Chennai, Apr 24: Preserving the environment is so integral to daily life at the U.S. Consulate General, Chennai that employees spent the day not just being green, but also wearing it.
In honor of Earth Day 2012, staffers donned green outfits at the Consulate, which has been named a Greening Diplomacy Consulate for its environmental initiatives that are practiced on a regular basis – and with gusto. With the help of Chennai recycling company, Kuppathotti.com, and the Chennai American Staff Association (CASA), the Consulate launched a new recycling program last month that included separate recycling bins for paper and glass, plastic bottles and cans on every floor, as well as in the recycling bay outside of the building. Employees and family members of the Consulate have also been encouraged to recycle household paper, cardboard, light bulbs and batteries.
In the first month of the program, the Consulate recycled approximately 600 kilograms of paper; 400 kilograms of cardboard; and 100 kilograms of plastic, tin and glass. If that pace continues, employees will recycle over 7,200 kilograms of paper, 4,800 kilograms of cardboard, and 1,200 kilograms of plastic, tin and glass over the course of a full year.
This recycling program compliments the Consulate’s already robust environmental preservation measures, which includes composting bins and the harvesting of rainwater on all government-owned properties.
In addition, the Consulate has replaced 1,811 light bulbs in the Consulate General’s residential units with CFL bulbs. The CFL bulbs produce the same amount of light but use 80% less energy. Savings from using CFL bulbs have totaled approximately $533 per month.
All across the globe, U.S. Embassies and Consulates have been working to reduce their environmental impact. To see just how much has been achieved around the world, check out the Greening in Action Success Story Map.
