WASHINGTON – The U.S. House aims to slash its energy consumption by 50 percent in 10 years under a “Green the Capitol” initiative.
A final report Thursday by the House’s Chief Administrative Officer also pledges that the chamber will operate in a carbon-neutral manner by the end of next year.
The report outlines a series of environmental initiatives such as purchasing electricity generated from renewable sources, installing energy efficient lighting, reducing the use of coal at the Capitol power plant and switching to hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles.
The House side of the Capitol complex generated some 91,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions in fiscal 2006, the equivalent of the emissions of 17,200 cars.
The report found that two-thirds of those emissions could be cut by using renewable fuel sources for electricity and increasing use of natural gas at the power plant. The remaining 24,000 tons of carbon emissions would be dealt with by buying carbon offsets from the Chicago Climate Exchange.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
