2013 Sustainability Supplement

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A Sustainable DC

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he District of Columbia is a vibrant city full of interesting, passionate people from all walks of life. This diversity is what makes our city unique; and it’s something to celebrate!

To continue our tradition of diversity, we must ensure that all our residents—from those who have lived here for decades to those who have just arrived—are welcome and proud to call the District home.

Ensuring our city remains diverse and inclusive is a principal reason I called on residents and stakeholders across the city to help us develop a plan to make the District of Columbia the healthiest, greenest, and most livable city in the nation in one generation. A Sustainable DC means that we are working together to become more socially equitable, environmentally responsible, and economically prosperous. The Sustainable DC Plan and the 5-Year Economic Development Strategy and Bridges to Opportunity: A New Housing Strategy for DC set ambitious goals for moving our city forward and in that direction.

For the future generations to prosper, our city must be environmentally sound, but also economically vibrant with good jobs and well-educated residents. It must also be equitable with access to services and affordable housing available to all residents. In our daily lives, this means cleaner air for our children to breath, swimmable rivers for families to enjoy, healthier food available to all, more efficient homes that cost less to heat and cool, access to affordable housing, and well-paying jobs.

If you support this vision for our city, I ask that you join our effort to make the District the most sustainable city in the nation. We need the support of every resident and worker in the District to reach these ambitious goals and to ensure that the benefits of this effort reach every corner of the city.

As proud as I am to be Mayor today, I want to ensure that the Mayor and residents in 2032 are proud to inherit and live in a healthy, prosperous city. I want people across the nation and the globe to see the District as a leader and innovator in building sustainable, affordable, safe, and healthy communities. We can do it. We must do it.

Join me in supporting the Sustainable DC Plan! Visit www.sustainable.dc.gov and join us as we take our show on the road at community meetings and events, beginning with our kick-off on Earth Day (April 22) 6:30pm – 8:30pm at Luke C. Moore High School, 1001 Monroe St NE. You may be surprised at how sustainable you already are!

Vincent C. Gray Mayor for a Sustainable DC

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Building a

Sustainable DC can been seen all over the city at health fairs and festivals such as this one during one of the Cherry Blossom events

Healthier Community

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he District of Columbia ranks highly on lists of U.S. cities with high quality of life, environmental-friendliness, and household income.

However, the city also faces persistent challenges in other areas, including health.

Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s recently released Sustainable DC Plan, which according to the document is intended to serve as the city’s strategy to make the city the “healthiest, cleanest, most livable city in the United States,” addresses health as one of its four priority challenges.

The Sustainable DC Plan states one underlying problem in the physical health of District residents is the disparity in the rates of obesity, asthma, and high blood pressure between different areas of the city. One chart indicates that in Wards 7 and 8, 40% of residents suffer from obesity, while only 12% of residents in Ward 3 are obese. “That is exactly why the District is focusing on health in its sustainability plan, Sustainable DC,” Mayor Gray said.

“The health and well-being of every District resident is closely connected to the quality of the air we breathe and water we drink, our access to nutritious foods, the ability to live active lifestyles, and the design of our neighborhoods.”

“Many people don’t realize that one in three DC residents are at risk of hunger or becoming obese. These risks often go hand-in-hand,” said Harriet Tregoning, Director of the Office of Planning. “Sustainability addresses both these challenges by helping residents access healthy food, have safe and pleasant places to be physically active, and create opportunities to grow their own food.”

As part of the Sustainable DC Plan, Mayor Gray committed nearly $1.5 million dollars towards projects that will put new community gardens in every ward of the city, and start three joint farming and composting www.washingtoninformer.com

sites across the city. “These community gardens will be installed with new programming at existing recreation centers or the playgrounds that are being renovated as part of the PLAY DC initiative,” said Keith Anderson, Acting Director of the District Department of the Environment. “With new opportunities for learning about growing food and recreation, kids in across the District will have safe and healthy spaces to play and learn. Better opportunities for kids and adults to learn about healthy behaviors while having fun can lead to better health for you and your neighborhood.”

In addition to new projects, the District also has several existing programs aimed to reduce the prevalence of hunger and better balance access to nutritional resources across the city.

The city is taking steps to bring new food retailers into areas with poor food access, known as food deserts, including financial and legal incentives introduced by the DC Food, Environment, and Economic Development (FEED DC) Act of 2010. The DC Food Stamp Expansion Act of 2010 increased financial support for food purchases by 4,000 households. Additionally, more than 70% of school-aged children in the District are receiving free or reduced price school meals that meet higher nutritional standards.

Partners in the non-profit sector have been instrumental in efforts to tackle the hunger challenge.

“We already have some excellent health programs in the city, but we must do more. With careful planning, we can improve health across the District through both public and private efforts.

We envision a District where all residents have equal opportunity to live healthy, active lifestyles and where no neighborhood is unfairly exposed to health risks.

