Beaverton Tech Business Commits To Paris Agreement

BEAVERTON, OR — Joining Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and several other businesses in the state, Beaverton-based Vernier Software & Technology on Monday pledged its continue commitment to the Paris Climate Accord.

Adopted by nearly 200 countries in 2015, the Paris Climate Accord — or Paris Agreement — is a pact signed by world leaders who agree to reduce carbon emissions from their respective countries and limit a global average temperature increase to no more than 2 degrees Celsius, or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, above pre-industrial era levels. For its part, Vernier is installing new, additional solar panels to the 17 kilowatt system it's used for almost 10 years and has committed to purchasing 100 percent renewable electricity for its facility at 13979 S.W. Millikan Way in Beaverton, according to spokeswoman Christine Lynch.

On June 1, President Donald Trump formally withdrew the U.S. government from the agreement, saying, "We want fair treatment … We don't want other countries and other leaders to laugh at us anymore."

Following Trump's announcement, the states of New York, Washington, and California formed the U.S. Climate Alliance, a coalition of governors, mayors, universities, and businesses determined to buck the president's withdrawal and remain supportive of the agreement. The coalition now includes Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia, and the territory of Puerto Rico, according to the International Institute of Sustainable Development.

"Led by our 13 employee owners and our Green Team, Vernier is more committed than ever to do our part in reducing carbon emissions and slowing down climate change," Vernier Co-Found David Vernier said in a statement. "The Paris Agreement sets important goals for us to work toward."

Additionally, to help spur climate change education and encourage science and STEM teachers to explain the importance of climate change awareness to their students, Vernier has made available online four free inquiry investigations focused on climate change, Lynch said.

Hosted on the Vernier website, the investigations cover global warming, ocean acidification, local weather studies, and investigating dissolved oxygen.

Click here to see the investigations available for free download.

Vernier has been selected nine consecutive times as one of Oregon Business Magazine's Best Green Workplaces in Oregon, this year ranking No. 14.

Awarded to the top 100 companies and nonprofits in Oregon working toward greater sustainability, the Oregon Business Magazine honor signifies a business' proactive effort to reduce waste and improve environmentally friendly practices in the workplace.

Click here to learn more about how Vernier is working to minimize the company's and its employees' impact on climate change.

Image: seagul via Pixabay.com