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National Environmental Leadership Program - the State Electronics Challenge -Recognizes the City of La Crosse as a 2019 Gold Winner
La Crosse, WI – 3/27/2019 – The City of La Crosse received a Gold award for its achievements in the State Electronics Challenge; a comprehensive nationwide environmental sustainability initiative that currently reaches more than 223,000 employees in 39 states. The City was recognized for its accomplishments in green procurement, energy and paper conservation, and responsible recycling of electronic office equipment in 2018.
“La Crosse continues to demonstrate an exemplary commitment to environmental leadership,” commented Lynn Rubinstein, State Electronics Challenge Program Manager. “This is the fourth time that the City has earned a Gold Award.” She added that “the City is one of only 14 organizations nationally being recognized this year and the only one in Wisconsin.
As a result of these environmental initiatives, in 2018 La Crosse saved enough energy to power 111 homes per year, avoided greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing almost 490,500 cars from the road per year, as well as avoiding the generation of more than 1,260 pounds of hazardous waste.
“The City of La Crosse is proud to be a leader in the area of sustainability, recycling, and environmental protection,” said Jacky Greschner, Director of Information Technology. “We’re thrilled to again be recognized by the State Electronics Challenge as a Gold Award winner.”
The City has also committed to purchasing computer and imaging equipment that is qualified by the Electronic Procurement Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT®) standard. EPEAT is an internationally recognized system that identifies office equipment that meets specified environmental performance criteria. It also uses power management and double-sided printing to decrease energy and paper usage, and ensures that at the end-of-life, equipment is recycled by a third-party certified electronics recycler. In 2018, that recycler was Dynamic Recycling; certified to both the e-Stewards and R2 Standards.
The City has also committed to purchasing computer and imaging equipment that is qualified by the Electronic Procurement Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT®) standard. EPEAT is an internationally recognized system that identifies office equipment that meets specified environmental performance criteria. It also uses power management and double-sided printing to decrease energy and paper usage, and ensures that at the end-of-life, equipment is recycled by a third-party certified electronics recycler. In 2018, that recycler was Dynamic Recycling; certified to both the e-Stewards and R2 Standards.
The State Electronics Challenge offers its participants annual opportunities to document their achievements and receive recognition for those accomplishments. In 2018, the reported actions of 28 participants in green purchasing of electronic office equipment, power management, and responsible reuse and recycling:
• Prevented the release of almost 13 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. This reduction in greenhouse gases is equivalent to the annual emissions from 2,808,645 passenger cars.
• Saved enough energy to supply almost 134,000 homes per year
• Avoided the disposal of hazardous waste equivalent to the weight of more than 1,000 refrigerators
• Avoided the disposal of solid waste – garbage – equivalent to the amount generated by more than 835 households/year.
A full list of winners and their environmental accomplishments can be found on the State Electronics Challenge website (www.stateelectronicschallenge.net).
“The State Electronics Challenge provides state, tribal, regional and local agencies, as well as schools, colleges and universities and non-profit organizations with a great opportunity to integrate concepts of sustainability and waste reduction into their operations,” added Ms. Rubinstein.
“It’s inspiring to see programs such as this one developed and implement by the La Crosse to ensure that the highest environmental practices are met through the lifecycle of office equipment. “
About the State Electronics Challenge
The State Electronics Challenge assists state, regional, tribal, and local governments to reduce the environmental impact of their office equipment. It annually recognizes the accomplishments of Partner organizations. The Challenge is administered by the Northeast Recycling Council (www.nerc.org). Currently, 169 state, tribal, regional, colleges, schools, universities, and local government agencies, and non-profit organizations, representing more than 223,000 employees, have joined the SEC as Partners. For more information on the SEC, including a list of current Partner organizations, visit www.stateelectronicschallenge.net.
• Prevented the release of almost 13 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. This reduction in greenhouse gases is equivalent to the annual emissions from 2,808,645 passenger cars.
• Saved enough energy to supply almost 134,000 homes per year
• Avoided the disposal of hazardous waste equivalent to the weight of more than 1,000 refrigerators
• Avoided the disposal of solid waste – garbage – equivalent to the amount generated by more than 835 households/year.
A full list of winners and their environmental accomplishments can be found on the State Electronics Challenge website (www.stateelectronicschallenge.net).
“The State Electronics Challenge provides state, tribal, regional and local agencies, as well as schools, colleges and universities and non-profit organizations with a great opportunity to integrate concepts of sustainability and waste reduction into their operations,” added Ms. Rubinstein.
“It’s inspiring to see programs such as this one developed and implement by the La Crosse to ensure that the highest environmental practices are met through the lifecycle of office equipment. “
About the State Electronics Challenge
The State Electronics Challenge assists state, regional, tribal, and local governments to reduce the environmental impact of their office equipment. It annually recognizes the accomplishments of Partner organizations. The Challenge is administered by the Northeast Recycling Council (www.nerc.org). Currently, 169 state, tribal, regional, colleges, schools, universities, and local government agencies, and non-profit organizations, representing more than 223,000 employees, have joined the SEC as Partners. For more information on the SEC, including a list of current Partner organizations, visit www.stateelectronicschallenge.net.
