Environmental Leadershipin the Coming Decades

Moving to Global Sustainability

Presented by:Martha G. Kirkpatrick, CommissionerMaine Department of Environmental Protection

October 24, 2002

Environmental ProtectionIn the beginning…

• Problems are obvious• Citizens demand

action• Focus on

industry

Air Pollution

Water Pollution

STAGE I“Industrial”

Pre-1970“Take-Make-Waste”

Final Product

Purchasers

Waste

Inputs Waste

Characteristics:

I=P x A x T

Environmental Costs externalized

Production-Extractive-Man-Made-Toxic

Air EmissionControls

Water PollutionControls

WasteDisposalControls

STAGE II“Regulatory”

1970 -

Final Product

Purchasers

Waste

Recycle ifConvenient

Production

Innov.

Characteristics-Media-specific-Command & Control-Liability Driven-Adversarial-Environment v. Economy

Recycle if Convenient

waste

$

Tech.

Inputs-Extractive-Man-Made-Toxic

STAGE IIIPollution Pre

1990 - ion Prevention

Inputs

Final Product

Purchasers

Waste

Some Recyclingif Convenient

Characteristics-Collaborative-Treat Problems at the Source-Economy + Environment

$ savings-Operational, not systemic

Air Controls

Water Controls

Waste ControlsInnov. Innov.

-Extractive-Man-MadeToxicRenewableRecyclable

I=P x A

T

STAGE IVDesigning Integrated Ecological Business Systems

2000 & Beyond

InnovationSystemMimicsNature

Inputs

Public

Informatio

n $benign emissionszero wastezero dischargehabitat avoidance/ restoration

“Product” = service

-Societal Values-Corporate Commitment-From Product to Service-Outcome Based-Resource Efficiency

Benign Biowaste

-Renewable-Recycled-Lowest Impact

Changing role of Government -Facilitator /Catalyst -Technology Clearing House -Information Collector - Provider -Set Performance Standards -Enforcement

-Market Driven-Real Time Data-Power of Individual-Globalization

SOLID WASTE

AIR AND WATER

EMISSIONS

ENERGY

INPUTS, RAW MATER-

IALS & PRODUCTS

TRANSPORTATION

WORKERS &

COMMUNITY

PRODUCT

TO SERVICE

Valley

P R O G R E S S

Foothills

Top of the Mountain

UNSUSTAINABLE SUSTAINABLE

Sell Product

Extended Producer

Responsibility

Product Stewardship

Lease Service

UnawareAccess to

Information

Environmental

Ed. & Training

Forum for Meaningful

Involvement

Life-long Learning,

Awareness,

Community Harmony

One-person Car Commuting

Truck Shipping

Product Weight Local Prods./Consumption

Rail, Ocean

Car Pool

Telecommute,

Video Conf.

Hyper Car

Mass Transit

Take-Make

-Waste

Minimize Material in Product Closed Loop

Fossil FuelsCoal Oil Natural Gas

Biomass Hydropower Hydrogen

WindSolar

Toxics and Conventional

Emissions ControlsBeyond Compliance

Zero Discharge/

Harmless Emissions

Make Waste Prevent Waste

Zero Waste Generated/

Create Only Harmless Waste

Reduce/Reuse/Recycle

S M A R T P R O D U C T I O N“Climbing the Mountain”

METRICS

Product

People

Transportation

Raw Materials

Energy

Emissions

Waste

Percent of products produced that are durable, repairable or readily recyclable

Employee, consumer, community awareness benchmarks

Energy used and emissions generated per unit of work or product shipped

Amount of non-renewable/toxic materials used per unit of product

Total energy used, percent of renewable energy used, and carbon emitted per unit of product

Air emissions per unit of product,Water discharge per unit of product

Solid waste/Hazardous waste per unit of product

REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

Maximize

Value-Added

ENVIRONMENTAL

MANAGEMENT

Compliance &

Remediation Driven

Pollution

Prevention

Environment Part of Core

Business Values/Strategic

Business Planning

Management

Quantitative Assessment of Performance

Employ tools,

EMS, Life-cycle

Analysis, etc.

TOXICSToxics Used Reduce Volume

Substitute less

toxic materialsEliminate Toxics

Toxics

Efficient Energy Use

Minimize Energy Used

Reduce toxics used, hazardous waste generated, toxics emitted per unit of product

Maine Department of Environmental Protection

Pathways

Maine STEP-UP Program(Smart Tracks for Exceptional Performers and Upward Performers)

Business commits to:

• Setting a goal for reducing energy use and/or increasing use of renewable energy resources

• Setting goals for two other pathways (from “Climbing the Mountain”)

• Consult workers and community

• Establish and maintain an environmental management system

• Evaluate and publicly report on progress toward goals

• Maine DEP provides recognition, technical assistance, networking opportunities and other benefits based on individual agreements

Maine STEP-UP Program

Bath Iron Works(Builds ships for the US Navy)

Highlights of STEP-UP Agreement (next 3 years)

• Reduce total energy use by 10% per Aegis Class Destroyer (DDG ship) compared to 2001 levels

• Reduce hazardous waste shipped off site by 16% at Bath, 25% at Hardings and 3% at EBMF per DDG ship compared to 2001 levels

• Reduce amount of solid waste disposed of by 10% per DDG ship compared to 2001 levels

• Explore concept of total lifecycle ownership of ships by BIW

The Nature of Environmental Challenges is Changing…

Water –

From large industrial sources and single pipes to ---

“Nonpoint sources” [diffuse runoff from impervious surfaces]

Mercury is the single biggest source of water quality impairment nationwide

-- Mercury comes mostly from air deposition, from emissions from coal plants

and the incineration of mercury-containing products

Emerging Problems –

Invasive species

Air –

Large industrial sources to mobile sources to vehicle miles traveled (sprawl)

Combustion of household products (mercury; pvc/dioxin)

Global climate change: Industrial CO2 emissions have decreased; residential CO2 emissions are increasing.

Waste –

Cleaning up past messes to reuse/recycle to life cycle management

Traditional regulatory mechanisms don’t often work for newer problems

Compliance is important, but it’s not enough.

It will take a change in public values.

Direct involvement by citizens: purchasing investing energy use

Changing role of government: information provider public education clarifying choices and impacts

Large, societal, cultural issues, well beyond technological and regulatory solutions.

What does this mean?

Environment

EconomySociety

Quality of Life

2002: The Changing Landscape today’s challenges

We have the ability to adopt practices that are more compatible with ecologically, socially and economically sustainable development.

As Citizens, What Can We Do?

• Be engaged. Ask questions and demand appropriate actions.

• Encourage sustainable business through informed purchasing and investment choices.

• View personal lifestyle choices from a cumulative impact perspective.

Moving Toward a More Sustainable Future

requires• Adapting policies, institutions,

technologies and lifestyles• Altering deep and enduring attitudes,

values and behaviors• Reconciling human affairs with natural

laws

the choice is ours