Phoenix Press, Pearson Among 18 EPA Green Power Partners Given Leadership Awards

In 2009 Pearson developed “Planet Pearson,” an employee intranet dedicated to the company’s environmental commitments. The Green@home section provides information, hints, and tips for employees to purchase green electricity from their local utility provider. By the beginning of 2011, Pearson will expand the scope of the website to external audiences and will include communications promoting green power. Pearson is in the process of developing marketing, sales, and human resources environmental communication materials to help its employees explain the company’s environmental commitments.

Pearson added its first on-site solar installation to its green power portfolio in 2009 and this year has started construction on its second solar project. The company is also considering constructing a wind turbine at one of its Midwest locations in 2011.

“EPA congratulates our leadership award winners for demonstrating by example the importance of using clean, renewable energy,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. "By using green power, these winners are leading the way toward cleaner air and a healthier environment while helping advance the market for renewable energy.”

EPA co-sponsors the Green Power Leadership Awards in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy and the non-profit Center for Resource Solutions.

EPA, through the Green Power Partnership, works with nearly 1,300 partner organizations to voluntarily purchase green power to reduce the environmental impacts of conventional electricity use. Green power is electricity generated from renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, and low-impact hydro which produces no net increase of greenhouse gas emissions.

Source: Press release.