NIH is greening the many activities and business practices occurring daily on our campuses.  Requirements for greening business practices at NIH are in SES-level performance plans as of January 2009.  Although this is a new element in performance plans, the greening of business practices is already occurring at many I/Cs throughout NIH:

• NIDCD formed a pilot Green Team in 2008 that includes senior management and representatives from all their major organizational and functional areas.  The Green Team is systematically examining and revising their business practices.  They developed the NIDCD Green Policy and the Go Greener Office Challenge to help improve their environmental performance.  A Go Greener Lab Challenge is currently in development and should be available in Spring 2009.

• NIDDK, NEI, and the Children’s Inn are also examining their business practices and finding opportunities for environmental improvement.  NIDDK’s accomplishments include raising environmental awareness and implementing energy-saving practices. NEI has developed a green policy and is focused on increasing recycling. The Children’s Inn is greening its activities not only become more sustainable but to provide the best environment for their patients.

• Many other I/Cs have provided representatives to the NEMS Sustainable Lab Practices Working Group and Sustainable Office Practices Working Group.

Meeting Performance Plan Elements

Forming a Green Team is an opportunity for the each I/C’s senior management to green business practices and meet performance plan elements.  The Division of Environmental Protection (DEP), ORF/NIH, will be hosting a training session on February 19th for I/Cs interested in forming Green Teams. 

If you are a senior manager, you can:

• Identify a Green Team Lead to coordinate your IC’s greening efforts and ask that person to participate in the February 19th Greening Workshop.  This workshop will focus on the Greening Your NIH Institute or Center: A How-To Guide and Workbook [Available February 2009], which is a step-by-step guide used to identify and implement business practices that will improve an I/C’s environmental performance and minimize costs.  

• After the workshop, assist the Green Team Lead in setting up your I/C Green Team.  Green Teams use a systematic approach to examine activities/business practices occurring within their I/C and develop tools to "green" those activities.  This includes developing guidance, tools, outreach programs, and best management practices as well as identifying new opportunities to become more sustainable. 

• Encourage you Green Team Lead or a representative to attend the NIH Green Team Leads Council.  This Council serves as a forum in which I/Cs share best management practices and communicate both the challenges and the opportunities encountered when greening NIH.

You can view a list of suggested NIH business practices that can be implemented to green your I/C.  For more information or assistance with the suggested business practices, please contact Terry Leland by email or calling 301-451-6474.