Princeton Sustainability Ambassadors Meeting

March 14, 2014

• Welcome & Introductions

• Announcements

• Being Green at Home

• Green Office Recognition Program

• What’s Next?

Why it Matters

What You Can Do

Being Green at Home

• Energy

• Transportation

• Food

• Water

• Landscaping

• Reuse & Recycling

Being Green at Home

Energy: Why it Matters

U.S. Energy Information Administration

#16

CO2 Emissions

Vehicles51%

Appliances26%

Heating & Cooling18%

Waste5%

CO2 Sources for a Typical Household

U.S. Department of Energy

Vehicles51%

Appliances26%

Heating & Cooling18%

Waste5%

CO2 Sources for a Typical Household

U.S. Department of Energy

Energy Use in NJ Homes

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Average Energy per Household in NJ

U.S. Energy Information Administration

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Average Electricity per Household in NJ

What You Can Do:Save Energy, Save $

What You Can Do:Save Energy, Save $

What You Can Do:Save Energy, Save $

Employee Solar Program:

Image: Iowaenergycenter.org

• Net metering & SRECs

• State incentives

Other Renewable Energy Incentives

Vehicles51%

Appliances26%

Heating & Cooling18%

Waste5%

CO2 Sources for a Typical Household

U.S. Department of Energy

Why it matters

U.S. Department of Energy

Tips for choosing

Image: ford.com

What You Can Do:Save Energy, Save $

Drive sensibly: Speeding, rapid acceleration and braking can lower your gas mileage by 33% at highway speeds and by 5% around town. Observe the highway speed limit: Gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 50 mph. Each 5 mph you drive over 50 mph costs an additional $0.24 per gallon. Avoid Hauling Cargo on your roof: A large roof-top cargo box, for example, can reduce fuel economy by around 2% to 8% in city driving and 10% to 25% at Interstate speeds. Remove excess weight: Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. U.S. Department of Energy

What You Can Do:Save Energy, Save $

Avoid Excessive Idling: Idling can use a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour. Use Cruise control: Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas. Keep your car in good shape: Keep your engine properly tuned, Keep tires properly inflated, use the recommended grade of motor oil.

U.S. Department of Energy

Princeton’s TDM Program

• 50% mass transit subsidy

• Vanpool program

• Carsharing

FOOD

Image: lyricsdog.eu

“…dietary modifications can help reduce pesticide exposure”…

“…consumption of organic food may lower pesticide exposure…”

Why it matters

What you can do

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/health/2010/05/31/gupta.produce.pesticides.cnn

What You Can Do:Labels to Look for

What You Can Do:Other Labels to Look for

What You Can Do:Other Labels to Look for

Water: Why it MattersWithdrawals as a % of the total available flow

World Resources Institute

Water: Why it MattersWithdrawals as a % of the total available flow

World Resources Institute

Why it Matters

American Water Works Association

What you can do

Why it MattersMunicipal Solid Waste

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Reuse & RecyclingWhat you can do

LandscapingWhy it Matters & What you Can

Do

• Recognizes departments that have taken extra steps to green their operations

• Voluntary program with representative (e.g. Ambassadors, etc.)

• Questionnaire organized by priority areas; scored by OoS

• 3 recognition levels: Seed, Sapling and Tree

• Recognition is good for one academic year

• Pilot Spring/Summer 2014; Roll-out anticipated fall 2014

Green Office Recognition Program

What’s Next?

Green Tours!

Watch for Sign-up Email in April

Thank you for

coming!