VZCZCXRO7261
RR RUEHAO RUEHRS
DE RUEHBU #0198 0500012
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 190007Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0561
INFO WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000198 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ABLD AMGT ASUP ENRG SENV OPRC AR
SUBJECT: Argentina: Mission Campaign to Reduce Energy Use 
 
REF: 10 STATE 12050 
 
¶1.  At a typical Argentine barbecue in January, Ambassador Martinez 
challenged Mission Buenos Aires staff to turn out the lights. 
Inspired by President Obama and Secretary Clinton's Green Embassies 
initiative, Mission Buenos Aires is embarking on an internal energy 
challenge: to reduce energy use in the Embassy and staff residences 
by ten percent in 2010.  This campaign, called "Ten in Ten," calls 
on all embassy employees to make small, everyday efforts to reduce 
energy consumption-such as turning off lights and moderating office 
temperatures-for significant energy savings. 
 
¶2.  The campaign was kicked off with a lunchtime celebration 
featuring local organic food and plant vendors, as well as 
information on environment-friendly steps employees can take at the 
home and the office.  Ambassador Martinez and DCM Kelly personally 
pledged to do their parts to reduce the daily energy use in the 
Front Office and their own homes and encouraged all staff members 
to do the same.  An environmental journalist from a local 
television channel covered the event to show Argentines that even 
Americans overseas are making efforts to reduce their carbon 
footprint, while online journals featured a press release about the 
event. 
 
¶3.  The "Ten in Ten" campaign was developed by the Embassy's Green 
Team, a group of Argentine and U.S. staff volunteers. 
Understanding that building use is responsible for the majority of 
the Embassy's carbon footprint, the Green Team consulted with the 
Embassy's Management Section and an Office of Overseas Building 
Operations (OBO) Energy Audit Team in Buenos Aires.  The Management 
Section is working with OBO to replace the Embassy's chillers with 
more energy efficient models, is considering installing a "white 
roof" to reflect heat and lower air conditioning requirements, and 
is exploring future options such as installing motion-sensor 
lights.  The campaign will complement such structural changes by 
encouraging behavioral changes for immediate energy savings. 
 
¶4.  Every three months, the Green Team will benchmark progress by 
publishing overall energy reduction as compared to the same period 
the previous year, by recognizing "Green MVPs," and by posting the 
top five best residences in terms of energy reduction.  Green 
Wardens from each section will be responsible for educating 
colleagues and making the rounds of their area every day/week to 
ensure lights and printers have been turned off.  The Green Team 
will also bring in local guest speakers, including a British 
Embassy employee who ran a similar campaign, and a local Leadership 
in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Architecture 
Professional.  Through such efforts, the campaign aims to build the 
Embassy community, reduce its energy footprint, and inspire lasting 
green habits, making U.S. Mission Buenos Aires a model in the city 
and the region. 
MARTINEZ