The Environmental & Land Use Law Section is committed to providing resources for members of The Florida Bar to green their law firm operations. Just getting started with office greening? Start with reading this informative article: “Greening Your Law Firm,” The Florida Bar Journal, Volume 86, No. 10 (December 2012).
To get you started on greening your law firm, we have posted generic versions of a Business Greening Plan and Green Procurement Policy:
In addition, here are some links to other resources as you embark on your greening journey:
- ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge – this program is framed around participation in voluntary partnerships administered by the Environmental Protection Agency:
- WasteWise
- Green Power Partnership
- Energy Star
Green Law Case Studies
- Carlton Fields “CF Goes Green” Program
Here’s a video on the CF greening program:
- Department of Environmental Protection’s Paperless Workgroup
In the Spring of 2012, the Department of Environmental Protection formed the Paperless Workgroup to reduce the amount of paper coming into and leaving the Department. This Workgroup evaluated the processes that used the most paper and worked to create electronic solutions to reduce the Department’s reliance on paper. These efforts also had the added benefit of identifying inefficient workflow processes that could be changed or eliminated. Through this effort, the Department adopted several solutions that not only reduce its environmental impact, but also created efficiencies in the office and cost savings to the taxpayer. Some of the solutions adopted by the Department are:
- Use of GoTo/Webinars for meetings, workshops and hearings.
- Use of the GovDelivery messaging program to send messages to a large collection of e-mail addresses about rulemaking and other issues where public notice is required.
- Creating a website to allow permit holders and lease holders to pay certain fees online. http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/portal/pay.htm
- Creating a website to allow applicants to self certify for certain activities, apply for certain permits, and notify the Department of certain activities via the website.
- 1. Permits and Registration: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/portal/permit.htm
- 2. Submitting reports: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/portal/reports.htm
- Adoption of technology to electronically sign and seal documents.
- Use of eDocLogs to track the progress of documents needing approval from a series of managers.
- Amending permitting rules to remove requirements that the applicant submit items on paper.
- Creation of the “Florida State Parks Outdoor Guide” mobile app. http://www.floridastateparks.org/resources/mobileapp.cfm
