The Foreign Service Journal, April 2014

30 APRIL 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL A coalition of more than 100 U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide shares ideas and practical experience in the field. BY JOHN DAV I D MOL ESKY I n collaboration with the U.S. Agency for Interna- tional Development, an embassy green team in San Salvador helped build a school using recycled plastic bottles from the mission. In Harare, the U.S. embassy worked with the local government to sponsor a refuse receptacle in a popular park overrun with litter. And here at Embassy Helsinki, wide-ranging renovations and retrofits focused on efficiency have considerably reduced energy consumption. From solar photovoltaic systems and rainwater harvesting in Sri Lanka to geothermal heating in Stockholm, being a member of the League of Green Embassies means something different for John David Molesky is the League of Green Embassies coordinator, a family member position at Embassy Helsinki. In this capacity, he identifies opportunities to implement energy-efficient, sustainable, high-performance solutions at U.S. diplomatic missions around the world. Molesky is in Finland with his husband, Rodney Hunter, the political/economic section chief. In Washington, he has worked in information security at several U.S. government agencies and in the private sector. This is his first overseas position. The headquarters of the League of Green Embassies is located at the U.S. embassy in Helsinki. For membership inquiries or additional informa- tion, please contact the author at MoleskyJD@state.gov . The League of Green Embassies AMERICAN LEADERSHIP IN SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS GREENING EMBASSIES each mission, yet all share a common goal. The mission of the League of Green Embassies is quite simple: for U.S. missions to have a positive impact on the natural environment through the promotion of energy efficiency and other sustainable practices. Environmental stewardship can become an important aspect of nearly every other mission goal. League members understand that global climate change is having a devastating impact on many regions in the world; natural resources are being stressed by overconsumption and mismanagement; and our waste stream harms far too many ecosystems. Any action we take to mitigate these problems is a positive