United States Air and Radiation
Environmental Protection (6202J)
Agency
EPA 430-F-98-014
July 1998
vvEPA
Global Climate Change and
Voluntary Pollution Prevention
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The Earth's Climate Is Getting Warmer, and
People's Activities Are Part of the Reason.
Air pollution, a by-product of energy use, has contributed
to a global warming trend over
the past century that could
continue for years to
come. This is a serious
concern because such
warming might lead to
increasingly intense rainfall,
more heat waves, drought,
coastal flooding, threats to
human health, and a decline in food
production in some regions. The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) is working with organizations
and individuals to implement programs aimed at prevent-
ing pollution to counteract the warming trend, and doing
so cost-effectively or at a profit.
The Heat Is On
Over the past 100 years, the average temperature of the
planet has increased roughly 1 degree Fahrenheit, and the
11 warmest years on record have all occurred since 1980.
The primary cause of this rise in temperature is probably
the increase in the human-made emissions of greenhouse
gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide,
and chlorofluorocarbons. As these gases accumulate in
the atmosphere, they warm the planet by trapping heat
that otherwise would be radiated from Earth back to
space. That global climate change was taking place was
verified in 1995. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC), which included more than 2,500 of the
world's most distinguished scientists with expertise in
physical, social, and economic sciences, concluded that
"the balance of evidence suggests that there is a dis-
cernible human influence on the global climate." For the
first time ever, scientists agreed that human beings are
altering Earth's natural climate system.
Overloading the System
Greenhouse gases are not entirely bad. Indeed, a natural
greenhouse effect is what makes Earth habitable. The
problem is that humanity's ability to emit greenhouse
gases has overwhelmed the planet's ability to compensate,
and, as a result, the earth is heating up. The burning of
fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas)
by power plants to produce
energy and fuel used for
transportation is the prima-
ry source of these emis-
sions; changing land-use
patterns through agriculture
and deforestation also
contribute a significant
share. Thus, every time an indi-
vidual turns on a light, drives a car, buys lumber, or runs a
heating system, he or she contributes, in a small way, to
the warming of the world. And if current practices contin-
ue, greenhouse gas emissions will rise in step with increas-
ing population.
Some of the sun's infrared radiation passes through the atmosphere. Some is
absorbed by the earth. Some is re-emitted from the earth's surface, but is
captured by greenhouse gas molecules. The effect of this process is to warm
the earth's surface and the lower atmosphere.
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Why Should We Care?
We should all be concerned about climate change because
of what it may do to us and the environment. Warmer
temperatures could lead to a greater frequency of extreme
weather events, including intense rainstorms and heat
waves. Changes in precipitation and increased evapora-
tion from higher temperatures could affect water supplies
and water quality, posing threats to hydropower, irriga-
tion, fisheries, and drinking
water. Agriculture and for-
est ecosystems may be
hard hit by shifts in pre-
cipitation patterns and
growing zones. Sea level
is already rising, threaten-
ing wetland areas and
recreational barrier islands
and placing coastal regions
in jeopardy. In addition, human health might be harmed
through an increase in the rate of heat-related mortality
and in the potential for the spread of diseases such as
malaria, yellow fever, and encephalitis. The United States
and other countries throughout the world would have to
invest large amounts of money and pay a price in human
terms as well to cope with these and other negative
impacts.
What Are We Doing About It?
The federal government is already working to combat
climate change. The United States is working with the global
community to provide a worldwide solution to climate
change. At a 1997 meeting in Kyoto, Japan, the United States
and more than 150 other nations reached an historic agree-
ment to join forces and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by
channeling the forces of the global marketplace to protect the
environment. The agreement establishes strong targets for
reducing greenhouse gases, but allows each country the flexi-
bility to determine the most cost-effective policies for meet-
ing the targets. The Kyoto agreement is an important step in
facing the threat of global climate change, but more remains
to be done. The U.S. is seeking more meaningful participa-
tion in the agreement from nonindustrialized countries. In
the United States, ratification of the Kyoto agreement will
require the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate. Here at
home, EPA, along with other federal agencies, is implement-
ing voluntary pollution prevention programs to address the
problems associated with global climate change.