Our homes and neighborhoods must provide the highest quality environmental conditions and have easy access to active recreation, nutritious foods, and health services,” said Mayor Gray. SL

Get acquainted with YOUR District Department of the Environment We are more than 300 public servants working every day to…

• improve the quality of life for District residents and our natural inhabitants • protect and restore the environment • conserve our natural resources • mitigate pollution • educate the public on ways to secure a sustainable future Energy | Environmental Protection | Natural Resources

Visit: ddoe.dc.gov

Keith A. Anderson, Acting Director

Vincent C. Gray, Mayor

SUSTAINABLE LIVING SUPPLEMENT / april 2013 / SL-3

Sustainability

that Grows Jobs

& Delivers Savings

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he District of Columbia’s Sustainable DC Plan, released on February 20, 2013, is more than a strategy to make the city cleaner and greener, says Mayor Vincent C. Gray, who vows to make the District the cleanest, greenest, most livable city in the United States. The plan, the Mayor says, focuses on creating local jobs and reducing the cost of living for residents.

This, in addition to the recently-released 5-Year Economic Development Strategy and Bridges to Opportunity: A New Housing Strategy for DC, assures that the District is tackling the challenges of creating new jobs, making housing more affordable, and ensuring that everyone who wants to live in the District is able to do so.

One of the primary goals, as stated in the Sustainable DC Plan, is to promote business development and job opportunity for District residents. “People don’t necessarily think about jobs as a major part of sustainability, but making buildings more energy efficient, installing renewable energy systems, constructing storm water management systems, and changing the way we manage our waste all have enormous potential for job creation” said Keith Anderson, Acting Director of the District Department of the Environment (DDOE). “What’s more, these are jobs that can open the door for entrepreneurial pursuits.”

If everything goes as planned, by 2032, the District will cut citywide unemployment by 50%, increase jobs that provides green goods and services by five times, and develop three times as many small District-based businesses as exist today. Agencies leading this effort include the District of Columbia Public Schools and

the District Department of Employment Services, with DDOE and Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development serving as partners. Topping the agenda are plans to improve the integration of sustainable jobs training into school curricula so that students can be exposed to these different and new careers at an early age. These agencies will also partner with the Workforce Investment Council to develop more targeted workforce development strategies.

“Sustainability is more than cleaner air, swimmable rivers, and more green space in District neighborhoods, although those things are vital to our long-term quality of life,” says Anderson. “The District’s Sustainable DC Plan will also make living in the city more affordable through lower energy bills, less expensive transportation, fewer trips to the hospital, and even spending less on groceries by growing our own food.”

The promise of lowering energy bills, for example, is a welcoming feature of the plan. According to Ismenda Richardson, an energy program officer at DDOE, many households in the District pay hundreds of dollars per month in energy bills in the coldest and hottest months of the year. That is a lot of money for most people, but is particularly difficult for those living on fixed incomes. Energy efficiency measures such as adding additional insulation, sealing cracks around windows and doors, and switching to energy efficient light bulbs and appliances, can help the average household to reduce energy bills by $500 a year.

“The District is fortunate to have programs to help residents and businesses make cost-saving improvements,” said Veronique

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Marier, Deputy Director for Energy at DDOE. “Between DDOE and the DC Sustainable Energy Utility, residents can take advantage of energy efficiency at a fraction of normal costs and save $20 to $60 each month. It’s a win for the residents, the city, and the environment.”

Valencia Copeland, a Ward 7 resident and participant in the DC Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program last year, speaks highly of her experience. “It’s so well worth it, I’m

living proof of that. [The contractor] replaced my ductwork, brand new, they insulated the entire lower floor of my home… and they replaced my light bulbs with energy saving light bulbs.”

This is precisely why this Sustainable DC Plan is so critical, adds DDOE’s Acting Director Keith Anderson, referencing the assistance residents have received to lowering their energy bills. “Our residents can testify to the fact that they are saving money through our efforts to

make homes and buildings more sustainable,” says Anderson. ”But most importantly, the plan provides opportunities to grow the District’s economy and create more employment for residents. That’s good governance.”

More information on the Sustainable DC Plan can be found at www.sustainable.dc.gov. Information on energy efficiency financial incentives can be found at www.ddoe.dc.gov and from the DC Sustainable Energy Utility at www.dcseu.com. SL

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Creating good jobs for our residents matters…

Making fresh and healthy food available in every neighborhood matters…

Reducing energy and water use to keep housing affordable matters…

Providing beautiful parks for kids and families to play matters…

Making the Anacostia River fishable and swimmable again matters…

Expanding affordable and reliable transportation choices matters…

Sustainability matters because YOU matter!

Visit sustainable.dc.gov to learn more about Sustainable DC, the plan to make the District the healthiest, greenest, most livable city in the nation!

Vincent C. Gray, Mayor

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Keith A. Anderson, Acting Director

SUSTAINABLE LIVING SUPPLEMENT / april 2013 / SL-5

Prince George’s County Close to Recycling Goal Single Sort / Stream recycling among new options

By Gale Horton Gay WI Staff Writer More and more Prince George’s County residents are getting on the recycling bandwagon.

