[ Tricia O'Connor ] As stewards of a land that still is
intact, we still have wild salmon.
We still have more bears than people here.
We still have these vast landscapes that we're responsible for.
Our everyday actions can have a really big impact on the long-term sustainability of the
lands we're entrusted to manage.
[ Narrator ] As a forest service employee, you know the Tongass better than anyone.
It's where you work, and it's your home.
You know the pristine beauty, the unique characteristics of the land,
like muskegs, glaciers, and the rain forest.
And, you know the animals that make the Tongass their home,
like bears, mountain goats, and of course salmon.
[ Greg Killinger ] The Tongass is famous for producing salmon.
With less snowfall in the mountains over the wintertime, our salmon watersheds are really
dependent on snowmelt over the summer season.
We can have impacts to both drying up the habitat and have a dissolved oxygen problem.
A lot of our small communities are dependent on hydropower.
Less snow pack into the summer means you have less water coming out of those water sheds.
Prince of Wales and some other communities right now that are dependent on hydropower
actually have to run diesel power in the wintertime.
The yellow cedar decline, which is another likely impact or affect from climate change.
[ Michele Parker ] I've noticed that our summers have become wetter, our winters
warmer, and our glaciers are receding.
[ Narrator ] The Mendenhall Glacier has receded significantly since 1958.
A visceral reminder of climate change.
[ Laurie Craig ] There's a lot more to glaciers than any of us think about.
Primarily it's our source of fresh water, so it behooves all of us to do the best we can
to be sure everything we do is sustainable.
[ Narrator ] Sustainability is more than climate change.
Air and water pollution, toxic chemicals, trash, and overuse of resources can all have
negative impacts on our health, the community, and the environment.
The Tongass National Forest is a leader in sustainable operations, and you have a key
role to play because sustainability requires everyone's help.
[ Tricia O'Connor ] We have a responsibility to be sound stewards of the land but also
sound stewards of how we operate.
[ Marti Marshall ] We've got a really great recycling program, and I'm really proud of
all of our employees.
People make the commitment to get the recycling out every week.
We all think, when we throw something in the trash, can it be recycled or not?
[ Narrator ] Sustainable operations is more than recycling.
It's investing in our employees.
[ Tricia O'Connor ] This year, we're trying to focus employees on saving resources and
energy in three focus areas.
The first one is try to get rid of that junk mail.
The second thing is to use only recyclable paper.
If we can all use 100% recycled paper, we will save both energy and resources.
The third area we're focusing on is powering it down.
What that means is to be very mindful of powering your computer down every night.
[ Narrator ] If all staff turned their computers off at night, the forest service would
save over 2.5 million dollars a year.
[ Tricia O'Connor ] The other thing is to turn those lights off.
[ Greg Killinger ] Concern over electrical capacity is another good reason to conserve energy.
In many of our communities, we're on the edge of really not having enough hydropower,
burning fossil fuels and diesel.
[ Marti Marshall ] One of the brilliant ideas a staff member had out here was let's
switch to an electric truck.
So we were able to acquire an electric truck that we use daily, and we also leave it
parked so it's visible.
It's a little interpretive display all by itself.
[ Michele Parker ] The Tongass Green Team initiates Tongass-wide power-it-down days and
sustainability challenges, such as the
Summit Mount Edgecumbe Environmental Footprint Challenge.
We also work with local schools and communities.
[ Marti Marshall ] This is really important not just for the Tongass employees, but the
messages they bring home and share with their family,
their kids, and into the society at large.
[ Narrator ] Many other actions are being implemented in the Tongass, from renewable
energy projects to participating in federal environmental challenges to installing
advanced energy meters on buildings.
Our actions have an impact way beyond the physical boundaries of the forest.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from our operations by 10% a year, we keep over 300
tons of CO2 out of the air.
But if our visitors learn from us and reduce their emissions by 10%, the result is a
reduction of almost 2 million tons of greenhouse gas a year, which is the same as
removing 360,000 cars from the road.
[ Tricia O'Connor ] Think about doing things like car-pooling, walking or biking to work.
Not only is it good exercise and healthy, but it can also save energy and money.
[ Michele Parker ] Working collectively, we can make a difference to ensure that the
sustainability ethic is prevalent throughout all forest service operations.
[ Narrator ] Managers and supervisors have a special role to play, both in prioritizing
sustainable operations and also in recognizing staff who go beyond the requirements.
And don't forget that you are the face of sustainable operations in the Tongass.
So, learn more about climate change, environmental issues, and sustainable operations
across the forest service.
Get involved, and add your ideas for making the Tongass more sustainable.
Contact the Green Team today.
Together, we can make sure our kids will enjoy the Tongass that we love.