Jan. 29

Fifty-four corporations, state and local governments, and other organizations have joined the Climate Registry as founding reporters.

The Climate Registry is a non-profit organization established to measure and publicly report greenhouse gas emissions in a common, accurate and transparent manner consistent across industry sectors and borders. The founding reporters are the first members to voluntarily join the registry. The group released the list of founding reporters Jan. 15.

ôThese founding reporters courageously stepped forward to demonstrate exemplary environmental leadership on a global scale by committing to participate in the Climate Registry during its preliminary stages," said Gina McCarthy, who chairs the Climate Registry Board. "We are deeply grateful for their integral support of this critical initiative.ö

PPG Industries Inc., a global supplier of paints, coatings, chemicals, glass and numerous other products, was one of the founding reporters.

ôReducing greenhouse gas emissions demonstrates our corporate-wide commitment to improving the global environment and increasing the efficiency of our operations,ö said James A. Trainham, PPG vice president, science and technology.

Pennsylvania Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty, a member of the Climate Registry board, applauded PPG´s decision to become the first Pennsylvania-based company to join the registry.

"The company’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gases reflects an understanding that conducting business in an environmentally-conscious manner is also sound financially," she said.

PPG aims to reduce its total energy intensity by 25 percent from 2006 to 2016 and its total global greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent from 2006 to 2011.

Entities that join The Climate Registry before May 2008 receive founding reporter status.

A list of all the participants in the Climate Registry is available on the group´s Web site at www.theclimateregistry.org.

To subscribe or visit go to:  http://www.wastenews.com