Law firms have hefty carbon footprints with enormous paper consumption, lofty energy usage, and their inherent need for business travel. These were just a few factors that led to the development of the Green Guide for Lawyers by the Meritas Leadership Institute. This best-practices handbook followed in the footsteps of the Law Office Climate Change Challenge that the ABA-EPA launched last year.

A 2006 law firm survey showed that one attorney could use up to 100,000 sheets of paper, or a half-ton, in one year, which can produce up to 4.5 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. As paper is the foundation for legal documents, the survey also showed that attorneys could easily produce a dozen hard-copies of a draft before producing one finished legal brief.

The Green Guide helps law firms in a 3-tier process, with a fundamental need to educate firms on sustainability. The first tier, Sustainability Advocate, is designed to raise awareness, the second, Sustainability Partner, starts the implementation of efficiency measures within a law firm and the third, Sustainability Leader, involves rigorous actions to become LEED certified. All 3 tiers contain initiatives within the Triple Bottom Line categories of People, Planet, & Profit.

Read the full story at greenbiz.com

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