May 11, 2007
Sustainable Operations and Sustainable Consumption
What we say and what we mean by these
two important and linked concepts.
The Forest Service is using the term “sustainable operations” to describe the program of
work associated with our approach to “walking the talk” of sustainability by reducing the
agency’s environmental footprint. This requires taking a corporate approach to culture
change and to better integrating resource use with resource stewardship responsibilities.
Sustainable Operations focuses on the following footprint elements: energy conservation,
renewable energy, water conservation, fleet/transportation, sustainable acquisition
(“green purchasing”), pollution prevention/management of toxic and hazardous materials,
waste reduction and recycling, and sustainable leadership.
The Forest Service is using the term “sustainable consumption” to describe an ethic that
parallels our resource management ethic. The term also identifies the reporting process
for our consumption of resources. The global conversation on “Sustainable Consumption
and Production” following the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 is
fostering the idea that all countries should promote more sustainable patterns of
consumption and production within the capacity of ecosystems. In performing operations
and activities, we are required to report our performance for various OMB scorecards,
formal reports, national Environmental Management System (EMS) targets, and for
implementation of Executive Order 13423, “Strengthening Federal Environmental,
Energy, and Transportation Management.”
We will soon publish The Forest Service – National Environmental Footprint for FY
2006. This document will provide a summary of our report of sustainable consumption
for the OMB Scorecard and other formal reports. It will also describe some of the
successes and actions within the Sustainable Operations program. These actions reflect
the commitment of leadership to institutionalize efforts that reduce our environmental
footprint in the long run, and implement Executive Order 13423.
Key Points:
• Sustainable Operations is …
o the program of work associated with our approach to “walk the talk.”
• Sustainable Consumption is…
o an ethic paralleling our land ethic and is the term to identify the reporting
process for our consumption of resources.
• Environmental Management System (Focus Area 1) is…
o a management tool for measuring/continuously improving our footprint.