AWEA Blog - We heart wind energy

AWEA’s commitment to a more ecologically sustainable planet is driven by our hard work promoting American wind energy. There are also many things we do behind the scenes to lessen the environmental impact of our work. Here are just a few examples:

• Through one of our member companies, EDP Renewables North America, we secured enough wind Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) from Blue Canyon Wind Farm to offset 100 percent of the projected energy consumed for the AWEA office in 2014 and 2015. The entire roster of AWEA events in 2015 will also be offset.
• AWEA now has an Event Sustainability Policy, embodying our core “We Heart Wind Energy” value. This policy also helps us influence event stakeholders. We’re excited to implement this new program starting with printing our upcoming AWEA Wind Project O&M and Safety Seminar event program on 100% recycled content paper using eco ink.
• AWEA is set to receive the Green Seal Office Certification. The AWEA Green Team was the recipient of one of twelve grants from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Foundation, which covers the cost of office certification.

Image from Amanda Fortner during AWEA's #iheartwind campaign

• Each day, 9,000 children around the world tragically die from hygiene-related illnesses. More than 60 percent of these deaths can be prevented by washing with a bar of soap. AWEA will work with Clean the World Foundation, Inc., an Orlando-based 501(c) (3) charitable organization during our 2015 WINDPOWER conference with a goal to compile 9,000 hygiene kits on-site! Each hygiene kit contains basic items often taken for granted including soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a razor, washcloth and an inspirational card. An additional program benefit is reducing waste from the hotel industry, which is one of the largest producers of solid waste in the world. Each hygiene kit includes recycled soap and hotel amenities that otherwise would be destined for landfills. If we construct our goal of 9,000 kits, we’ll divert 1,687 pounds of hotel soap and 27,000 plastic bottled amenities equaling 4,987 pounds of total waste from landfills.
• For the second year in a row, AWEA will offer exhibitors at WINDPOWER the chance to be recognized for sustainability achievements with our Exhibitor Green Team program. Exhibitors must accomplish at least two of the established green criteria to be recognized as part of the program.