The Foreign Service Journal, April 2014

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2014 29 of these coalitions use the practical goal of making diplomatic missions as green as possible to bring together businesses, NGOs and other stakeholders. Future Sustainability The department’s future sustainability actions rest on the success of current innovations. Learning from its purchase of alternative power for facilities in the Washington, D.C., region, the department is now looking for opportunities to do some- thing similar abroad. Posts located in energy markets seeking reliable customers with long-term horizons offer a chance for the department to use its market demand to encourage the growth of new alternative energy production facilities world- wide, while also encouraging the use of U.S. goods and services in such agreements. Deployment of advanced metering systems at posts worldwide gives the department the ability to analyze utilities consumption in real time and benchmark building design and performance, enhancing future designs and adjusting cur- rent structures. This data will also help the department better respond to and drive market opportunities. By transforming the department’s annual survey and greening success stories into an iPad app and disseminating them through various social media channels, the public can not only learn about the department’s work toward sustain- ability; they can also see how they might carry out similar actions within their own organizations or homes. Deploying best practices and U.S. technologies abroad at posts is also a platform to showcase American goods and services and begin new discussions on the future of the green economy and energy grids. The future of greening at the State Department will not just be about transforming our own operations, but sharing best practices with our international partners and building new relationships based on a global effort to be better environmen- tal stewards. n How does a post encourage individuals to responsibly keep their utilities consumption low when they are not paying for utilities themselves?