Today we say that the Capitol will be not just a shining symbol of our democracy, but a symbol of our commitment to the future. Not only by the power of our ideas on energy independence, but by the power of our example, we hope to send a message to the world and to the country."
- Speaker Pelosi, June 21, 2007
Addressing global warming and protecting the environment are vital to protecting the health of all Americans, particularly our children. For the sake of our future generations, America must provide strong leadership to reduce emissions that are responsible for global warming. Increasing use of renewable energy sources, including biofuels, and energy efficiency will help reduce emissions, protecting future generations from this global threat.
Three years ago, Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats launched our Green the Capitol initiative, ensuring our nation’s leaders remain responsible stewards of our environment. The House set aggressive targets, including reducing energy use by 50 percent over 10 years—and now, new goals have been set for individual member offices. Since the program’s inception, the House has reduced its carbon footprint by 74 percent, it purchases wind energy to meet all electricity needs and burns only natural gas at the Capitol Power Plant. Take a virtual tour of the greening initiatives»
2010
On April 21st, the Chief Administrative Office, in partnership with the Architect of the Capitol, released "Going Green and Saving Energy"—a thorough assessment of all greening efforts currently underway in the House. The report assess the totality of all greening programs currently underway at the House, highlighting several accomplishments including:
- An expected 23 percent reduction in total energy consumption in all House Office Buildings
- An anticipated 32 percent reduction in total water usage across the Capitol Campus
- A savings of 265 tons of unused paper to date
- A reduction of 375,000 watts of energy used in the House’s computer center
- A total of 1,800 tons of paper recycled annually
- An annual savings of more than 1.1 million kilowatt hours of electricity from the installation of 13,000 CFL light bulbs
- The purchase of 120 million –kilowatt hours of clean, renewable wind-generated electricity
2009
Green the Capitol efforts made significant progress—purchasing wind power, using natural gas at the Capitol Power Plant, and while we phased in more carbon efficiencies, purchasing carbon offsets. In February of 2009, Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid sent a letter to the Acting Architect of the Capitol asking that the Capitol Power Plant (CPP) use 100 percent natural gas for its operations. We also started re-lighting the Capitol dome with energy efficient lighting, and cafeterias took steps to green their processes and equipment, including composting all food waste. A new food pulper reduces the weight of cafeteria waste by as much as 70 percent by extracting water from it. The House started selling only 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper, and installed compact flourescent lights. We also encouraged green transportation with a bike sharing program and a car sharing program for House employees.
Speaker Pelosi and Members of Congress announced the next steps for the Green the Capitol initiative:
In March, Speaker Pelosi released the Green the Capitol Year End Report, which detailed the successes achieved in the first 18 months of the program. Building on the House’s established leadership position in carbon and energy-use reductions, the report called for all of the House’s business practices to meet self-imposed sustainability standards including becoming both cost and energy efficient over the next two years and making waste and carbon reduction efforts affect all day-to-day operations.
- Since 2007 we have reduced the House of Representatives’ carbon footprint by 74 percent through conservation projects and the purchase of renewable energy
- All of the electricity used by the House comes from wind power projects
- The Green the Capitol Program has made the House of Representatives a leader in the Federal Government in implementing sustainable, energy saving changes and reducing our carbon footprint.
- We banned plastic and stryrofoam from the food service
- Over 800 tons of waste from House cafeterias that once went to the landfill is now converted into compost that can be used in landscaping and stream restoration
- Our Capitol Power Plant, which used to exclusively burn coal, now mixes in cleaner burning natural gas—enough to cover the House’s percentage already. Speaker Pelosi and Senator Harry Reid are now urging a switch to 100 percent natural gas, which will eliminate more than 95 percent of sulfur oxide emissions and cut carbon monoxide emissions in half.
- From changing light bulbs … to switching to paperless records … to simply sealing leaks in an historic building—we have been overhauling everything we do, and learning valuable lessons we are sharing on how to go green on a large-scale.
- In the next phase of Green the Capitol, as we keep pushing the envelope for more efficiencies, we will also be educating 435 member offices – both here and back in their home districts – on changes they can make—and share with their local communities.
Read the full report (.pdf) and read more 'Green Progress by the Numbers'»
2007 & 2008
CHANGE STARTS AT HOME
On March 1st, 2007, Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, and Juanita Millender-McDonald, Chairwoman of the Committee on House Administration wrote to Daniel Beard, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), directing the "greening" of Capitol Hill buildings. On April 19th, 2007, Speaker Pelosi was joined by Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz in accepting a preliminary report by the CAO on efforts that would reduce the environmental impacts associated with the operations of the House building complex.
The recommendations in the CAO’s preliminary report include:
- Operate the House in a Carbon Neutral Manner
- Shift to 100 percent Renewable Electric Power
- Aggressively Improve Energy Efficiency
- Adoption of Sustainable Business Practices
- Continued Leadership on Sustainability Issues
- Offsets to Ensure Carbon Neutral Operations
Read the full report by the CAO (.pdf)»
Read the March letter to the CAO»
On June 21st, 2007, Speaker Pelosi announced the completion of the final Green the Capitol report, which confirms her initial plan to immediately begin reducing the levels of carbon dioxide emitted by House operations and buildings, but also details how the institution will dramatically reduce its overall energy consumption – by 50 percent – in just 10 years.
Two new elements of the final, revised plan also call for the House to purchase carbon offsets, allowing for the investment in carbon dioxide reduction projects elsewhere in the United States, and for day-to-day operations and business practices to not have a negative impact on the environment by using non-toxic cleaning products, increasing water conservation and significantly improving recycling.
The 10-year plan to reduce energy consumption in the House calls for a reduction of 5 percent a year, which is more than twice what the 2005 Energy Policy Act requires of federal buildings.
The dramatic reduction in the House’s reliance on electricity will come from:
- The widespread installation of energy efficient lighting
- The redesign and centralization of computer systems and other electronic office equipment
- The upgrading of all heating and cooling mechanisms to maximize efficiency and meet "green" standards
- The evaluation and improvement of miscellaneous House operations and processes to maximize energy efficiencies
Read the full report by the CAO (.pdf)»
Read Speaker Pelosi's release on the report»
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