In April, 2007 Governor Bill Ritter, Jr., signed the Greening of State Government Executive Orders D011 07 and D012 07. The Executive Orders expand on an order signed by former Governor Bill Owens in July 2005. These orders charge state departments, agencies and offices to take a position of leadership in the new energy economy. The goals include reducing energy and paper use by 20%, reducing water consumption by 10%, and reducing state vehicle consumption by 25% by June 30, 2012.
“Sustainability is a fundamental element of our core mission and values. It’s why I chose to put my engineering degree to use here.”
– Colorado Parks and Wildlife Green Team Member
“The daily activities of state government have a significant impact on the quality of Colorado’s public health, environment and use of its natural resources”
– Greening of State Government Executive Order D0011 07
At Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), steps to meet these goals are spearheaded by an active Green Team made up of employee representatives from across the state.
Current Green Team Initiatives include:
- Recycling programs
- Denver area ride board for employees
- Green tips for employees
- Electronic waste (televisions, computers, cell phones, etc) recycling event
- Paper towel and bath tissue made of recycled paper
- CPW-sponsored bike to work event in Denver
- Emphasis on the purchase of Energy-Star compliant equipment
In addition, the CPW is implementing several measures to reduce the use of fuel. For example, video conferencing equipment at five major offices supports over a hundred meetings a year, mobile computing equipment reduces trips to offices for field staff, and audio streaming of Wildlife Commission meetings allows the public and employees to listen from home or work without driving to meetings. Employees also have access to an online calendar that helps them plan to carpool when using State Fleet vehicles.
Every step we take towards a greener Colorado helps wildlife and its habitat.
For more information, see the Governor's Energy Office site.