Saving the Earth and Saving Your Money
Through Increased Energy Efficiency
EPA's programs seek to prevent greenhouse gas emissions
and air pollution through voluntary partnerships with
small and large businesses, government, and nonprofit
groups which stimulate investment in energy-efficiency
technology and practices. The less energy used, the less
pollution generated. Not only do these programs help to
counteract global climate change, they also save
organizations and individuals money. These savings don't
require the sacrifice of services or
comfort; in fact, energy
efficiency can mean
the same or better
service for less
money. You can be a
part of the solution by
joining forces with
EPA. Here's how:
Encourage your
employer to become an
ENERGY STAR Buildings'" and Green Lights* Partner
Partners can save from 30-35 percent on energy costs by
installing energy-efficient technologies, such as lighting
and heating systems. Since Green Lights began in 1991
through the middle of 1998, more than 2,600 Partners
have upgraded the lighting in over 3 billion square feet of
building space, saved more than 1.2 billion on their ener-
gy bills, and eliminated 26 billion pounds of carbon diox-
ide emissions to the air. ENERGY STAR Buildings Partners
can expect even more savings while protecting the envi-
ronment by assessing their organization's energy use and
upgrading to higher-efficiency equipment and practices.
And if you work for a small business, the newly created
ENERGY STAR* Small Business Program can meet the special
needs your organization faces.
STAR® is a registered m;irk. dreen Lights® is a registered mark of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, ENERGY STAB Buildings™ is a service mark.
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Purchase ENERGY STAR-labeled products
EPA and the Department of Energy have developed
voluntary energy-efficiency specifications for residential
and commercial products such as computers and home
heating and cooling equipment. ENERGY STAR labeling is
designed to make it easy for everyone to
benefit from the cost savings of
reduced energy use. By purchas-
ing ENERGY SiAR-labeled prod-
ucts, you can reduce your ener-
gy bill by up to 30 percent!
EPA
DOE
SAVING THE EARTH SAVING YOUR MONEY
Choose an ENERGY STAR Home
If you're considering building or buying a new house,
choose one that meets ENERGY STAR criteria. Your home
will be at least 30 percent more efficient than the nation-
al Model Energy Code and will save you money every
month for as long as you own it.
Other Ways to Address Global
Climate Change
EPA also runs other programs that, while not focusing on
energy efficiency, still work to counteract global climate
change by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases in
cost-effective, often profitable ways. You can help them
succeed. Two of these programs are listed below.
Encourage your utility to use ENERGY STAR Transformers
The equivalent of nearly eight days of total U.S. annual
generation of electricity is lost due to transformer ineffi-
ciencies each year. Utilities can reduce these losses cost-
effectively by 10 to 40 percent by using available trans-
former technologies that meet ENERGY STAR criteria.
Encourage your local landfill to develop a landfill
gas-to-energy project
EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program establishes
alliances with state agencies, utilities, the landfill
gas development industry, and landfill owners to promote
the use of landfill methane as an energy source. To date,
the program has played a part in the development of at
least 83 projects which represent approximately 28 billion
pounds of carbon dioxide reductions annually.
How Do I Learn More?
For more information about voluntary pollution
prevention programs and energy efficiency, contact the
toll-free ENERGY STAR Hotline at 1-888-STAR-YES
(1-888-782-7937) or visit our Web site at
http://www.epa.gov/appd/. And you can contact
EPA's Climate Wise Program at 1-800-459-WISE
(1-800-459-9473) or visit the Web site at
http://www.epa.gov/climatewise/. For more information
about global climate change, visit EPA's global warming
Web site at http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/.
EPA is addressing the problem of global
climate change through its voluntary
programs aimed at promoting energy efficiency
and curbing greenhouse gas emissions. These
programs not only protect the environment,
they also save money for individuals, organiza-
tions, and the country.
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