THE SECRETARY'S GREENING DIPLOMACY INITIATIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 089930 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AMGT SUBJECT: THE SECRETARY'S GREENING DIPLOMACY INITIATIVE ¶1. This is an action request. Please see para 6. ¶2. On Earth Day, April 22, 2009, the Secretary launched the Greening Diplomacy Initiative (GDI),a new commitment to lead by example and improve the sustainability of the State Department's facilities and operations. The GDI will: -- Develop and implement strategies that reduce the Department's environmental footprint; -- Empower employees to contribute and to participate in greening efforts; -- Leverage best practices internally and externally, and monitor progress of ongoing Department greening efforts; and -- Connect the management of the Department with the work we do in diplomacy and development. ¶3. In order to drive the GDI forward, the Secretary established a department-wide Greening Council that is comprised of senior-level Department officials and chaired by the Under Secretary for Management. The Greening Council reaches across traditional boundaries and harnesses the Department's policy, management, and public diplomacy expertise, from the grass roots to senior management, to advance the Greening Diplomacy Initiative by catalyzing greening efforts domestically and abroad, monitoring our progress toward sustainability, and highlighting our commitment to lead by example. Under Secretary Kennedy convened the inaugural Greening Council meeting on August 11, 2009; the next meeting will be in November. ¶4. The Greening Council guides the work of the Greening Council Working Group, which consists of bureau-selected representatives. These working-level representatives offer technical expertise, interest in greening and sustainability issues, and are empowered to represent their bureaus in the Greening Council Working Group's deliberations and decision-making. The Working Group had its first meeting on August 11 (following the Greening Council meeting) and will meet on a monthly basis going forward, chaired by the Under Secretary for Management or his designee. ¶5. Since Earth Day, the Department has made progress on several fronts: -- Bicycle Program: On July 27, the Department launched a six-month pilot program in the Harry S Truman Building offering 10 bicycles for complimentary use by employees as an alternate means of transportation while performing their normal duties. After four weeks since the launch of the pilot, 70 users registered for the program with 31 bikes checked out and over 340 miles biked. -- HST Cafeteria: After introducing reusable coffee mugs in Spring 2009, the Harry S Truman cafeteria completely phased out styrofoam cups, trays, and dishes on August ¶1. -- Sounding Board: 19 suggestions tagged "green" have been posted to the Secretary's Sounding Board -- American Pharmacists Association Building: The new building, which will soon host 900 State Department employees, will receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification. This building will join several overseas embassy and consular building projects (Bulgaria and Panama) that have received LEED certification. -- Grass-roots Efforts: The OES Bureau launched its Green Team, modeled on similar teams in EUR, CA, and OBO, and several overseas posts. The State Department "Green Community" has formed a cross-Bureau, domestic/international employee group. ¶6. ACTION REQUEST: Department requests posts identify a Greening Diplomacy Initiative Point of Contact to act as liaison with the bureau representative member of the Greening Council Working Group. Please submit names and contact information to your respective Bureau POC: -- AF: Chris Karber STATE 00089930 002 OF 002 -- EAP: Ory Abramowicz -- EUR: Jennifer Eldridge, Shai Korman -- NEA: Michael Adler -- SCA: Joe Kowalski -- WHA: Matt Rooney, Frances Colon Department also suggests that employees serving overseas submit their green suggestions to the Secretary's Sounding Board by tagging them with the word "green" and send comments/questions directly to greeningdiplomacy@state.gov. ¶7. Please visit the GDI Sharepoint site (http://m.state.sbu/sites/pri/GDI/) for more information, including notes from the first Greening Council meeting and a list of Greening Council Working Group members and team coordinators. ¶8. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. CLINTON