The Port of San Diego was formed in 1962 to serve as a sort of steward for San Diego Bay.  The Port of SD is in charge of managing the Bay’s valuable social, economic and environmental resources.  If you live in San Diego, or have even briefly visited us here, you understand the importance of the Bay on our economy and quality of life.  So thus enters the Green Port Program.  Look, I get tired of all the slogans, footprint this or that, but it’s a reality we can’t deny, and we need to be proactive about cutting back on certain luxuries and integrating some (yes, I dare to say…) Green ways of living.  Read on and see what The Port is doing to conserve and protect the San Diego Bay.

In 2007, the Board of Port Commissioners adopted the Environmental Sustainability Policy, “which provides guiding principles to achieve long-term environmental, societal and economic benefits through resource conservation, waste reduction and pollution prevention.”  The Green Port Program has been developed in support of the goals of this policy. 

In March 2008, the first set of initiatives under the new Green Port Program was presented to the Board of Port Commissioners. These initiatives are focused primarily on internal Port operations, and it is anticipated that they will be completed by December 2008:

Water

• Decrease water use in the Administration Building by 10 percent.
• Expand the use of non-toxic, biodegradable products.

Energy

• Incorporate alternative energy technology into the Broadway Pier development.
• Develop an energy efficiency partnership with SDG&E.

Air

• Begin implementation of the Clean Air Program.
• Define the carbon footprint of Port operations.

Waste Management

• Develop and implement four new programs that reduce waste streams.

Sustainable Development

• Develop and implement a Sustainable Development Program for Port facilities.

Sustainable Business Practices

• Educate Port staff about the Green Port Program and how they can contribute even more to improving the environment.
• Create a Green Port Program website to get the word out about how everyone can protect San Diego Bay’s environment.
• Adopt two Board Policies that expand the purchasing of green products.

Future Initiatives
The Green Port Program will grow every year as new projects are added and existing ones refined. The Port has established an annual review process to measure results and establish new priorities. This process will include input from a variety of departments within the Port and from Port stakeholders.

So, this is great…but what can I do?

There are several ways that the general public can conserve energy on Energy Alert Days. Here are some easy tips to follow:

• Dress in layers, to accomodate indoor temperature changes.
• Turn your lights off when you leave your office, even if only for a short meeting.
• Reduce lighting where possible and take advantage of natural daylight (if you have a window).
• Power off your computer and monitor if not in use.
• Power off any other electronics you are not currently using, such as fax machines, computer speakers, etc.
• Unplug any chargers that are not necessary.
• Do not run any personal heaters or fans.

 Another Way to Help….

   Did you know that California is in a state of official drought? San Diego County water supplies are being impacted by historic dry conditions and court-ordered pumping restrictions. We can all help the region conserve more water!

Try running your dishwasher only when it’s full, and you’ll save up to 4 gallons of water per load. Visit The 20 Gallon Challenge website for more information.

*all info from San Diego Port webpage…follow this link and get more info*