According to the latest figures released by the Maryland Department of the Environment, the county’s waste diversion rate climbed to 49.11 percent, resulting in almost 33,000 recycled tons more in 2011 than in 2010.

“The data shows that Prince George’s County residents and businesses understand the importance of recycling and support the programs that we have in place,” said Adam Ortiz, acting director of the Prince George’s County Department of Environmental Resources. “As we move toward the creation of a more sustainable future, it is important to remember that recycling is one simple step we can take every day to reach our goals.”

Among the recycled material, the county noted increases in the composting of leaves and brush, wood materials, lead acid batteries, mixed steel and aluminum cans as well as and white goods/appliances.

Prince George’s County runs what is called a single-stream recycling program, meaning that all materials can be placed in the same recycling container for pick up. The materials are sorted at the county’s $6.5 million facility on Ritchie Road in Capitol Heights and then shipped out to various companies who buy recyclables.

The county sells aluminum cans to Anheuser-Busch for $350 a ton, paper and plastic to different vendors for $175 a ton, Ortiz said.

The county receives $16 million in sales from recyclables and spends $5.9 million to run the recycling program, which includes collection, staff, recycling carts and outreach, he said.

Before the single-stream system was established four years ago, residents had to separate their own recyclables. Participation was low and the amount of recycla-

bles available for sale was also low, Ortiz pointed out. They switched to the single-stream approach, which he calls the industry standard, to encourage participation. It worked. During the past few years, a growing number of residents have requested the county’s blue and yellow recycling bins.

Ortiz said the goal is to have 50 percent of county residents involved in recycling and he expects that goal to be reached this year.

“We want as many residents as possible so we make it as simple as possible,” he said. “All they have to do is put it in the bin. We are taking care of the rest.”

Ortiz said he hates to see recyclables going into the landfill when they could bring venue to the county and reduce the amount of waste accumulating in the landfill.

“When we have recyclable material in the landfill, we are almost literally throwing money down a hole,” he said.

And the county’s Environmental Resources Department has a new program it plans to roll out this summer—collecting food waste from high-volume commercial operations and turning it into high-grade compost for sale to nurseries and farmers. Ortiz said the program will cut down on food waste going into the landfill as well as the hauling fees incurred.

Also soon condominiums— previously exempt from mandatory recycling—will be required to participate in the county’s recycling program.

Ortiz said his department plans to conduct mailings and outreach to community and homeowners’ associations on the benefits of recycling to help bolster participation among residents.

Anyone with questions about the county’s recycling program can call 311 for more information.

“Prince George’s residents are stepping up,” said Ortiz. “We need to work together to get more people to step up. We are all better off for it.” SL

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Single-sort (also called single-stream) recycling is a collection method wherein all unsorted or recyclable materials are collected in one container at the curb. / Courtesy photo

Single-stream collection increases efficiencies by collecting more material with less labor and mixes all recyclables in a collection truck, instead of being manually sorted. / Courtesy photo

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Prince George’s County implements Food Scrap Demonstration Project

By Adam Ortiz

A

s part of Prince George’s County’s commitment to go GREEN, the Department of Environmental Resources (DER) will be implementing a Food Scrap Demonstration Project

by June 1, 2013. The one-year pilot project will accept up to 1,000 tons of in-County commercial food waste for composting at the Prince George’s County Composting Facility. DER’s Recycling Section will partner with the University of Maryland to accept their food waste for composting.

Maryland”, said Adam Ortiz, Acting waste being disposed of in the landfills.

Director of DER. “Composting food In Prince George’s County, it is estimated scraps has the potential to significantly that at least 25 percent of the waste being raise the County’s recycling rate of 49.11 landfilled is food scraps. percent and divert a large portion of the waste stream that is The pilot demonstration project, Food scraps currently being landfilled.” operated by the Maryland comprise over Environmental Service, will According to the provide an opportunity for % Environmental Protection the County to evaluate the Agency (EPA), food scraps Gore®Cover technology that of all waste in comprise approximately will be used in composting the the landfills 13.9 percent of the total food waste and the effectiveness Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) of the program. The Gore®Cover “The Food Scrap Demonstration nationally and over 30 percent of all technology uses a high-tech composting Project will be the first of its kind in solution that speeds up Mother Nature’s natural process. It decomposes the food scraps in 8 weeks where it normally would PR I NCE GEORGE ’ S COU NT Y take Mother Nature 1 to 2 years to complete DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES the same process. This technology is comprised of a sophisticated control system that monitors the oxygen and temperature in the windrows containing the food scraps to create the ideal environment for Waste d r a Y r composting. In addition to accelerating ags fo B c i t s the composting process, the Gore®Cover a Bag the Pl technology controls odors and separates the waste from the storm water to prevent

30

Effective January 1, 2014, 2014 yard waste will no longer be accepted in plastic bags.

