Motorola's Experience in the Climate Wise Program

Abstract

In 1996, Motorola's Austin, Texas semiconductor manufacturing sites joined EPA's Climate Wise program, a voluntary effort that encourages U.S. industry to take advantage of the environmental and economic benefits associated with energy efficiency improvements. As the first Climate Wise partner in Austin, Motorola teamed up with the City of Austin to recruit other large employers in the Austin area for the program. There are now over twenty partners in the Austin area, all of who have developed plans and have committed to energy conservation projects. At Motorola, a wide variety of resource reduction and pollution prevention projects at the two Austin facilities have already demonstrated solid bottom-line results. Although many of these projects are extensions of ongoing environmental and facilities programs, incorporating the energy, emissions reduction, and resource conservation projects into a single program has had significant benefits. This paper describes Motorola's Climate Wise experiences to-date, and offers suggestions to others new to the program or considering joining, on the topics such as the following: establishing a formal Climate Wise program at the site level; tracking and/or calculating results; maintaining interest and activity levels; integrating projects into a single program; and, partnering with other local industry participants.