Greening the law

Today is the 41st Earth Day, day in which we consider how we can be more “green” and lessen our footprint on the earth. There’s been a push in recent years to make offices more energy efficient, reduce paper, recycle, and other initiatives. They save two kinds of “green” – the environment and cash.

Last year, the Office of the Public Defender of Indiana became an American Bar Association Law Office Climate Challenge Partner. It’s a program designed by the ABA’s Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to encourage law firms to take simple, practical steps to be more environmentally friendly and energy efficient.

The Indiana Court of Appeals; Sacopulos Johnson & Sacopulos in Terre Haute; Bamberger Foreman Oswald & Hahn, with offices around central and southern Indiana; and several law firms with Indiana offices also participate in the program.

The Birch Bayh Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Indianapolis are undergoing renovations to make them more energy efficient. It’s going to have a green roof, harvest rainwater, and have energy efficient heating and cooling systems.

Has there been a push in your office to save paper or change light bulbs to more energy efficient ones? What does your office do that you consider “green?”