Residents should place yard waste loose in cans or in paper yard bags for curbside collection.

Control box and blower

groundwater contamination. The outcome from the process is a high-value, nutrientrich, organic compost that will be sold to commercial entities.

DER’s Recycling Section will evaluate the technology and the composting process to determine plans for expanding and implementing a countywide Food Scrap Composting Program to County residents.

For more information on the Food Scrap Demonstration Program or other recycling programs, please call County Click at 311.

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SUSTAINABLE LIVING SUPPLEMENT / april 2013 / SL-7

FOLLOW

THAT BOTTLE

While water intake is always a plus, ecologists suggest the use of reusable water bottles to eliminate the need for recycling.

In 2010, the United States generated almost 14 million tons of plastics as containers and packaging, but only 8 percent of the total plastic waste generated in 2010 was recovered for recycling.

Un-recycled plastic bottles are often tossed curbside or dumped into unsorted garbage.

Recycled bottles sorted and left curbside for pick-up by local recycling companies.

Sorters separate plastic caps from the bottle and remove labels.

Un-recycled bottles remain in ditches and gutters and many eventually end up polluting waterways.

Recycled bottles have been turned into everything from furniture and light fixtures, to clothing.

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Levi denim clothier recently announced the release of a clothing line made exclusively of recycled plastic bottles.

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Earth Day 2013 Theme:

The Face of Climate Change Earth Day Network Sets Global Theme to Highlight Growing Impact on Individuals Through Interactive Digital Campaign

T

he global theme for Earth Day 2013 is “The Face of Climate Change,” Earth Day Network announced today. Earth Day Network, the group founded by the organizers of the first Earth Day to coordinate the annual day of action that builds and invigorates the environmental movement, said that this theme was chosen because of the need to highlight the mounting impact of climate change on individuals around the world.

“Many people think climate change is a remote problem, but the fact is that it’s already impacting real people, animals, and beloved places all over the world, and these Faces of Climate Change are multiplying every day,“ said Kathleen Rogers, president of Earth Day Network.

“Fortunately, other Faces of Climate Change are also multiplying every day: those stepping up to do something about it. For Earth Day 2013, we’ll bring our generation’s biggest environmental challenge down to size – the size of an individual faced with the consequences.”

Between now and Earth Day, Earth Day Network will collect and display images of people, animals, and places directly affected or threatened by climate change and tell the world their stories. The organization will mobilize its extensive global network of Earth Day event organizers and other partners to help collect the images. But they’re also asking ordinary people to become “climate reporters” and send their pictures and stories that show The Face of Climate Change.

On and around Earth Day – April 22 – an interactive digital display of all the images will be shown at thousands of events around the world. The display will also be made available online to anyone who wants to view or show it.

The campaign is focusing heavily on social media. Orgawww.washingtoninformer.com

nizers are asking people to tweet using the hashtag #FaceOfClimate, and “climate reporters” can also post photos to Twitter and Instagram using that hashtag for inclusion in the digital display.

“The Face of Climate Change will not only personalize and make real the massive challenge that climate change presents, it will unite the myriad Earth Day events around the world into one call to action at a critical time,” said Franklin Russell, director of Earth Day at Earth Day Network.

2012 was marked by many climate change milestones. Arctic sea-ice cover reached a record low in September, a new high-water mark in a long-term decline. The United States experienced its hottest year ever; this, after the World Meteorological Organization announced that the first decade of this century was the hottest on record for the entire planet. Public perception of extreme weather events as “the new normal” grew as unusual superstorms rocked the Caribbean, the Philippines and the northeastern United States; droughts plagued northern Brazil, Russia, China, and two-thirds of United States; exceptional floods inundated Nigeria, Pakistan, and parts of China; and more. Meanwhile, international climate change talks stagnated.

But glimmers of hope for a political solution began appearing in recent months, perhaps most notably in U.S. President Barack Obama’s high-profile promises to tackle climate change during his second term.

This is why organizers say that 2013 is ripe for a major push to confront climate change.

Each year, more than one billion people participate in Earth Day-related activities, making it the largest civic observance in the world. On and around April 22, communities across approximately 192 countries voice their concerns for the planet and take action to protect it.

“We’ll harness that power to

show the world The Face of Climate Change,” said Russell.

“And we’ll call on our leaders to act boldly together, as we have, on this critical issue.”

To learn more about Earth Day 2013 and The Face of Climate Change, go to www.earthday.org/2013.

Earth Day Network mobilizes over one billion people in 192 countries through year-round advocacy, education, and public policy campaigns to protect the envi-

Sixth Graders in Freehold, New Jersey make pledges to help protect the environment, signified by handprints.

ronment. www.earthday.org SL

The theme of Earth Day 2013 is The Face of Climate Change.

Climate change can seem like a remote problem for our leaders, but the fact is that it’s impacting real people, animals, & places everywhere. This Face of Climate Change is growing every day. Fortunately, a different Face of Climate Change is growing too: the people stepping up to do something about it. For Earth Day 2013, we’ll tell the world both stories.

