Earth Month

In Communities across America, Buildings Save Money and Cut Carbon Pollution with Energy Star

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Did you know that the energy used in commercial buildings accounts for nearly 20 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions? That adds up to more than $100 billion in energy costs per year! More companies across America are recognizing that energy efficiency is a simple and effective way to save money and reduce greenhouse gas pollution. With help from Energy Star, facility owners and managers are improving the energy efficiency of their buildings and businesses, while at the same time increasing their property value, providing better service, and making their communities more desirable places to live. In fact, since 1999, ENERGY STAR certified buildings have saved more than $3.1 billion on utility bills and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual electricity use from 2.2 million homes.

April is Earth Month, a great time to showcase the importance of energy-efficient buildings by announcing EPA’s Top Cities for Energy Star certified buildings and the winners of our annual National Building Competition.

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EPA's official web site is www.epa.gov. Some links on this page may redirect users from the EPA website to specific content on a non-EPA, third-party site. In doing so, EPA is directing you only to the specific content referenced at the time of publication, not to any other content that may appear on the same webpage or elsewhere on the third-party site, or be added at a later date.

EPA is providing this link for informational purposes only. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-EPA information provided by any third-party sites or any other linked site. EPA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, internet applications or any policies or information expressed therein.

Let’s Chat About How to Act On Climate

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By Jessica Orquina

It’s Earth Month and we’re hosting Twitter chats on Tuesday afternoons, starting next week. During each chat, we’ll have different EPA experts sharing information on climate change and what we all can do to act on climate. We invite you to join the conversation and ask questions. Here’s the schedule for our Earth Month Twitter chats:

  • April 8th 2:00pm EDT – What can I do to act on climate?
    We can all act on climate and make a difference. Our Energy Star team will discuss actions we can all take in our lives to reduce carbon pollution.
  • April 15th 2:00pm EDT – What is EPA doing to act on climate?
    Climate change experts from our Office of Air and Radiation will talk about President Obama’s Climate Action Plan and what we’re doing at EPA to act on climate.
  • April 22nd 2:00pm EDT – EPA Research and Climate: What does the research show about climate change and what we can do about it.
    Experts from our Office of Research and Development will be joining us for our chat on Earth Day.
  • April 29th 2:00pm EDT – Why is climate action important for our water?
    Our experts on climate change and water will be joining us to discuss how climate affects our lakes, streams, and drinking water.

How can you join the conversation? Just follow @EPAlive and the #ActOnClimate hashtag on Twitter. Ask us a question or share your ideas, or just read along with the conversation. In addition to using Twitter, we’ll publish a blog post for each chat, and you can ask your questions or send your thoughts as comments on the post.

Ready to get started? For next Tuesday’s chat, send us your questions and comments, either via Twitter using the #ActOnClimate hashtag or in the comments below. Talk to you on Tuesday!

About the author: Jessica Orquina works in the Office of External Affairs and Environmental Education as the social media lead for the agency. Prior to joining EPA, she served as a military and commercial airline pilot. She lives, works, and writes in Washington, DC.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone. EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog, nor does EPA endorse the opinions or positions expressed. You may share this post. However, please do not change the title or the content. If you do make changes, please do not attribute the edited title or content to EPA or the author.

EPA's official web site is www.epa.gov. Some links on this page may redirect users from the EPA website to a non-EPA, third-party site. In doing so, EPA is directing you only to the specific content referenced at the time of publication, not to any other content that may appear on the same webpage or elsewhere on the third-party site, or be added at a later date.

EPA is providing this link for informational purposes only. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-EPA information provided by any third-party sites or any other linked site. EPA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, internet applications or any policies or information expressed therein.

Let’s Talk About Climate Change

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Earthrise as seen from the moon. (NASA image)

Do you have a science question about Climate Change? Be sure to join our Earth Day (Monday, April 22) Twitter chat. Joining the discussion will be EPA expert Dr. Andrew Miller, the Associate Director for Climate for the Agency’s Air, Climate, and Energy research program (Office of Research and Development), and a member of the subcommittee on global change research for the U.S. Global Change Research Program.

Feel free to contribute your questions on Monday using #AskEPA, or post them in the comments section below for Dr. Miller.

Here’s more information…

(From our “It’s Our Environment” blog.)

 

 

Let’s Talk About Climate Change

By Jessica Orquina

Every year, we have different ways for you to engage with us online. This year, we invite you to join the conversation on climate change we’re hosting via our Twitter chats on three Monday afternoons in April. For each chat, we’ll be talking about a different environmental topic and taking your questions.

