GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON SUSTAINABILITY
The State of Oregon is proud to introduce an executive order on sustainability. As a result of this executive order,the State of Oregon is reviewed and revamping all of its practices to meet the requirements of sustainability as determined through the mandate and professional leaders working through state government. This order has been well received through the state agencies and is in the review process currently. It will be exciting to see the evolution of this regarding all state business.

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
objectives for complying with the Executive Order on Sustainability
Excerpted from an 8/1/00 e-mail from Langdon Marsh, director of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), to department staff, with specific objectives for complying with the Executive Order on Sustainability issued in May by Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber (forwarded by Tim Honadel):

The executive order requires agencies to focus on sustainability issues created by their internal operations. The time frame for meaningful and measurable change is within one generation. A very ambitious goal!

Over the next 2 years, we will be doing our part by demonstrating meaningful and measurable successes in reducing the ecological impact of our operational footprint. This effort is called "DEQ InnerGreen" and is led by Tim Honadel through the Pollution Prevention office. Through InnerGreen, I hope to reduce our ecological footprint by 50 percent before 2002. Another very ambitious goal!

I have identified the objectives listed below as DEQ's best opportunities for successfully addressing some of DEQ's biggest environmental impacts. From these starting points DEQ will be able to share important successes with other state agencies, create the demonstration of a successful resource efficiency project, and provide examples to the public of how we are creating successes aligned with the DEQ's environmental priorities. The InnerGreen Objectives are:

- WATER TOXICS. Before 2002, reduce the purchase of office paper processed with elemental chlorine technology by 50 percent.
- FOREST HABITAT. Before 2002, reduce the purchasing of office paper containing virgin wood pulp from non-sustainably managed forests by 50 percent.
- OFFICE RESOURCE EFFICIENCY. Before 2002, direct 50 percent of office furniture and supplies purchases to "sustainable" selections.
- AIR TOXICS. Before 2002, reduce mercury releases from DEQ light bulbs by 50 percent.
- GASOLINE SAVINGS. Before 2002, reduce single-occupancy-vehicle business commutes by 50 percent.
- CLIMATE CHANGE. Before 2002, mitigate 50 percent of the carbon dioxide released during the annual production of electricity for DEQ offices.

The primary methods for addressing these issues will be by reducing the consumption of products and choosing "greener" products. In addition to these objectives, Tim will be working with DEQ headquarters and each region to identify area specific opportunities, e.g., alternative transportation support for headquarters and sustainability lease agreement language for Western Region.

I think these objectives represent great opportunities for DEQ to demonstrate environmental leadership, change the way we spend money on resources and supplies, and collaborate with our state agency partners.

Tim Honadel's e-mail: HONADEL.Tim@deq.state.or.us

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