electric Bills.
Civista Medical Center, a regional, not-for-profit, integrated health system serving Charles County and the surrounding areas of southern Maryland exemplifies environmental sustainability through its efforts to remain a mercury free environment at it’s three locations. The company has also significantly reduced biohazard waste, and has implemented a recycling program for biohazard sharps containers.
KCI Technologies, Inc. and Manekin, LLC are two Maryland based companies that have demonstrated their commitments to the environment through the construction of LEED certified headquarters buildings in Sparks, MD and Columbia, MD respectively. Through their LEED construction KCI Technologies and Manekin understand the benefits of energy efficient buildings and their overall impact on the environment.
Hargrove, Inc. is committed to ensuring an eco-friendly workplace, as well as environment. The company has enthusiastically taken steps to reduce energy, including the creation of an eco-friendly stage set that is sustainable and reusable. The set was constructed out of unconventional, reclaimed materials (Kiriei Board and Plyboo Plywood), which reduces strain on the environment
Johns Hopkins University, Maryland’s largest employer, has taken aggressive action to lower energy consumption to lower cost and to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. JHU’s efforts include Power Plant Cogeneration – Two Combined Heat and Power units will utilize natural gas to produce electricity, and also steam through the use of exhaust heat, while reducing the total electric purchased and steam produced at the Central Plant. The two installations will produce a total of approximately 16 megawatts of electricity, displacing a like amount that is purchased from commodity suppliers at higher cost.
Marriott International, Inc. is “working toward a greener, healthier planet.” Marriott’s operating units are employ methods to preserve the natural surroundings and resources. The company has conducted energy audits of its facilities, and calculated its carbon footprint by assessing the electricity and gas consumption in its guest rooms and public spaces at its nearly 1,000 managed hotels worldwide, in addition to its Bethesda, MD headquarters and regional offices.
Pepco Holdings, Inc. (PHI) is a leading energy company that has made the effort to go beyond the environmental standards of its industry. PHI has taken the lead to reduce its own environmental carbon footprint. The company also promotes energy efficient programs to its customers. PHI’s Blueprint for the Future displays numerous programs to help customers use less energy without compromising their quality of life. PHI also provides financial incentives to residential and commercial customers who install energy efficient appliances, equipment or other measures and/or who participate in voluntary peak-demand reduction programs. Additionally, PHI works with regulators to phase in the installation of Smart Meters to provide detailed usage data to customers.
Safeway Inc. is the third largest supermarket chain in North America and tenth largest retailer in the United States, with more than 1,743 stores. As part of the company’s “lead by example” initiative to conserve energy and reduce carbon emissions, Safeway recently converted virtually its entire U.S. fleet of 1,000 trucks to cleaner-burning B020 biodiesel fuel. This will reduce CO2 emissions by 75 million pounds, the equivalent of taking nearly 7,500 passenger vehicles off the road each year.
Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) is a member-owned electric cooperative serving more than 142,000 customers in four Southern Maryland counties. SMECO is also contributing to the “green” movement through various programs, such as its Energy Performance Contract with Chevron, under which the Chevron engineers and implements facility improvements at no up-front cost to the owner. SMECO can achieve facility improvements, while reducing energy, operational and maintenance costs, and harmful emissions. This results in reduced energy consumption and an improved work or learning environment, funded from guaranteed savings.
USinternetworking, Inc. (USi), an AT&T company, is headquartered in Annapolis, MD and is an experienced Application Service Provider (ASP) that uses a highly automated and systematic approach to deliver services such as, managed hosting, application management, remote management, and eBusiness development and hosting to more than 150 enterprise-level organizations in over 30 countries. USi has “gone green” by not only increasing its use of energy efficient computer equipment and hardware, but also by implementing a recycling program, telecommuting program, and performing energy efficient building retrofits.
Washington Gas delivers clean natural gas to approximately one million residential, commercial and industrial customers throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. As a leading energy company in the region, Washington Gas has long been committed to the efficient use of energy. This commitment is reflected in its regulatory strategies, in the company’s consumer energy awareness program and in its facilities. At the company’s Operations Center, Washington Gas operates a Total Energy Plant, where natural gas powered engine-generators provide all electrical needs for the facility, eliminating the need to connect to the electric grid. The Total Energy Plant has the capability of generating 3.6 MW of electricity.
What the State Can Do:
The State of Maryland should proactively encourage and lobby for environmental and energy policy at the Federal level.
We, the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, endorse the 13 Principles for Change proposed by the US Chamber’s 21st Century Energy Institute:
- Accelerate energy efficiency improvements
- Reduce the environmental impact of energy consumption
- Invest in climate science to guide energy, economic, and environmental policy
- Significantly increase funding for advanced clean energy technologies
- Expand domestic oil and gas production
- Dramatically expand nuclear energy use
- Commit to the use of clean coal
- Increase renewable sources of electricity
- Transform the transportation sector
- Reduce overly burdensome regulation and opportunities for frivolous litigation
- Modernize and protect US energy infrastructure
- Address critical shortages of qualified energy professionals
- Exert global leadership to meet the twin challenges of energy security and climate change
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