  • Earth Day, April 22nd 2:00pm EDT – Climate Change: What You Can Do
    Every day our actions affect the planet. Experts from our Office of Air and Radiation will be joining us on Earth Day to talk about what we can all do at home, in the office, and on the road to save energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and help protect the planet. Let’s work together to protect our communities from the effects of climate change now and in the future.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone. EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog, nor does EPA endorse the opinions or positions expressed. You may share this post. However, please do not change the title or the content. If you do make changes, please do not attribute the edited title or content to EPA or the author.

EPA's official web site is www.epa.gov. Some links on this page may redirect users from the EPA website to a non-EPA, third-party site. In doing so, EPA is directing you only to the specific content referenced at the time of publication, not to any other content that may appear on the same webpage or elsewhere on the third-party site, or be added at a later date.

EPA is providing this link for informational purposes only. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-EPA information provided by any third-party sites or any other linked site. EPA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, internet applications or any policies or information expressed therein.

Let's Talk on Earth Day

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By Jessica Orquina

Haga clic en la imagen para unirse a la conversación en nuestro blog en español... ¡No olvide de suscribirse!

We enjoyed talking with you again this week during our Twitter chat about waste and climate change. Thanks to everyone who participated, sent us questions, and joined in the conversation! Here are some of our tweets from Monday afternoon’s chat:

Next week we’re hosting a Twitter chat on Earth Day! Join us Monday, April  22nd at 2:00PM EDT. From using public transportation to powering down electronics when not in use, there are lots of ways we can save energy, reduce harmful carbon pollution and better protect the climate.  Experts from our Office of Air and Radiation will be with us to answer your questions on how we can all play a role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We’ll talk about what we can all do to save energy and reduce greenhouse gases. You can participate by following @EPAlive and the #AskEPA hashtag on Twitter.  Send us your questions about how you can take action against climate change via Twitter using the #AskEPA hashtag or in comments below. If you don’t use Twitter, you can still watch the discussion at @EPAlive and #AskEPA. We look forward to chatting with you!

About the author: Jessica Orquina works in the Office of External Affairs and Environmental Education as the social media lead for the agency. Prior to joining EPA, she served as a public affairs specialist at another federal agency and is a former military and commercial airline pilot. She lives, works, and writes in Washington, DC.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone. EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog, nor does EPA endorse the opinions or positions expressed. You may share this post. However, please do not change the title or the content. If you do make changes, please do not attribute the edited title or content to EPA or the author.

EPA's official web site is www.epa.gov. Some links on this page may redirect users from the EPA website to a non-EPA, third-party site. In doing so, EPA is directing you only to the specific content referenced at the time of publication, not to any other content that may appear on the same webpage or elsewhere on the third-party site, or be added at a later date.

EPA is providing this link for informational purposes only. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-EPA information provided by any third-party sites or any other linked site. EPA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, internet applications or any policies or information expressed therein.

Let's Continue Our Conversation

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Haga clic en la imagen para unirse a la conversación en nuestro blog en español... ¡No olvide de suscribirse!

By Jessica Orquina

Thanks to everyone who joined our Twitter chat on Monday afternoon! We had some great questions and answers about water and climate change and I’m excited this conversation has begun. Here are a few of our tweets from Monday’s chat:


Next week we’re looking forward to continuing our conversation on climate change during our second Earth Month Twitter chat on Monday, April 15th at 2:00PM EDT. This time, we’ll be talking about waste and what we can do to reduce, reuse, and recycle our resources. Experts from our Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response join us to talk about how we can take simple actions such as recycling used electronics and reducing wasted food to combat climate change.

Join us again on Monday, April 15th by following @EPAlive and the #AskEPA hashtag on Twitter.  Send us your questions about waste, recycling, wasted food, and climate change via Twitter using the #AskEPA hashtag. If you don’t use Twitter, you can still submit your questions in the comments below and watch the discussion at @EPAlive and #AskEPA. Talk to you again next week!

About the author: Jessica Orquina works in the Office of External Affairs and Environmental Education as the social media lead for the agency. Prior to joining EPA, she served as a public affairs specialist at another federal agency and is a former military and commercial airline pilot. She lives, works, and writes in Washington, DC.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone. EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog, nor does EPA endorse the opinions or positions expressed. You may share this post. However, please do not change the title or the content. If you do make changes, please do not attribute the edited title or content to EPA or the author.

EPA's official web site is www.epa.gov. Some links on this page may redirect users from the EPA website to a non-EPA, third-party site. In doing so, EPA is directing you only to the specific content referenced at the time of publication, not to any other content that may appear on the same webpage or elsewhere on the third-party site, or be added at a later date.

EPA is providing this link for informational purposes only. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-EPA information provided by any third-party sites or any other linked site. EPA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, internet applications or any policies or information expressed therein.

