Region 2 Sustainability

Regional & National Programs

EPA Region 2 is demonstrating sustainability throughout our workplace. EPA employees promote sustainability strategies on a daily basis in the way we do our job. From our facilities operations to our daily meetings, Region 2 is finding ways to improve our sustainability.

An essential part of our sustainability strategy is the implementation of an environmental management system (EMS), a comprehensive assessment of individual projects, or entire organizational operations, followed by continual monitoring in order to implement improvements. An EMS for Region 2 was fully implemented as of Dec. 31, 2005.

Programs to Build Your Own Environmental Management Systems

Energy Star - EPA's New York City office building is a certified Energy Star building that uses Energy Star Business strategies such as energy efficient computers, applicances, and building systems. Learn more from ENERGY STAR about how to "Bring Your Green to Work."

Waste Reduction - We reduce overall waste generation and paper consumption by using two-sided printing and electronic documents. Using Waste Wise program strategies, EPA is raising awareness about energy consumption through employee education. Employees work toward specific recycling targets for paper and cardboard. The facilities provide recycling for paper, aluminum, plastic, batteries and cell phones.

Electronics - For old computers, we use the Recycling Electronics and Asset Disposition (READ) program to refurbish computers for resale or recycle computer monitors, keyboards, and processors. In 2005, this resulted in less than 1 percent of our retired computers going directly into the waste stream. Federal partners can join the Federal Electronics Challenge and anyone can participate in eCycling to save money and help protect valuable resources.

Environmentally Preferred Purchasing - The EPP Program serves as a clearinghouse of information and tools to guide agencies in the purchase of environmentally preferable products and services. EPP’s audience is not only the federal government -- businesses, non-profit organizations, and state & local government agencies have also found the program to be valuable because of tools such as useful contract language for procurement.

Greening the Supply Chain - The Green Suppliers Network is a collaborative venture among industry, EPA, and the U.S. Department of Commerce's Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Green Suppliers Network collaborates with all levels of the manufacturing supply chain to improve processes and minimize waste generation.

Green Power Purchasing - We purchase 100 percent Green Power to run the New York Office. EPA's wind energy commitment at its 290 Broadway offices is equal to 6.2 million kilowatt-hours of wind energy for one year. Our Edison facility is completely powered by a mix of biomass and landfill gas. Learn how the Green Power Partnership can help your organization go green. Nationally, EPA was the first federal government agency to purchase renewable energy equivilant to 100 percent of its annual electricity needs.

Emissions Reductions - We strive to reduce emissions by using hybrid vehicles and increasing the percentage of hybrid vehicles in the fleet. Region 2 is also one of the Best Workplaces for Commuters. Through this public-private partnership, employers can improve employee recruiting and retention, reduce traffic congestion, address limited parking, and minimize the environmental impacts associated with drive-alone commuting. EPA's SmartWay Transport Partnership program can help reduce emissions from freight and logistics services by making commercial fleets cleaner.