Environmental Leadership in the Coming Decades

1
Environmental Leadershipin the Coming Decades
Moving to Global Sustainability
Presented by Martha G. Kirkpatrick,
Commissioner Maine Department of Environmental
Protection October 24, 2002
2
Environmental Protection In the beginning

• Problems are obvious
• Citizens demand action
• Focus on industry

3
STAGE IIndustrialPre-1970Take-Make-Waste
-Extractive -Man-Made -Toxic
Production
Characteristics IP x A x T Environmental
Costs externalized
4
STAGE IIRegulatory1970 -
ProductionInnov.
-Extractive -Man-Made -Toxic
Characteristics -Media-specific -Command
Control -Liability Driven -Adversarial -Environmen
t v. Economy
5
STAGE IIIPollution Pre1990 -
ion Prevention
Innov.
Innov.
-Extractive -Man-Made ?Toxic ?Renewable ?Recyclabl
e
Characteristics -Collaborative -Treat Problems at
the Source -Economy Environment
savings -Operational, not systemic
6
STAGE IVDesigning Integrated Ecological Business
Systems2000 Beyond
PublicInformation
benign emissions zero waste zero
discharge habitat avoidance/ restoration
Innovation SystemMimicsNature
-Renewable -Recycled -Lowest Impact
Changing role of Government -Facilitator
/Catalyst -Technology Clearing House
-Information Collector - Provider -Set
Performance Standards -Enforcement
-Societal Values -Corporate Commitment -From
Product to Service -Outcome Based -Resource
Efficiency
-Market Driven -Real Time Data -Power of
Individual -Globalization
7
S M A R T P R O D U C T I O N Climbing the
Mountain
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
METRICS
UNSUSTAINABLE
SUSTAINABLE
Product
Percent of products produced that are durable,
repairable or readily recyclable
Top of the Mountain
Lease Service
People
Employee, consumer, community awareness benchmarks
Extended Producer Responsibility
Life-long Learning, Awareness, Community Harmony
Foothills
P R O G R E S S
Transportation
Energy used and emissions generated per unit of
work or product shipped
Forum for Meaningful Involvement
Telecommute, Video Conf.
Product Stewardship
Valley
Local Prods./Consumption
Management
Hyper Car Mass Transit
Environmental Ed. Training
Sell Product
Quantitative Assessment of Performance
Environment Part of Core Business
Values/Strategic Business Planning
Car Pool
Pathways
Access to Information
Product Weight ?
Toxics
PRODUCT TO SERVICE
Employ tools, EMS, Life-cycle Analysis, etc.
Unaware
Reduce toxics used, hazardous waste generated,
toxics emitted per unit of product
Rail, Ocean
One-person Car Commuting
WORKERS COMMUNITY
Eliminate Toxics
Pollution Prevention
Truck Shipping
Substitute less toxic materials
Raw Materials
Compliance Remediation Driven
TRANSPORTATION
Amount of non-renewable/toxic materials used per
unit of product
Closed Loop
Reduce Volume
Minimize Material in Product
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Toxics Used
Emissions
Maximize Value-Added
TOXICS
Air emissions per unit of product, Water
discharge per unit of product
Zero Discharge/ Harmless Emissions
Take-Make -Waste
INPUTS, RAW MATER- IALS PRODUCTS
Beyond Compliance
Waste
Toxics and Conventional Emissions Controls
Zero Waste Generated/ Create Only Harmless Waste
Solid waste/Hazardous waste per unit of product
AIR AND WATER EMISSIONS
Reduce/Reuse/Recycle
Prevent Waste
Make Waste
Energy
SOLID WASTE
Wind Solar
Total energy used, percent of renewable energy
used, and carbon emitted per unit of product
Biomass Hydropower
Minimize Energy Used
Hydrogen
Efficient Energy Use
Fossil Fuels Coal? Oil ? Natural Gas
ENERGY
8
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

9
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

10
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
11
What does this mean?

• Traditional regulatory mechanisms dont often
  work for newer problems
• Compliance is important, but its 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.

Quality of Life
Economy
Society
Environment
12
2002 The Changing Landscape todays challenges
We have the ability to adopt practices that are
more compatible with ecologically, socially and
economically sustainable development.
13
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.

14
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