We’ll tell the world your stories.

To do so, we’ll collect and display images showing The Face of Climate Change. On and around Earth Day (April 22), an interactive digital display of all the images will be shown at thousands of events around the world — from schools to parks to government buildings. The display will also be made available online to anyone who wants to view or show it.

The Face of Climate Change seeks to personalize the massive challenge that climate change presents, while uniting people around the globe into a powerful call to action. But we need your help!

How can I participate?

1. Upload your photos and stories onto the Earth Day 2013 website: www.earthday.org/2013.

#FaceOfClimate.



Post your photos to Twitter and Instagram, using the hashtag



Post your photos onto the Earth Day Network Facebook page: www.facebook.com/earthdaynetwork.

2. Show the global display in a public place on Earth Day! And send a photo of the display in action.

What types of photos should I upload?

Impacts: How has climate change impacted your life and those around you? Perhaps you captured a photo of an animal whose habitat is threatened by climate change, or a photo of the devastating impacts of a drought or a hurricane in your region.

Solutions: What are you and your peers doing to fight climate change? For example, you can upload a photo of a recycling drive, a tree-planting event, an awareness campaign, or the ways you’re reducing your carbon footprint at home.

If possible, include a face in the picture and hold up a sign that says “The Face of Climate Change.”

SUSTAINABLE LIVING SUPPLEMENT / april 2013 / SL-9

Pepco Holdings, Inc.A Leader in Carbon Disclosure and Performance and Continuing to Innovate Smart for its Customers

By Wesley L. McNealy

Director of Environmental

Services for Pepco Holdings, Inc.

Caring for the environment is one of our highest priorities at Pepco Holdings Inc., and it guides our approach to business operations, regulatory compliance and resource conservation.

PHI participates in a number of voluntary environmental reporting initiatives that allow us to be transparent in our corporate sustainability and environmental stewardship activities.

In 2011 and 2012, PHI was named one of the top firms in the Carbon Disclosure Project’s annual carbon performance and disclosure ratings for the S&P 500.

In 2012, the index placed PHI first among S&P 500 utility companies for carbon management and performance. Beginning in 2011, PHI sharpened the focus on our carbon footprint. We conducted a thorough and complete emissions inventory using tools developed by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development to identify sources of greenhouse gas emissions from its operations and to track progress in reducing emissions over time. As a result, we shaved our total carbon emissions by 12 percent between 2010 and 2011, to about 1.8 million metric tons, while direct emissions from the company’s operations dropped 39 percent, to 402,000 metric tons. We expect to see similar results for 2012 when those figures are released in the upcoming months.

A main component of the CDP’s annual S&P 500 Report, the CDLI highlights S&P 500 companies that have displayed the most professional approach to corporate governance with respect to climate change disclosure.

Companies are scored on their climate change disclosure practices with high scores indicating good internal data management and understanding of climate change-related issues affecting the company.

The CDP, which represents 655 institutional investors with over $78 trillion in assets under

management, conducts a rigorous annual survey of companies worldwide that participate voluntarily, providing detailed information about their environmental standards and performance.

Participating companies report data on their historic levels of greenhouse gas emissions, development and implementation of monitoring and reduction protocols, and historic and recent performance against self-developed reduction goals.

Photos by Rick Giammaria Courtesy of Pepco Holdings, Inc

Leading the Way in Smart, Clean Innovation Each electric utility is using new technology in ways that make the most sense for their customers, their regions and the evolution of their existing power networks. Very importantly, we’re all working to understand and incorporate new technologies while we continue to invest in the reliability, safety, adequacy and resiliency of the basic infrastructure that still provides the essential foundation for providing electricity to our customers.

Specifically in PHI’s service territory — which includes all of the District of Columbia and portions of Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey — what we’re doing to stay focused on the customer is moving ahead with projects that increase system reliability and improve customer service. We want to adopt the best mix of advanced technologies to meet our customers’ energy goals — whether that’s helping them to get more value for their electricity dollar or more productivity from their businesses.

PHI has installed more than 1 million smart meters throughout our Washington, D.C., Maryland and Delaware service areas. This number includes both electric and gas smart meter equipment.

When full deployment is completed, we will have about 1.3 million smart meters installed.

PHI has a vision for a more energy efficient future enabled by technology, and we are now seeing this vision come to fruition.

We’ve gone through three storm seasons with our Smart

Grid at least partially deployed in our service territory, and we’ve realized savings. Our advanced metering infrastructure has been valuable. By pinging meters, we can tell if power is still out without a crew having to go out to check. This allows our crews to quickly move to other outage restoration efforts. While the AMI network does not enable us to repair the damage that caused the outages any faster, it does allow crews to focus on restoring other customers who are still without power, which reduces the number of truck rolls and our carbon footprint. For example, for a vehicle that gets 15 miles per gallon, we would prevent about 7.4 pounds of carbon by avoiding an average roundtrip disconnect/connect service call three miles away.