Sister Blog: Let’s Talk About Climate Change

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Do you have a science question about Climate Change and Water? Be sure to join the first “Earth Month” Twitter chat Monday, April 8, 2013. Our expert Dr. Suzanne van Drunick, the National Program Director for EPA’s Safe and Sustainable Water Resources Research Program, will be answering your science-related questions about climate change and water.

Feel free to join us on Monday using #AskEPA, or post your questions in the comments section below for Dr. van Drunick.

Here’s more information…

(Reposted from our “It’s Our Environment” blog.)

Let’s Talk About Climate Change

By Jessica Orquina

Earth Day is coming in a few weeks, and here at EPA we celebrate Earth Month all April. Every year, we have different ways for you to engage with us online. This year, we invite you to join the conversation on climate change we’re hosting via our Twitter chats on three Monday afternoons in April. For each chat, we’ll be talking about a different environmental topic and taking your questions. Here is the schedule for our Earth Month Twitter chats:

  • April 8th 2:00pm EDT – Climate Change and Water
    Experts from our Office of Water will join us to talk about how climate change is affecting oceans, watersheds, and their aquatic ecosystems in the U.S. We will also be discussing how EPA is adapting programs that protect public health and water resources.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone. EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog, nor does EPA endorse the opinions or positions expressed. You may share this post. However, please do not change the title or the content. If you do make changes, please do not attribute the edited title or content to EPA or the author.

EPA's official web site is www.epa.gov. Some links on this page may redirect users from the EPA website to a non-EPA, third-party site. In doing so, EPA is directing you only to the specific content referenced at the time of publication, not to any other content that may appear on the same webpage or elsewhere on the third-party site, or be added at a later date.

EPA is providing this link for informational purposes only. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-EPA information provided by any third-party sites or any other linked site. EPA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, internet applications or any policies or information expressed therein.

Let's Talk About Climate Change

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By Jessica Orquina

Haga clic en la imagen para unirse a la conversación en nuestro blog en español... ¡No olvide de suscribirse!

Earth Day is coming in a few weeks, and here at EPA we celebrate Earth Month all April. Every year, we have different ways for you to engage with us online. This year, we invite you to join the conversation on climate change we’re hosting via our Twitter chats on three Monday afternoons in April. For each chat, we’ll be talking about a different environmental topic and taking your questions. Here is the schedule for our Earth Month Twitter chats:

  • April 8th 2:00pm EDT – Climate Change and Water
    Experts from our Office of Water will join us to talk about how climate change is affecting oceans, watersheds, and their aquatic ecosystems in the U.S. We will also be discussing how EPA is adapting programs that protect public health and water resources.
  • April 15th 2:00pm EDT – Beyond Waste
    Chat with experts from the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response about how we can take simple actions such as recycling used electronics or reducing wasted food to combat climate change. Approximately 42 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are associated with the energy used to produce, process, transport and dispose of the food we eat and the goods we use.
  • Earth Day, April 22nd 2:00pm EDT – Climate Change: What You Can Do
    Every day our actions affect the planet. Experts from our Office of Air and Radiation will be joining us on Earth Day to talk about what we can all do at home, in the office, and on the road to save energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and help protect the planet. Let’s work together to protect our communities from the effects of climate change now and in the future.

So, join us on Monday, April 8th for the first chat by following @EPAlive and the #AskEPA hashtag on Twitter. Ask us a question, share your ideas, and join the conversation on climate change. If you don’t use Twitter, you can still ask questions here and watch the discussion at @EPAlive and #AskEPA.

For our first chat, we’ll be talking about Water. Send us your questions about water, rivers, streams, wetlands, oceans, health, and climate change via Twitter using the #AskEPA hashtag or in the comments below. Talk to you on Monday!

About the author: Jessica Orquina works in the Office of External Affairs and Environmental Education as the social media lead for the agency. Prior to joining EPA, she served as a public affairs specialist at another federal agency and is a former military and commercial airline pilot. She lives, works, and writes in Washington, DC.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone. EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog, nor does EPA endorse the opinions or positions expressed. You may share this post. However, please do not change the title or the content. If you do make changes, please do not attribute the edited title or content to EPA or the author.

EPA's official web site is www.epa.gov. Some links on this page may redirect users from the EPA website to a non-EPA, third-party site. In doing so, EPA is directing you only to the specific content referenced at the time of publication, not to any other content that may appear on the same webpage or elsewhere on the third-party site, or be added at a later date.

EPA is providing this link for informational purposes only. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-EPA information provided by any third-party sites or any other linked site. EPA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, internet applications or any policies or information expressed therein.