Green Initiatives

ALANYC is committed to leading, educating, advancing and developing green initiatives. In 2009, the Chapter was recognized by the ABA-EPA, joining a long list of leading law firms, for our efforts to perpetuate Green initiatives throughout the NYC legal community.

Ways that you can contribute to our Legally Green Future:

• Utilize electronic communications instead of making paper copies
• When it is necessary to print – double side print all copies and print outs.
• When printing a PowerPoint Presentation, select the Handouts Option from the Print Screen and print 6 slides per page
• Use paper with at least 30% post-consumer recycled content
• When throwing out paper, remember to first reuse & then recycle

The ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge
Conserve energy. Support renewables. Stop wasting all that paper. Do something about global warming. Take the ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge.

The ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have designed a program to encourage law offices to take simple, practical steps to become better environmental and energy stewards. Your law office (including law firms, government offices, citizens groups, courts, law schools and other law-related entities) can participate by implementing best practices for office paper management or by joining at least one of three EPA partnership programs that encourage better office paper management, the use of renewable energy, and better energy management. The ABA Law Practice Management Section (LPM) is co-sponsoring this initiative.

Specifically, your office can enroll in the Climate Challenge by taking at least one of the following actions:

• WasteWise: Join this EPA program, adopt best practices for office paper management, and quantify the benefits. Best practices for office paper management: Switch to double-sided printing and copying to reduce the amount of paper you use; buy paper with recycled content; and increase recycling.
• Green Power Partnership: Join this EPA program and support the growing field of renewable energy. Buy some – or all – of the amount of electricity you use from renewable sources such as solar cells or wind farms.
• ENERGY STAR: Join this EPA program, adopt an energy management plan designed for law offices, and set a goal to reduce your electricity use by at least 10%.