Washington, D.C., August 2, 2007 – LAWFUEL – The Legal Newswire – As part of its recently launched Green Office Initiative, Arnold & Porter LLP is partnering with Carbonfund.org to make contributions based on the amount of the firm’s business air travel to support renewable energy and reforestation projects in the U.S. and other parts of the world.
Arnold & Porter is the first major U.S. law firm to partner with Carbonfund.org. Carbonfund.org is a Washington, D.C. metro area-based nonprofit that educates businesses and the public on climate change issues and supports carbon-reducing projects such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, and reforestation projects. The firm’s support of these projects will substantially offset the carbon produced by the firm’s air travel. Renewable energy refers to wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, and other non-carbon producing energy sources, and reforestation refers to the capture and removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
“Although the firm cannot eliminate business travel, we want to demonstrate our commitment to sustainable business practices wherever possible,” said Arnold & Porter Chair Thomas Milch. “We believe in carbon offsets as a cost-effective way to reduce our carbon footprint, and our program generally aligns us with what many of our clients are doing to address climate change.”
In March, the firm adopted a firmwide Green Office Initiative that focuses on resource conservation and sustainable business practices. As part of this initiative, Arnold & Porter closely collaborated with members of the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (“SEER”) and officials at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the development of a Climate Challenge policy. The Climate Challenge was designed to encourage law firms to take simple, practical steps to become better environmental and energy stewards.
In addition to its Green Office Initiative, Arnold & Porter has long represented environmental groups in a pro bono capacity in activities relating to recycling and waste reduction, and its attorneys are active writers and lecturers on global climate change issues. The firm has environmental expertise in its Washington, D.C., New York, Denver and Los Angeles offices.
