The General Services Administration wants agencies to buy green, build green, drive green--and save green.
This week, GSA Administrator David Barram unveiled a new nationwide environmental protection initiative, known as "Planet GSA." The program was created to aid the federal government's effort to meet President Clinton's challenge to deal with the problem of global warming.
"Planet GSA ... can help educate and inform employees and the general public about what the federal government is doing to combat climate change, and more importantly, empower them to take a personal part in protecting the environment," Kathleen McGinty, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said Wednesday at a celebration to kick off the initiative.
The Planet GSA program will focus on promoting the purchase of recycled, energy-efficient and environmentally preferable products and services. As part of the initiative, GSA will promote the expansion of the agency's fleet of 18,500 alternative-fueled vehicles that are leased to federal agencies. GSA will also encourage construction of environmentally-friendly buildings, modernization of federal facilities using sustainable design and construction principles and conservation of water and energy at federal facilities.
GSA already includes recycled content as a factor in purchasing building materials such as insulation, latex paints and carpets. GSA has also installed energy-efficient lighting and equipment and energy management control systems in federal buildings.
"We're doing away with the myth that protecting the environment is not good economics. GSA has shown that it is possible and makes good business sense to protect the environment and save money at the same time," Barram said.
GSA's Environmental Products guide lists more than 3,000 products and services.