Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory receives sustainability award

The Laboratory was one of several sites across the nuclear security enterprise recognized with a 2016 Sustainability Award for innovation and excellence in environmental sustainability, by the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).

LLNL’s Sustainability Performance Program (SP2), in collaboration with many subject matter experts across the site, received an Environmental Stewardship Award in the Sustainable Communications category. This award category recognizes successful and innovative communication and marketing strategies that promote sustainability goals and best practices with a focus on effective and unique outreach programs that engage stakeholders and highlight the benefits of sustainability.

Over the past few years SP2 has observed a shift in the conversation with employees concerning sustainability and pollution prevention issues and goals. Employees are reaching out more often, and not just with questions and concerns, but with valuable ideas, research and data, calculations, suggestions and solutions for a more sustainable campus. Because of employee input, LLNL has a growing personal electric vehicle charging program, greatly improved compost and recycling and has a path forward to refocus efforts on reuse. Employees have voiced their passion for sustainability through various feedback mechanisms and the SP2 program has stepped up to take advantage of this paradigm shift.

"Awards like this from DOE/NNSA helps both to underscore the ongoing importance of LLNL’s environmental efforts and also to formally recognize those individuals who have contributed to the success of our SP2 program," said Jennifer Doman, SP2 program manager.

The four Laboratory SP2 initiatives recognized by NNSA during the past year are:

Green Hotline and ES&H Newsletter:

The lab’s Green Hotline and ES&H Newsletter are valuable Labwide communication tools that provide employees with a direct connection to subject matter experts regarding environmental, wildlife and safety-related questions or concerns. The Green Hotline has been in place since 2008 with inquiries steadily increasing over the years, which has helped the SP2 efforts on what matters to employees while also striving to meet sustainability goals.

Compost and recycling program in the cafeterias:

The Laboratory has a Composting and Comingled Recycling Program in both cafes and 13 buildings on the Livermore Site. Progress continues each year to expand the program in an effort to provide more recycling and composting opportunities and make separation less complicated for employees.

Employee electric vehicle program:

The Laboratory has a program for participating employees to charge their vehicles for a monthly fee. A long-term plan for government and employee vehicle charging is being developed to address the growing employee demand for additional charging stations and LLNL’s fleet goals.

Bike to Work Day:

Bike to Work Day is an annual event that the Laboratory participates in and promotes to employees. The Laboratory partners with local organizations to coordinate activities and typically draws between 150 and 200 bicycle commuters.

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Significant contributors to the NNSA award include the following individuals from various Laboratory organizations who were integral to the success of these programs:

• Environmental Functional Area
  Jennifer Doman
  Heather Ottaway
  Deborah Montero
  Meg Fratanduono
  Lisa Paterson
   
• Environment, Safety and Health
  Doug Burruss
  Janet Orloff
  Sharon Cornelious
  Phil Arzino (Health Services)
   
• Livermore Laboratory Employee Services Association
  Kellie Glaser
  Melissa Sale
  Colin Yamaoka
   
• Operations and Business
  Orlando Soto
  George Kitrinos (Technical Information Department)
  Christopher Hasey (Sodexo)
  Jaime Jaramillo (Sodexo)
  Bill Maciel
  Sal Ruiz
  Lisa Byer-Allen
   
• Science and Technology
  David Scott Andrews (Engineering)
  Peter Norquist (Computation)

"I want to congratulate the winners of this year’s sustainability awards and recognize the team effort needed to implement environmentally responsible and sustainable operations and projects," said DOE Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and NNSA Administrator Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz in an NNSA news release. "NNSA will continue to build on these successes and pursue new and creative solutions, as stewards of the environment and our enduring national security mission."