GovEnergy: Greening GovEnergy

GovEnergy's Green Activities

In a conscious effort to promote environmental stewardship, GovEnergy continues to pursue a variety of earth-friendly practices.

Green requirements have been instituted in the GovEnergy hotel and convention center contracts.
All of the GovEnergy hotels are concentrated within downtown Cincinnati. The majority are within reasonable walking distance of the Duke Energy Convention Center.
Every effort is being made to secure items that are either made in the U.S., or that are trade compliant. Attendee items are made from recycled and/or biodegradable materials:

                - GovEnergy's tote bags are made from recycled cotton.
                - GovEnergy's pens and lanyards are made from corn-based plastic.
                - GovEnergy's pad folios are made from donated, recycled vinyl banners.
                - GovEnergy's water bottles are FDA compliant and made with BPA-free
                   materials.

The GovEnergy trade show incorporates environmental awareness in each phase of the trade show, including planning, logistics, execution, and cleanup.
GovEnergy has significantly reduced its paper waste. Helpful new eTools have replaced the attendee program, once printed and distributed at GovEnergy.
GovEnergy's optional technical tours focus on recent examples of energy efficiency and sustainable practices within the Cincinnati metro region.

GovEnergy Emissions Credits and Offsets

Since 2003, GovEnergy has quantified and offset its emissions through the use of emissions reduction credits. For this year's event, GovEnergy has obtained emissions credits to offset its environmental impact in Cincinnati. In order to obtain these emission credits and offsets, GovEnergy gathers historic registration data and trends, as well hotel and travel information of attendees, to calculate emissions from attendee travel to and from the event, facility energy use, hotels, and meals. These details are subsequently verified by the Leonardo Academy, a third party, non-profit organization, specializing in sustainability solutions.Through its Cleaner and Greener for Events program, the Leonardo Academy is able to calculate GovEnergy's total emissions and offsets for the following pollutants:

Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)
Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂)
Nitrogen Oxide (NO_x)
Particulate Matter (PM₁₀)
Particulate Matter (PM_2.5)
Mercury (Hg)

Cleaner and Greener awarded GovEnergy Gold certification in 2007 and 2008 (offset 100 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions), Silver certification in 2009 (offset at least 50 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions) and Platinum certification in 2010 and 2011 (offset at least 100 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions). Additional information about GovEnergy's emissions credits and offsets may be found in the GovEnergy 2010 Green Self Assessment (PDF 107 KB).

GovEnergy 2010 earned Leonardo Academy's Cleaner and GreenerÂ® Platinum certification level (PDF 114 KB) by calculating and offsetting its greenhouse gas emissions and emissions harmful to human health.

GovEnergy 2010 Green Self Assessment

In 2010, the GovEnergy 2010 Green Self Assessment (PDF 107 KB) provided a review of GovEnergy's sustainability efforts, and also identified areas for improvement. The assessment addressed the following:

Promotion/Technical Outreach
Registration
On-site Activities
Site-Specific Activities

Green Cincinnati Plan

In September of 2007, Mayor Mallory introduced a motion for the City of Cincinnati to undertake a public climate protection planning process. The directive, called upon the city Administration to establish goals for significantly reducing regional greenhouse gas emissions while preserving both economic development and transportation options throughout the region.

In June 2008, the Green Cincinnati Plan was created, offering 80 recommendations an implementation strategy. The plan provided recommendations for reducing pollution, conserving natural resources, improving public health and job development. It also served to provide details for recycling, free parking for electric vehicles and an urban agriculture program. The Green Cincinnati Plan also established green house gas emission reduction goals of 8% within 4 years, 40% within 20 years, and 84% by 2050 (42 years).

Cincinnati's Office of Environmental Quality

The Office of Environmental Quality (OEQ) is tasked with leading the Cincinnati City Government and the larger community toward sustainability and the practice of good environmental stewardship.