State of Illinois Treasurer’s Office Springfield Carbon Footprint

A Study of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions of the Treasurer’s Springfield Operations

More and more leading organizations regard the mitigation of climate change as an important part of their role in society. Climate Change is becoming an ever-pressing matter and its mitigation more and more demanding from all members of society, including businesses and public organizations. A wide range of interested parties regard Climate Change as one of the most important issues of our times and expect government to actively prove that they are part of the solution and not part of the problem.

The issue of environmental protection is a target of prime importance for governmental organizations. The office of the Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias has taken a proactive stance towards its responsibilities to the planet and its atmosphere, and has moved to measure the baseline Carbon Footprint of its operations in Springfield. The study conducted by the Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE), a global advisory firm with an office in Chicago and specializing in Sustainable Development Solutions and Climate Change, took place over two months in 2009. The scope of the project involved two main administrative buildings used by the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office, namely the Meyers Building and the Business Center. The study took into account all three scopes of operations, as recognized by the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard.

To support the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office mitigate its impact on the atmosphere, the Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) developed a Carbon Footprint Strategy and Action Plan to guide the Treasurer’s Office. The steps included an awareness and educational campaign to make staff more aware of the issues of Global Warming, as well as some practical steps related to the reduction of energy by the office. In an effort to progress awareness in government about the link of greenhouse gas emissions in everyday office activities, the CSE offered its support on a pro bono basis.

To improve your organizations’ and/or institutions’ Sustainability and bring positive impact and added value for all stakeholders, enroll in CSE’s North American Workshop at www.cse-northamerica.org.