[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6019]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     GOING GREEN AND SAVING ENERGY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Congresswoman Debbie 
Wasserman Schultz and my fellow Members of Congress--Mario Diaz-Balart 
and Ted Deutch--and I held a great press conference with Dan Beard, the 
Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives, on how to 
make our offices more energy efficient.
  Representing such natural wonders like the Florida Keys National 
Marine Sanctuary, I am extremely sensitive to the impact of our daily 
routine on the environment. I am a supporter of the green proposals, 
such as increasing the fuel efficiency of our cars and promoting the 
use of clean alternative energy.
  However, as we all know, green living begins at home and in the 
workplace. Whether it's by turning off the lights when exiting a room, 
carpooling to the office, or recycling on a regular basis, we can all 
work to improve our environments. The buildings of the Capitol complex, 
including my congressional office, are now utilizing the latest in 
energy- and water-saving technologies. For example, the simple action 
of installing energy-saving lighting throughout the U.S. House of 
Representatives has saved U.S. taxpayers more than $175,000 annually. 
House offices have also increased their participation in the recycling 
of paper and of other raw materials. Last year, the House of 
Representatives recycled more than 1,800 tons of paper, 46 tons of 
bottles and cans, and 1 ton of leather.
  In the days ahead, my district office in Miami will be implementing 
additional electricity- and resource-saving measures. At a time when 
our Nation is struggling with high unemployment and with an 
unsustainable deficit, we should be doing all that we can to eliminate 
government inefficiencies, waste, fraud, and abuse.
  This week, in celebration of Earth Day, south Florida families can 
attend Miami's Goin' Green Celebration to learn more about how you can 
protect our environment, how you can support green technologies, and 
how you can save money on your energy and water bills. I encourage 
south Floridians to attend this important event, which is scheduled to 
take place on Saturday from 10 to 6 p.m. in Miami's Bayfront Park. 
Individuals and families attending this event can participate in 
seminars on energy-efficient home improvements, on how to save on your 
water bills, and on several other informative exhibitions. In 
particular, I encourage you to register for many of the eco-friendly 
services provided by Miami-Dade County, such as recycling pickups and 
the Adopt-a-Tree program. By implementing individual changes, we can 
all make positive differences on our environment.
  I will continue to work in Congress to support policies that 
encourage families and businesses to be more energy efficient and less 
reliant on expensive foreign fuel. At the same time, I will continue to 
be a staunch advocate for green initiatives that will not put a 
financial burden on working families and small businesses.
  Once again, I urge all of my south Florida constituents to attend 
Miami's Goin' Green Celebration this Saturday in Bayfront Park, which 
is in my congressional district, to learn more about living more 
environmentally friendly lives. We all have roles to play as we 
endeavor to preserve south Florida's natural beauty and to improve our 
communities' environments for ourselves, our children, and our 
grandchildren.

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