Smart Grid-enabled improvements in restoration don’t just

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create value for PHI, however.

They also create value for our customers by speeding restoration or reducing the impact of system damage. For instance, smart grid communications devices on the distribution system in Maryland have allowed us to remotely open and close circuits to isolate an area of system damage, reroute power and therefore cut the number of customers impacted by that damage by more than half in a matter of seconds.

Looking Toward the Future Our world today is increasingly dependent on electricity.

It drives almost every aspect of our lives now.

The typical home now has, on average, 25 electronic products — 99 percent of which must be plugged in or recharged. Customers will be relying even more

on electricity in the future. It will be up to us and other utilities to design and build the innovations that will keep our nation supplied with secure, reliable, affordable and increasingly clean electricity.

PHI’s challenges moving forward include keeping up with the industry reporting trends and maintaining high performance results; expanding our scope to report on all forms of capital such as human, social, environmental and financial; considering the risks and opportunities across our entire operational footprint and our supply chain; and providing content with an increasingly forward-looking orientation.

Our customers and their safety are the most critical considerations in our clean energy future. SL

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CAN’T BEAR TO LOOK AT YOUR

ENERGY BILLS?

WE CAN HELP. The DC SEU is here to help you save money and energy where you live and work.

To find out how you can start saving today, contact us toll-free at 855-MY-DCSEU.

The DC Sustainable Energy Utility is a project of the Sustainable Energy Partnership under contract to the District Department of the Environment (DDOE).

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SUSTAINABLE LIVING SUPPLEMENT / april 2013 / SL-11

Green Facelifts – Examining the Gibson Plaza & UDC Renovations

By Barrington M. Salmon WI Staff Writer

The District of Columbia – particularly under the leadership of Mayor Vincent C. Gray – is aggressively moving towards becoming a city which is “the healthiest, greenest and most livable city in the nation” over the next two decades.

A cadre of energy experts, residents, business leaders, work-

ers and concerned citizens has been hard at work since Gray announced his intention to transform the city. Since then, individuals and groups have been developing a host of strategies to overcome challenges with imprinting sustainability in an urban setting, while devising smart, sensible, innovative solutions. At the same time, they have embraced best practices and put in place sustainability solutions around

In using the DC College and University Sustainability Pledge (CUSP) as a standard, the colleges and universities in the District of Columbia, including UDC, are collectively committed to making Washington, DC the Greenest College Town in America. / Courtesy photo

food, energy, transportation, the environment, water and waste.

Two entities in the city represent a snapshot of the wider success energy and sustainability projects are enjoying in the District of Columbia.

The Gibson Plaza Apartments underwent a top-to-bottom renovation of all its 217 units over the 16 months prior to its August 2010 reopening. This development came after years of

PR I NCE GEORGE ’ S COU NT Y DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES

stic a l P e h t Bag

d Waste r a Y r o Bags f

Effective January 1, 2014, yard waste will no longer be accepted in plastic bags.

Residents should place yard waste loose in cans or in paper yard bags for curbside collection.

financial institutions denying the management loans to maintain and renovate the 10-story apartment building. A partnership with Links Mortgage and HUD enabled management to secure the money needed to completely restore the more than 30-year-old property.

The block-long apartment building was built by First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church’s non-profit entity, The First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church Non-Profit Housing Corporation, Inc. The project was born out of the 1968 riots that erupted following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as a way to spur development along 7th Street corridor, and led by the church’s late senior pastor Ernest R. Gibson.

HUD Secretary of Shaun Donovan said at the time the buildings were being renovated that $2 million of green retrofits from President Barack Obama’s Recovery Act helped preserve and modernize the apartments.

These upgrades included energy-efficient windows, appliances, fixtures and other features which in turn helped cut utility costs by 20 percent, Donovan said.

Meanwhile, at the University of the District of Columbia, sustainability and energy efforts are in full swing all over the Van Ness campus. Campus officials have pledged “to pursue a range of sustainability measures related

to energy use and buildings, green education, transportation, waste reduction, grounds maintenance, purchasing, and the monitoring and reporting of progress.”

School officials said with pride that the contract between an institution of higher learning and local government with the aim of advancing sustainability was the first of its kind in the nation.

Among the projects undertaken at UDC are: the Dennard Plaza Deck, a $12-million project which features 90,000 square feet of new green roof space above the parking garage and cisterns with 18,000 gallon capacity that collects storm water. An added feature allows the reuse of captured rainwater.

The LEED Platinum Student Center is scheduled for completion in 2013. The $40-million project will be the first student center of its kind in the country and will use geothermal cooling and heating.

Because of its focus on energy sustainability, the University of the District of Columbia’s average monthly water consumption is 1.1 million gallons, enough to fill two Olympic-sized swimming pools. Also, the school consumes 1,300,000 kWh of electricity each month and recycles 12,500 pounds of waste monthly – the equivalent of 4 and 1/2 Honda Civics. SL

UDC maintains a student-run community garden as part of their overall sustainability program. / Courtesy photo.

