2010

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory & Recommendations for Achieving Carbon

Neutrality

Faculty Coordinator: Dr. Kate Hale WilsonFaculty Support: Dr. Jim Boulter and Dr. Kim PiersonStudent Researchers: Carbon Neutral Team, 2010

Student Presenters: Jason Hansen, Laura Headrick, Steph Mabrey,& Andi Krunnfusz

ACUPCC• Presidents Climate

Commitment– Work toward climate

neutrality– Initiate tangible actions

to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

– Publish the climate action plan, emissions inventories, and periodic progress reports

AASHE Reporting Page

2010 Total eCO2 Emissions

Total Emissions: 38,870 metric tons eCO2

35%

33%

21%

11%HeatingElectricityTransportationSolid Waste & Chemicals

eCO2 Production by Sources 2008 & 2010 (MT)

Heating

Electr

icity

& Cooling

Transp

ortation

Wast

e & Chem

icals

Offsets

Total

eCO2-5,000

05,000

10,00015,00020,00025,00030,00035,00040,00045,000

16,07520,002

5,380

105

-2,284

39,278

13,77112,707

8,247

4,142

0

38,870

20082010

Tota

l eCO

2

Recommendations

Moving toward climate neutrality

Select Two Year Goals

• Remove Bottled Water from Vending Machines• Expand Composting• Reduce Paper Use• Improve our Performance in RecycleMania• Promote Alternative Modes of Transportation• Fund a Digital Dashboard System• Purchase Carbon Credits for Study Abroad Travel• Support and Create Environmentally Focused Initiatives and

Organizations• Keep Detailed and Efficient Records to More Accurately

Calculate eCO2 Production and Sources

Five Year Goals

• Increase Infrastructure Efficiency• Generate Renewable Electricity on Campus• Create a Sustainability Initiatives Fundraising

Campaign for Alumni

Ten Year Goals and Beyond• Pursue Alternatives to Coal

Thank You

Any Questions?

Carbon Neutral Team

• Collected data• Calculated emissions• Generated campus

recommendations• Compiled

comprehensive report

Carbon Neutral Team, 2010

What is eCO2?

• Equivalent carbon dioxide emissions• Standard measurement for global warming

potential– Carbon Dioxide– Methane– Nitrous Oxide– Halocarbons– Sulfur Hexafluoride

• Offsets

Solid Waste and Chemicals

eCO2 Emissions from Solid Waste Sources• Compost is

carbon neutral• The benefits of

proper recycling• Chemicals’

footprint

• 4,171 MT eCO2

41%

34%

21%

4%

TrashPaperCommingleCardboard

Transportation

50%

21%

15%

9%4% 1%

Non-reimbursed

Study Abroad

Directly Financed Air Travels

Commuting

Direct Transportation

Directly Financed Outsourced Travel

• Minimizing trips• Improving

efficiency• Improvements

since 2010

• 8,247 MT eCO2

eCO2 Emissions from Transportation Sources

Electricity

2005-2006

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

0

5000000

10000000

15000000

20000000

25000000

3000000028,348,400.00

24,724,882.0024,378,625.0022,977,810.0021,922,902.00

Total Electrical Usage

Fiscal Year

kWh

(in m

illio

ns)

• 23% reduction since 2005

• More renewable sources

• Improvements since 2010

• 12,707 MT eCO2

Digital Dashboard Example

• Oberlin College• http://www.oberlin.edu/sustainability/portfoli

o/energy.html

Heating• Functions of the heating plant• Sources of steam production• Alternate sources?

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

OilNatural GasCoal

What is an offset?

An offset is a specific project created to reduce emissions. Generally, offsets are purchased by an institution to reduce

emissions and achieve carbon neutrality when it is no longer possible for the

institution to reduce their emissions any further. They are purchased to offset each

metric ton of eCO2 emitted.

There are 11 qualifications for a program to be considered an offset:

If a program meets the first 9 qualifications, then it will be registered by a qualified institution and “retired”

meaning that it can no longer be counted as an offset.

1. Real2. Additional3. Transparent4. Measurable5. Permanent6. Verifiable

7. Synchronous8. Account for leakage9. Not double counted10. Registered11. Retired

Qualifications

http://www2.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/documents/ACUPCCVoluntaryCarbonOffsetProtocol_Nov08.pdf

For further explanation of these qualifications see:

Cost and Recommendations

The cost of an offset can range from as little as $2 to more than $50 per metric ton of eCO2.

There are many methods that the University could employ to reduce its carbon emissions without purchasing offsets. However, there are certain activities such as traveling that will never be carbon-neutral. Therefore, it is recommended that the University consider purchasing offsets to offset the emissions from these activities.

Additional Resources

For more information regarding offsets:

• Carbon Offsets Daily– http://www.carbonoffsetsdaily.com/

• Carbon Offset Research and Education (CORE)– http://www.co2offsetresearch.org/

• President’s Climate Commitment Resources– http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/re

sources/guidance-documents/offset-protocol

Additional Information

• For more detailed information, please view the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory & Recommendations for Achieving Carbon Neutrality in full at: http://acupcc.aashe.org/site_media/uploads/ghg/4238-2010-inventoryreports_1.pdf