Mitigation

Mitigation is defined as “human interventions to reduce the sources of greenhouse gases or enhance the sinks that remove them from the atmosphere. This page features some of the great things that individual sites in the sanctuary system are doing to be more energy-efficient and walk the talk when it comes to being “green.” These changes are driven both from the top down (for example, by Executive Order 13514 on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance) and from the bottom up (for example, by staff initiative).

While we are just beginning to understand the ramifications of climate change in our national marine sanctuaries, it is also important that we realize the impact of our own everyday actions on the special marine places we are trying to protect and what each of us can do to help. As a routine part of our stewardship mission, we are doing what we can in our own offices, visitor centers, vehicles, and vessels.

Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center which is LEED gold certified. (Photo: NOAA)

Sanctuary facilities are high efficiency structures that meet the highest building standards set pursuant to the Energy Policy Act and resulting Administrative Orders. Several of these structures have received Department of Energy awards and high ratings from the U.S. Green Building Council. These facilities contain exhibits to demonstrate energy and water saving practices to the public and local communities.

Every site is undertaking greening efforts in some way (please see the table and examples below). Every site recycles, and nearly every site uses energy efficient lighting; over half the sites utilize an alternative energy source, have energy efficient windows on their facilities, have building envelopes that help maintain climate control, allow teleworking, provide support facilities for employees to bike, and recycle their graywater. Forty percent or more of the sites have conducted energy audits, provide public transportation subsidies, and offer or facilitate carpooling. Some specific examples of projects include:

• The website displaying the real-time energy generated by the more than 200 photovoltatic panels installed on the roof of the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center;
• Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary’s efforts to actively track reductions in their carbon footprint;
• Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s achievement of  LEED gold certification for the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center. LEED certification recognizes achievements in building design and renovation that addresses the entire building life cycle (energy, water, materials, in-door environmental quality);
• Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary’s utilization of geothermal energy.