Photo: Tanakawho 

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is kicking off a 13-month effort aiming to double green power purchasing among the country’s Fortune 500 companies. Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard, Staples, Starbucks and Wells Fargo have jumped aboard the green bandwagon, embracing the Green Power Challenge, the EPA said today. The EPA is launching the challenge to help reduce the environmental impacts of electricity use and raise awareness of green power options and build demand to stimulate the construction of new green power generation.