The First Facility Management Blog

As part of a growing green movement within the gaming industry, Global Gaming Expo (G2E) the industry’s main trade show and conference recently unveiled a new carbon offset program designed to mitigate the greenhouse gases associated with the event’s exhibition hall. The program sponsor, Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., has purchased carbon offsets to counteract the estimated 161 metric tons of carbon dioxide produced at the hall, which is equivalent to a U.S. household’s total emissions over 15 years. Additionally, individuals attending the trade event can mitigate their own carbon footprints by purchasing carbon offsets on the G2E Web site. G2E 2008 is scheduled to take place November 18-20 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

“G2E’s new carbon offset program is a reflection of the industry’s ongoing commitment to implementing cutting edge sustainable business practices in our casinos across the country,” said Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., president and CEO of the American Gaming Association. “The gaming industry continues to be a leader in the broader business community in a number of areas, including environmental stewardship.”

Carbon offsets are an increasingly utilized, easily accessible, and economical approach to addressing pollution and climate change. Carbon offset purchases fund reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by supporting projects such as wind farms, solar plants, and other energy efficiency initiatives. By funding these projects, consumers and businesses can balance out or offset negative impacts on the environment. NativeEnergy, a carbon management and renewable energy marketing company that will administer the G2E program, has published additional information about carbon offsets and how they work on its Web site.  

Harrah’s sponsorship is one component of the company’s CodeGreen program, a comprehensive, company wide environmental sustainability effort. It will purchase G2E 2008 carbon offsets from NativeEnergy, which worked with Harrah’s earlier this year to offset the emissions created during the World Series of Poker tournament in Las Vegas. Experts at NativeEnergy estimate that 161 metric tons of carbon dioxide will be produced at the 325,000 square foot G2E exhibit hall from electricity and HVAC use, as well as waste production. 

“For more than five years, CodeGreen teams at Harrah’s have implemented dozens of environmentally sustainable programs at our casinos, and we continue to aggressively pursue opportunities to creatively address environmental challenges and responsibilities,” said Gary Loveman, chairman, CEO, and president of Harrah’s Entertainment. “Carbon offsetting is a very affordable method of mitigating the impact of travel and energy used during events. We’d like to encourage G2E attendees to join us by purchasing carbon offsets to make this year’s conference and trade show a more eco-friendly event.”

The carbon offsets purchased for G2E 2008 will support the Cascade Sierra Solutions (CSS) Trucking Efficiency Project. CSS is an Oregon-based nonprofit that helps provide locally owned trucking companies and owner-operator truckers with energy efficient products such as auxiliary power units, aerodynamic devices, and new, more efficient wheels and tires at affordable prices. CSS also provides its clients with regulatory advice, installation contracting, and below market financing to help them cut costs and lessen their environmental impact. CSS estimates that, depending on the services provided, most of their clients reduce their trucks’ emissions by 10 to 60 metric tons each year—the equivalent of converting five to 25 average cars into hybrid models.

“It’s a win-win situation for both the trucker and the environment,” says Ray Butler, a truck driver based in Creswell, OR. After upgrading his 2000 Freightliner truck with a Tempco Idle Solutions auxiliary power unit, Michelin X1 singe-wide tires, aluminum rims, and a Dorian pressure monitor, Butler estimates that he saves 76 gallons of diesel fuel each week. 

G2E’s carbon offset program is part of the gaming industry’s commitment to environmental stewardship. Major casino companies, like Harrah’s, have executed sustainability programs at their casinos. For example, the new 76 acre, mixed-use Las Vegas building project, the MGM Mirage CityCenter, is pursuing LEED certification. Additionally, International Game Technology (IGT) has implemented several internal waste reduction efforts, and, since January 2008, more than 143,000 pounds of electronic materials from IGT’s Reno, NV, facility have been recycled. Boyd Gaming’s Las Vegas Suncoast Resort recycles kitchen grease and previously implemented an asset recovery program to save money on lost silverware and glassware. The program has been expanded to include cardboard, paper, plastic, and even food, which is now turned into compost resulting in a 70% reduction of the trash sent to the local landfill. Finally, in addition to its efforts with carbon offsets, Harrah’s CodeGreen teams continue efforts to retrofit 40 casino properties with environmentally sustainable programs.

In an exclusive interview with CarbonInsider.com, the director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Change Division indicated that the agency is anticipating widespread carbon regulatory restrictions on business. EPA is moving ahead with preparations that could well include imposing on industry mandatory reductions in greenhouse gas emissions which experts have said lead to global warming. Investors and corporations are watching closely to see how regulations are eventually structured.

