A Non-profit that LEEDs
Dec 16, 2009
No Comments
The debate over climate change and energy independence is often divisive and polarizing. First we must confront the apathetic and the nay-sayers, which has not been easy in the USA with the purported "Climate-gate" bruhaha and our concern over 10% unemployment. The Obama Administration has not been very helpful with its "green jobs" rhetoric--I think every week we have heard of the push for "home weatherization" schemes, which leaves me with the image of former Avon salespeople tapping our walls to make sure they are properly insulated (is this really the best Obama & Co. can do?). Then you've got the debate over who should lead . . . corporations, or government? Well, what about non-profits? One organization with a stellar "green" record is the American Jewish Committee (AJC), a 103-year-old advocacy group with 32 chapters in the United States.I learned a lot about what the AJC is doing on sustainability issues from the AJC's Assistant Director of Communications, Eli Lipmen, who I met a few weeks ago at a green business event here in Los Angeles. For several years, the AJC has embarked on an ambitious sustainability program that can be a model for any company or government agency. The AJC's initiatives include:
- Since 2006, the AJC has given a rebate to its employees who buy a hybrid vehicle.
- AJC is one of the first Jewish organizations in the country to have its headquarters LEED certified.
- Even before its New York headquarters earned LEED certification, the AJC undertook ambitious waste reduction, computer materials recycling, and non-toxic green cleaning programs, moving far ahead of the standard "blue bin" policy.
- Posting succinct and informative videos on its web site explaining why they are pushing for energy independence. One video took the words right out of my mouth--I always cringe when I see huge SUVs sport a "support our troops" or "these colors don't run" bumper stickers, when meanwhile, their 10mpg gas efficiency is one reason why we are sending huge sums of capital abroad to countries that we always say, well, just don't like us.
The AJC also has plans underway to purchase enough Renewable Energy Credits (REC) to cover 100 percent of the electricity used at AJC headquarters in New York. Meanwhile, management will retrofit its NY offices to reduce energy consumption by 35%, and is close to implementing a new green purchasing policy optimizing the amount of recycled or materials made from rapidly renewable, reclaimed, or otherwise low impact resources for its employees' use.
Out west, the Los Angeles chapter has started an Energy Security Task Force that aims to reduce the amount of energy the USA imports from abroad. You can reach out to the committee by clicking here.
Finally, AJC's LA chapter is working with government agencies, collaborating with them on sustainability programs that the AJC first created for its own employees. For example, the AJC is currently working on a project with the City of LA to institute an employee incentive program for city employees to purchase fuel efficient vehicles at a discount. The AJC had helped the County of Los Angeles to start such a program and it was successful. Since the County is such a large employer, it was able to negotiate fleet rates with local dealers for employees; now the AJC is hoping to do the same with the City of LA.
The AJC is successful because it is going beyond the call of duty . . . and its successful sustainability model has now spread far outside its offices.
If you work at an organization that has created a successful sustainability program that other companies or agencies have adopted, please share your accomplishments with us.
