The Foreign Service Journal, April 2014

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2014 27 utilities consumption low when they are not paying for utilities themselves? Many posts have identified this issue as criti- cal to helping them bring down overall operational costs and environmental impact, and have sought help from other posts and bureaus in Washington to identify mechanisms to modify residen- tial behavior. Hoping to learn from the field, Wash- ington has been watching Consulate General Hong Kong as it builds a pro- gram to enable staff to track their own energy consumption at home and see how their usage compares to that of their peers. The tracking devices also allow residents to see their energy consumption in real time, enabling them to identify equipment and appliances around the home that are energy hogs. Washington is now seeking a means to help posts deploy this type of solution globally, using its larger purchasing power to lower equipment and installation costs. In addition, in response to the questions on behavior modification, OBO devel- oped a new chapter on residential utilities in its Guide to Green Embas- sies: Eco-Diplomacy in Operation that highlights simple tips and actions to bring down energy and water con- sumption. Innovation Begets Innovation During the summer of 2010 the State Department was looking for a power purchase agreement that would add significantly more clean energy to its energy portfolio and support President Barack Obama’s goal of build- ing more alternative energy capacity on the U.S. grid—and do so in a manner that would be cost-neutral or reduce overall Embassy San Salvador used its recycling program to assist in construction of this “plastic bottle school” for 26 students of the community of Candelaria. Courtesy of Embassy San Salvador