In her interview with Carbon Insider, Dina Kruger, Director of the EPA’S Climate Change Division noted that as a result of a U.S. Supreme Court decision, the agency is studying how to proceed with regulating greenhouse gas emissions under a mandate from the Clean Air Act. But the agency insists it has not developed a preferred regulatory framework for dealing with climate change regulation, even as investors and corporations expect some kind of cap-and-trade approach to be legislated.

“We have not developed a position on the best way to regulate greenhouse gas emissions,” said Kruger. “What we are doing is trying to proceed in a very measured way…A lot of people are looking to Congress for thoughts on how to do this through legislation.”

Still, Kruger commented EPA has become a major source of information on the cap-and-trade strategy currently in use in Europe for regulating carbon reduction. “EPA has expertise in the design and running of cap-and-trade programs,” Kruger told Carbon Insider. “We get a lot of questions from members of Congress and others about how it could work — what the issues are, what are the lessons learned from the European system and we are doing our best to answer them. But again we look to Congress to establish such a program.”

Added Kruger, “The next Administration will be coming in and they are going to be looking across climate policy and providing their own direction and guidance.”

To help bring transparency to the fast-growing voluntary carbon offset market to combat climate change, Environmental Defense Fund has announced the launch of CarbonOffsetList.org, an online resource that will help businesses identify and purchase carbon offsets that represent real reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon offsets allow buyers to offset, or neutralize, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases produced from their own activities by funding projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere. Developed through a rigorous review process in collaboration with a committee of external experts in the fields of science and policy, the Web site identifies 11 pre-screened, independently verified offset projects that meet Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) criteria for high quality carbon offsets.

EDF’s evaluation focused on the environmental integrity of the projects and whether projects could show verifiable and measurable proof of reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The approach focused on finding high quality emissions reductions regardless of project type, technology, or supplier.

“Companies increasingly see the value in incorporating carbon offsets into their overall climate action strategies, but until now, buyers had to do their own homework to determine which projects were most credible,” said Thomas Murray, managing director of corporate partnerships for EDF. “CarbonOffsetList.org eliminates the guesswork and offers buyers direct access to a list of thoroughly vetted projects that meet Environmental Defense Fund’s high-quality criteria.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that in the near term (through 2025) nearly one-third of the needed U.S. emissions reductions could be met by offsets. Voluntary action by businesses and individuals to reduce their emissions through on-site reductions and carbon offsets plays an important role. By connecting offset purchasers to high-quality projects, CarbonOffsetList.org will help ensure that money spent on offsets makes a real contribution to combat climate change.

“While most experts are convinced that there is a role for carbon offsets, the subject often prompts more questions than answers,” said Bill Chameides, dean of Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment and member of the independent expert review committee. “EDF’s site should give purchasers confidence that the offsets they buy result in real greenhouse gas reductions to help meet their environmental goals.”

In response to numerous inquiries from companies seeking guidance on using carbon offsets as part of a comprehensive sustainability strategy, EDF developed the current list through a request-for- proposal and project-by-project review process. EDF received more than 70 project proposals from dozens of suppliers, with a wide ranging diversity of project types and approaches. In order to be considered for inclusion, providers submitted project documentation for review, including project design documents and third-party verification reports.

CarbonOffsetList.org features 11 emissions reduction projects ranging from capturing and destroying methane from landfills and dairy farms to reducing emissions at truck stops across the country. They are:

• Greater New Bedford LFG Utilization, Dartmouth, MA, offered by CommonWealth Resource Management Corp. and Carbonfund.org
• North Country LFG Utilization, Bethlehem, NH, offered by CommonWealth Resource Management Corp.
• Development Authority of the North Country Solid Waste Management Facility, Rodman, NY, offered by Carbonfund.org
• Upper Rock Island Landfill, East Moline, IL, offered by Renewable Choice Energy
• Newton-McDonald County Landfill, Neosho, MO, offered by 3Degrees
• Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority Landfill, Lebanon, PA, offered by Terrapass
• Greenville County Landfill, Greer, S.C., offered by Sterling Planet
• Inland Empire Dairy Methane, Chino, Calif., offered by Carbonfund.org
• IdleAire Technologies Corporation Advanced Truckstop Electrification, Nationwide, offered by Carbonfund.org
• Integrated Gas Recovery Systems (IGRS) Landfill, Niagara Falls, ON, Canada, offered by GreenLife
• Irani Wastewater Methane, Santa Catarina, Brazil, offered by EcoSecurities

EDF expects this list to continue to grow as additional information about the projects under consideration is received.