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How to Recycle?

I

n addition to the 14 million tons of plastic as containers and packaging that was generated in the U.S. in 2010, almost 11 million tons as durable goods, such as appliances, and almost 7 million tons as nondurable goods, for example plates and cups. The category of plastics which includes bags, sacks, and wraps was recycled at almost 12 percent.

According to the American Chemistry Council, about 1,800 US businesses handle or reclaim post-consumer plastics. Plastics from Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) are usually collected from curbside recycling bins or drop-off sites. Then, they go to a material recovery facility, where the materials are sorted into broad categories (plastics, paper, glass, etc.). The resulting mixed plastics are sorted by plastic type, baled, and sent to a reclaiming facility. At the facility, any trash or dirt is sorted out, then the plastic is washed and ground into small flakes.

A flotation tank then further separates contaminants, based www.washingtoninformer.com

on their different densities.

Flakes are then dried, melted, filtered, and formed into pellets. The pellets are shipped to product manufacturing plants, where they are made into new plastic products.

SPI Resin Identification Code and Type of Resin Content The resin identification coding system for plastic, represented by the numbers on the bottom of plastic containers, was introduced by SPI, the plastics industry trade association, in 1988 and identifies the resin content of bottles and containers commonly found in the residential waste stream.

Consumers can use the number to determine which items are collected for recycling in their area.

1 PET - Polyethylene Terephthalate , 2 HDPE - HDPE - High-density Polyethylene, 3 Vinyl, 4 LDPE-Low-density Polyethylene, 5 PP - Polypropylene, 6 PS – Polystyrene; and 7 OTHER - Mixed Plastics. SL

Don’t let your energy bills break the bank.

This summer, keep your energy bills under control with the DC Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program.

You could be eligible for up to $1,000 in incentives from the DC SEU. Visit www.dcseu.com/HomePerformance and get started on saving money and energy in your home today.

TOLL-FREE 885-MY-DCSEU • WWW.DCSEU.COM

SUSTAINABLE LIVING SUPPLEMENT / april 2013 / SL-13

INTERVIEWS AND PHOTOS BY TIMOTHY LINDEN

Viewp int

Wanda Hardy Silver Spring, Md.

About six years ago, when energy-efficient light bulbs became available, I went out and purchased enough to change every bulb in my house. Recently, I hired an energy auditor who came to my house and did an energy audit, which I followed with a full insulation of my attic and other places around my house. This reduced my energy costs as my highest energy bill this winter was just $145. If I could, I’d have solar panels on my house.

Tamarra Jones Washington, D.C.

I try to be mindful of turning off lights, appliances and other electronics when they’re not in use.

I also make sure to monitor the temperature of my heating and cooling unit, and am mindful to turn it off when not needed. I’m also trying to remember to recycle and not just throw [items] into one trash can.

MANY AMERICANS ARE NOW CONSERVING energy BY USING LOWWATT LIGHT BULBS, TURNING OFF ELECTRONICS NOT IN USE AND SWITCHING TO ENERGY-SAVING APPLIANCES. WHAT MEASURES ARE YOU WILLING TO TAKE TO REDUCE YOUR ENERGY USAGE?

Vincent Richardson Washington, D.C.

I’m a new business owner and recently joined a business association that helps businesses find ways to become greener. I’m learning new information about how to make my business green, in addition to things I already do such as conserving energy by turning off lights, recycling, climate control with the air conditioner and other things of that nature.

Teresa Combs Washington, D.C.

I recycle everything. I also compost and use it in a garden I have at a friend’s house, instead of buying fertilizer. I definitely keep my temperature very low and like the ambient air in my house to always be around 64 degrees, even in the winter months. I definitely use low-energy light bulbs. I grow plants and conserve water by transferring it to other plants, instead of using new water from the sink.

Kevin Dickerson Silver Spring, Md.

I’ve always been a huge energy conservationist. One of the big things I do to reduce my use of energy is cycling, which helps to limit my carbon footprint. I cycle to and from work all summer, and in the winter, if the weather allows. I recycle whenever I get the opportunity, which I feel has really become commonplace in society today. I also try to remember to purchase energy-efficient light bulbs, which I’ve noticed last much longer.

Careers in Renewable Energy

By Barrington M. Salmon WI Staff Writer

There are many compelling reasons why a career in clean energy is so attractive. Of those, a few very important ones come to mind: jobs, the environment and dwindling fossil fuels.

In her 2004 book, Oil: The Story of Crude, journalist Sonia Shah makes the compelling case which is supported by a growing number of experts, economists and financial institutions that the world is living on borrowed time as it relates to fossil fuels.

Industrialized countries continue to guzzle billions of barrels of oil every year while competing with developing nations such as China, India and Brazil which as their economies expand, also have a growing appetite for more oil and money.

Then there is the jobs aspect of clean and renewable energy.

