PARK PLACE GREEN TEAMGREEN OPERATIONS OFFICE AUDIT

The Goal

• To gain baseline information on current activities.• To identify opportunities for improved performance.• To recognize areas of excellence in the Region’s

sustainability.• To engage employees in sustainable practices.• Ultimately, to reduce the environmental impact of Region

10’s operations.

Methods

Green Operations Office Audit: Distributed to EPA Region 10 offices through office directors and unit

managers Questions asked whether units carried out certain sustainable practices The checklist consisted of answer options of “Yes”, “No”, or “Partially” The questions were organized into the following sections: Energy, Water,

Green Meetings, Paper and Printing, Purchasing, Recycling and Waste Prevention, and Transportation.

Analysis: Each answer was given points of completion out of how many possible

activities could be performed for each category.

“Yes” = 1 point

“No” = 0 points

“Partially” = ½ point We could then calculate the percentage of activities performed in each

office

Results

Ener

gy

Wat

er

Green

Mee

tings

Paper

/Prin

ting

Purch

asing

Recyc

ling/

Was

te P

reve

ntion

Tran

spor

tatio

n

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Regional Average per Category

Acti

vit

y P

art

icip

ati

on

Responses

72% of units filled out and returned the audit checklist

Participant Comments: Lack of knowledge/information on office

practices More communication within units

about sustainable practicesSurvey should be distributed to individuals

rather than units

Areas for Improvement

Prioritize categories which Region 10 scored below 60% participation:

Energy 49.9% Water 51.3% Paper and Printing 55.8% Recycling and Waste Prevention 56%

Energy

The region participates in 49.9% of possible energy conserving activities listed in the survey

Opportunities for improvement (common questions with “No” responses):

“We switch off our monitors when we are not using the computer for longer than 15 minutes.”

“Our office has conducted an appliance audit and eliminated any unnecessary personal refrigerators, coffee makers and other appliances.”

Messages: Are you leaving the office? Is your computer still on? When focusing on tasks which do not require the use of your

computer, turn off your monitor until you need to use it again.

Water

The region participates in 51.3% of possible water saving activities listed in the survey

Improvement opportunities: “Signs in bathrooms, locker rooms, and

kitchens promote water-wise behavior such as turning off taps and taking short showers.”

Messages: Signs could be a useful reminder for us to conserve

water

Paper/Printing

The region participates in 55.8% of possible activities to reduce paper and printing usage listed in the survey

Improvement opportunities: “We track the amount of paper we use in the

office and share that information with staff” “We have an office-wide commitment to only

print when necessary.”

Messages:

Recycling/Waste Prevention

The region participates in 56% of possible recycling and other waste prevention activities listed in the survey.

Improvement opportunities: “Approved compostable service-ware items are available

for staff use instead of non-compostable service-ware items, for times when reusable alternatives are not appropriate.”

“Our office promotes use of reusable/durable food containers and discourages the use of foil, plastic wrap, and other disposable food packaging through information porters and signage.”

Messages: