State Offers Free Workshop to Help Businesses Reduce Carbon Footprint , Dec 17

MONTPELIER - Each year, Vermont’s nearly 77,000 small businesses provide residents and tourists alike with an array of world-renowned products from cozy flannel to mouthwatering cheeses. Many businesses also provide the state with a much larger gift: a conscious decision to run their organizations in a way that respects Vermont’s natural resources. For companies looking to learn more about how they can do right by Vermont’s air, land and water while also saving money on operating costs, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is hosting a new environmental reporting workshop next week in Montpelier.

“Vermont has so many outstanding local businesses and we want to support the good work they’re doing. That’s why we’re hosting this workshop. We’ll help these leaders plan and implement a system to measure their environmental impact of things like energy use and hazardous chemicals use. With a system in place, they’ll be able to identify inefficiencies and realize cost savings while working toward greater environmental sustainability,” said Celia Riechel with DEC’s Environmental Assistance Office.

At the workshop, businesses will learn how to get started with tracking and reporting, develop a strategy that works for them, and explore tools that translate information into carbon footprint data.

“Benchmarking and data analytics are among the core services Efficiency Vermont provides to our commercial customers,” said Efficiency Vermont Director Rebecca Foster. “We appreciate the Department of Environmental Conservation’s leadership in convening this partnership, which enables us to help these businesses better understand how they are using resources like energy and water, set aggressive but achievable goals for reducing their usage, and develop strategies to achieve them. We all share the goal of a more sustainable Vermont, and we make each other stronger when we join forces in pursuit of that goal.”

Participants will review EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager, as well as hear from Vermont companies on how they set environmental goals and measure progress to lighten their impact and save money.

The workshop, part of DEC’s Green Business Program, will be December 17th at the National Life Building in Montpelier from 9:00 am-12:00 pm. To register, or for more information, contact [email protected] or 802-477-2669, or visit https://dec.vermont.gov/environmental-assistance/training