Jennifer Runyon, managing editor of RenewableEnergyWorld. com noted in a 2010 article

about clean energy trends that renewable energy is a growth sector that continues provides jobs. The jobs outlook in the U.S. remains dismal. Americans looking for work, those who work part-time or are underemployed and others who have given up the chase stands at almost 30 million people.

For the millions of Americans looking for work, Runyon and others say, the energy sector offers a panoply of jobs which represent the seeds of a new economy.

“In looking at the data, it is clear that in all renewable energy technologies but one, in 2011 there will be significantly more jobs than there are now,” Runyon said. “The simple fact is that clean energy is indeed growing and creating jobs, but with U.S. unemployment figures so large, it’s just been hard to notice.”

Clean or renewable energy careers may fall into several categories including wind and solar power, geothermal energy, hy-

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dropower and biofuels. Between 2009 and 2010, the solar power industry doubled the number of people working in that industry to 100,000 in 2010. Going forward, the solar power industry was expected to grow by 26 percent.

Runyon cited a report from the World Economic Forum that notes that In terms of bioenergy and bio-based products, the U.S. is expected to lead the world in global development. In 2010, she adds, the biorefinery industry accounted for more than 40,000 jobs in the U.S., while the commercialization of second and third generation biofuels is expected to create 800,000 new jobs (190,000 direct new green jobs, and 610,000 indirect new jobs) in the U.S. by 2022.

Writer Julie Layton is more optimistic than some about the career prospects in the clean energy arena.

“We now know that if our cars are to continue getting us to work, we must make renew-

There are a wide range of green jobs including those associated with energy efficiency, renewable energy, pollution reduction, and recycling. / Courtesy photo

able energy more than a fleeting interest in the newest hybrid,” she said. “With increasing government and private funding of renewable energy, the industry as a whole is exploding, and along with it the number of potential jobs in the green-power sector.”

Layton identifies five of the fastest-growing most in-demand careers in renewable energy as engineers, farmers, solar fabricator/installers, wind farm developers and Wind-turbine fabricators, installers and operators.

Majora Carter, a renowned environmental and community activist from the Bronx, New York, is an example of how communities which by embracing the green concept can create jobs and clean up neighborhoods. In

2003, Sustainable South Bronx began what was described as an urban green-collar training project. Many of the graduates from the course graduates were once behind bars and all were receiving some form of public assistance. Through the scheme 85 percent of those involved are employed in brown-field cleanup, green roof installation and maintenance.

“I’ve embraced my inner capitalist. If you haven’t, you need to,” Green said. “I don’t have a problem with developers making money. There’s enough precedent out there to show that a sustainable, community friendly development can still make a fortune.” Sl www.washingtoninformer.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. CHAPTER THE SIERRA CLUB IS THE OLDEST , LARGEST AND MOST INFLUENTIAL GRASSROOTS ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION IN THE COUNTRY . FOR OVER 40 YEARS , THE D.C. C HAPTER HAS WORKED SUCCESSFULLY TO PROTECT AND IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE NATION’ S CAPITAL . WE ARE A VOLUNTEER - DRIVEN C HAPTER AND DEPEND ON THE HELP OF VOLUNTEERS TO MAKE AN IMPACT . PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN JOINING FOR ANY OF THE ACTIVITIES , PROGRAMS AND COMMITTEES LISTED BELOW . WE WELCOME YOU TO JOIN US AS WE ENJOY , EXPLORE AND PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT IN WASHINGTON ! FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION AND HOW TO GET INVOLVED , EMAIL US AT washingtondc.chapter@sierraclub.org OR CALL 202-548-4581.

Conservation Committees The DC Chapter has several committees actively working to address the following issues. If you’re interested in working in one of these conservation areas, becoming an active member of a committee is a great option.  Energy & Energy Efficiency  Transportation  Recycling and Solid Waste

Outings Chair & Outings Leaders Interested in leading hikes or bike trips? Outings Leaders provide direction and oversight to the chapter outings program and lead outings trips in DC. Leaders also coordinate with our outings partners: DC Inner City Outings and Potomac Region Outings.

Other Environmental Advocacy Opportunities Interested in advocating for another environmental cause in the District? Help the Sierra Club work on Environmental Justice issues, Parks & Conservation, Street Light Campaigns, Tree Protection, or other environmental issues that may be impacting your community.

Communications Team Writers and communications volunteers are needed to help with our communications strategy! This is a great opportunity to work with our Board to contribute content for our newsletters, emails and website. Writers may also help to write press releases while cultivating relationships with media.

Photography, Videography Photograph Sierra Club events, contribute to our newsletter and online media, or be an investigative photographer, photo editor or videographer for our newsletter or campaigns!

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DC Chapter Ambassador Be a face for the Sierra Club and help us table at different community and environmental events and festivals. The Chapter Ambassador may also help gather signatures for petitions, recruit new volunteers, and have fun talking to DC residents about what the DC Sierra Club is all about!

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