SFEB SUSTAINABILITY SPOTLIGHT
Dear SFEB Sustainability Spotlight Participants,
Welcome to the eighth Sustainability Spotlight e-newsletter! We apologize for the delay in getting this issue
out, as many of you experienced the government shutdown restricted what could be worked on and we're all
still feeling some of the impacts of that.
In this issue:
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Next Steps for the SFEB Sustainability Spotlight
Green Meeting Tips for Waste Reduction and Catering Options
Federal Government Looks to Car Sharing for Savings
United States Postal Service Recycling Program
GSA and USFS Partnership
Tool: Eat Well Guide
Next Steps for the SFEB Spotlight Community Project
Congratulations to the SFEB Spotlight team for successfully conducting their national GreenGov Spotlight
Community webinar in partnership with the White House Council on Environmental Quality. The
presentation was very well received and attended from points of contact across the nation interested in
learning how the Seattle FEB is working together to focus on Sustainable activities and the value those
activities produce.
Our info page on the CEQ website can be found on:
http://www.epa.gov/fgc/spotlight/seattle.html
And the actual presentation, which highlights the stories and efforts of our SFEB can be found on:
http://www.epa.gov/fgc/spotlight/pdf/2013-11-06-biz-case-sustainability-webinar.pdf
We will be regrouping with our SFEB executive sponsors on the status of our project, and proposed next steps
in early January. We have been asked to share our lessons learned with other FEB Directors across the
nation on their mid-January conference call. This call, in partnership with Jonathan Powers, Federal
Environmental Executive, will provide an overview and discussion of how other cross agency groups and
FEBs can adopt some of our best practices to work together on their own sustainability efforts. Lastly we will
be regrouping with the SFEB Executive Leadership Council and Sustainability Task group to gain support and
buy in on how best to ensure that Sustainability remains an area of focus for our federal community.
We thank everyone who has been an active participant in our SFEB Spotlight efforts. Special thanks to our
agency POCs who have used the tools and info shared through these newsletters and our conference calls to
work within their buildings and agencies to promote energy savings and sustainability. Thank you also to
those of you who submitted stories that we were able to aggregate and share on the webinar. Each of these
contributions shows that while each activity may seem separate, it is part of the bigger picture of how our
federal community adds value by being good stewards of the resources we are entrusted with and the
community in which we live. Look for more information in mid to late January on how we will close out and
celebrate the SFEB's Spotlight Community effort.
Green Meeting Tips
Waste Reduction:
 Decrease the use of paper and plastic by instead using reusable cups, plates, and utensils for all food and
beverages.
 Consider using cloth instead of paper napkins
 Serve sugar, creamers, and condiments in reusable dishes or ceramic containers.
 Provide drinking water in pitchers or large reusable containers.
 If disposable rather than reusable service ware is used, look for utensils that are made from recycledcontent and/or recyclable materials.
Catering options:
 Select a caterer that includes options for local and organic food. Highlight these options to your guests.
 Include vegetarian options in your menu.
 Ensure that all bins are clearly marked with signs to help guests separate and dispose of their food waste
properly.
Federal Government Looks to Car Sharing for Savings
In the coming months, GSA will launch a car sharing program in Washington D.C., Boston, New York City, and
Chicago to increase cost savings and the use of sustainable transportation services. On November 5, GSA
issued a Request for Information (RFI) for innovative ideas that can help the federal government incorporate
car sharing government-wide. The RFI and the pilot program will measure the effectiveness, cost savings, and
overall benefits of car sharing in the government workforce. GSA’s ultimate goal is to help agencies find
savings in their fleet program.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/federal-government-looks-to-car-sharing-for-savings230681411.html
United States Postal Service Recycling Program
The US Postal Service has, for many years, embraced environmental stewardship. On a regional level, the
Tacoma mail processing facility has been implementing a recycled paper, cardboard, and scrap metal
backhaul program from over 170 postal offices since 2008. Additionally, the Tacoma mail processing facility
is less than 5% away from becoming a zero waste facility. They currently recycle over 95% of their waste. A
first for USPS in the Northwest, a pre-Earth Day free electronic recycling and document shredding event was
held at the Everett Main Post Office. They collected over 4000 pounds of electronics and the shredded
material was used to make new paper products for Costco. In FY 2011, In Washington State alone, USPS
recycled over 2600 tons of undeliverable mail, packaging, and office paper, 200 tons more than FY 2010.
Moving forward, USPS will continue to embrace sustainability as a way to conserve natural resources and
recycle unwanted materials.
GSA and USFS Partnership
GSA Region 10 is partnering with the Pacific Northwest Forest Service to support sustainable initiatives in
identifying and purchasing green products and services, including providing training in the use of carbon
footprint tools and sustainable policies and laws. GSA-assisted solutions include the creation of a green
procurement toolkit website to aid in identifying all green acquisitions and a shared Green Products
Compilation of green Statements of Work, green evaluation criteria, and green product certification
descriptions with symbols. GSA also facilitated the development of a green spending report to track and
identify “green” purchases by this Forest Service location.
Tool: Eat Well Guide
Eat well guide is a great source for finding locally or organically grown food. Enter your city or zip code, and
the site will provide you with a list of restaurants, markets, bakers, coffee shops, community gardens, and
many other venues and stores that sell food that is grown sustainably. If you are looking for a caterer for your
meeting, consider looking through this guide.
http://www.eatwellguide.org/i.php?pd=Home
If you would like others to receive this newsletter, please email cynthia.tolentino@gsa,gov so they can be
added to our email list.