Ten U.S. corporations pledge greenhouse gas cuts
Caterpillar, Frito-Lay, Xerox, Staples, and the Gap are among 10
corporations pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of
EPA's Climate Leaders -- a voluntary program that works with companies to
measure greenhouse gas emissions and set aggressive, long-term emissions
reduction goals.
With this announcement, 37 of the 68 companies in Climate Leaders
have set emissions reduction goals. General Motors and Baxter
International have both achieved their 2005 goals more than a year
early. EPA estimates that the 37 Climate Leaders' greenhouse gas
reductions will prevent more than 8 million metric tons of carbon
emissions equivalent per year. These reductions are equal to the annual
greenhouse gas emissions of five million cars.
Since its inception in 2002, Climate Leaders has grown to include 68
corporations whose U.S. emissions represent eight percent of total U.S.
greenhouse gas emissions.
The following 10 corporations committed to new greenhouse gas reduction
goals:
- Caterpillar Inc. -- reduce global GHG emissions by 20 percent per dollar
revenue from 2002 to 2010.
- Frito-Lay -- reduce U.S. GHG emissions by 14 percent per pound of
production from 2002 to 2010.
- Green Mountain Energy -- achieve net zero U.S. GHG emissions by 2005 and
maintain that level through 2009.
- Melaver -- achieve net zero U.S. GHG emissions by 2006 and maintain that
level through 2009.
- Calpine -- reduce its U.S. GHG emissions by 4 percent per megawatt hour
from 2003 to 2008.
- Xerox -- reduce its total global GHG emissions by 10 percent from 2002
to 2012.
- Staples -- reduce its U.S. GHG emissions by 7 percent from 2001 to 2010.
- Gap, Inc. -- reduce its U.S. GHG emissions by 11 percent per square foot
from 2003 to 2008.
- Bank of America -- reduce its total U.S. GHG emissions by 9 percent from
2004 to 2009.
- Exelon -- reduce its total U.S. GHG emissions by 8 percent from 2001 to
2008.
In addition, 10 new companies have joined as Climate Leaders partners --
EMC Corp. of Hopkinton, Mass.; Entergy Corp. of New Orleans, La.; Green
Mountain Energy Company of Austin, Texas; Mack Trucks, Inc. of
Allentown, Pa.; Marriott International of Washington, D.C.; Melaver,
Inc. of Savannah, Ga.; Quad/Graphics, Inc. of Sussex, Wis.; The Hartford
of Hartford, Conn.; Tyson Foods, Inc. of Springdale, Ark. and Volvo
Trucks North America, Inc. of Greensboro, N.C.
For more information about EPA's Climate Leaders program, visit:
http://www.epa.gov/climateleaders/.
This article originally appeared in the 05/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.