Thursday, June 11, 2009
Governor Kaine encourages government employees to drive less
Yesterday Governor Kaine issued Executive Order 82, Greening of State Government to encourage state employees to reduce the environmental impact of government operations. One way to reduce their impact is to drive less:Every day we each make choices that result in impacts to the environment; opportunities to lessen these impacts abound. For instance, we can reduce automobile emissions by holding videoconferences or conference calls rather than face-to-face meetings and by walking, bicycling, carpooling, or taking transit to work.
Another way is to promote smart growth by locating government buildings near transit and in bike/ped-friendly places:When a Commonwealth agency or institution is to lease space or build a new building in a metropolitan area where public transportation is available, it shall seek to lease or build within a quarter mile of a transit or commuter rail stop. The Commonwealth also shall, when leasing and building facilities, seek locations that are pedestrian and bicycle accessible. The Commonwealth shall encourage the private sector to adopt green building standards by striving to lease facilities that meet the same standards as those required for new state construction as outlined above. The Division of Real Estate Services of the Department of General Services shall consider these preferences in approving new leases or extensions of current leases.
Labels: bike commuting, governor kaine, virginia
Post a Comment