As an environmental regulatory agency, the St. Johns River Water Management District has always been concerned with being a good steward of the environment.

As a part of disseminating information about its work, the District produces and distributes numerous documents. District staff strive to disseminate much of this information in paperless formats, such as posting information on the District’s Web site and sending electronic documents through e-mail or on CDs. In the mid-1990s, the District began a paper reduction program and cut its internal paper use in half.

For more than a decade, the District has used recycled content papers and environmentally friendly products when such options have been available. Now that more people are focused on going “green,” additional environmentally friendly papers, inks and printing facilities are available and the District has raised its level of commitment to environmentally friendly printing practices.

Beginning in 2007, the District began seeking out printing companies who are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified to print its outreach documents. This certification ensures that printing companies use Earth friendly inks (such as soy or vegetable-based inks), and limit or eliminate the use of chlorides in the printing process. The certification process includes a list of criteria to show that Earth friendly processes have been used to grow the trees that are processed into paper and then become printed materials. The certification includes an on-site audit of printing facilities and an annual audit. The District also seeks to use printing vendors who use renewable energy sources and are otherwise lowering the overall “carbon footprint” associated with printing.

On this site, environmental benefits statements are posted for each of the outreach publications that have been printed under the FSC. Look for the “green printing statement” on our publications order form.

In July 2007, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist hosted a Global Climate Change Summit in Miami. His goal was to generate a discussion that would explore opportunities for advancing the global climate change agenda and adopt specific climate action plans.

The summit concluded with Gov. Crist signing an executive order that included provisions requiring state agencies and departments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: 10 percent from current levels by 2012, 25 percent lower than current levels by 2017, and 40 percent lower than current levels by 2025.

District staff began addressing energy efficiency more than a decade ago and support the governor’s mandate. Some of the steps already taken toward this effort include:

• Remodeled buildings (beginning 1985) to make better use of power consumption
• Replaced inefficient DX (direct expansion) air-conditioning units with air-cooled rotary chillers in the office buildings and DX units in service buildings
• Retrofitted all florescent lights at District headquarters with energy-efficient bulbs, earning the District a rebate from the area’s power company
• Replaced incandescent lighting at building exits with light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs that consume a fraction of the electricity used by traditional bulbs
• Installed a direct digital controls (DDC) system throughout its headquarters to shut down chillers, fans, pumps and hot water tanks when not in use and to regulate ventilation requirements as determined by a carbon dioxide sensor
• Set the DDC to adjust heating and cooling systems when buildings are not occupied
• Installed backup power generators to ensure the District can operate during commercial power outages (due to accidents or storms) and to allow the District to participate in its utility’s commercial load shedding program

District staff will continue conservation efforts to meet the governor’s goals.

In other ways the combination of smaller adjustments can add up to big benefits for the environment and taxpayers. For example:

• The District has been integrating hybrids into its fleet of vehicles. Likewise, District staff are encouraged to carpool whenever possible when traveling on District business.
• Containers are placed throughout District offices where staff can recycle paper, cans and other materials. This recycling program has been in place for many years.
• Waterwise landscapes have been installed at District offices to showcase the use of Florida native or Florida friendly plants that can survive, once established, with little or no irrigation. Likewise, the District is experimenting with soil moisture sensors to help regulate when supplemental irrigation may be necessary.