Sustainability and Renewable Energy What’s our role?

Education inside and outside the classroom Infusing concepts of sustainability into the curriculum Creating workforce training Transforming the campus into a living laboratory

Tell the larger story: Biofuels as an example Choice of crop makes a big difference in energy efficiency. Corn requires large amounts of water, biocides, and energy to produce. Affects global price of a basic food stuff in many developing countries. Average fill up of a 25 gallon SUV gas tank with ethanol requires same amount of grain as it takes to feed a person for 1 year.

Tell the larger story: Biofuels as an example U.S. grows more corn for ethanol. Grows less soy. Brazil compensates and grows more soy.

Tell the larger story: Biofuels as an example 20% of greenhouse gas contribution is from land use changes including deforestation. The draining of peat swamps in Indonesia results 2 billion tons carbon dioxide emissions per year Indonesia 3 rd largest emitter of greenhouse gases after the U.S. and China, despite small industrial base.

Land conversion creates carbon debt

Tell the larger story: Biofuels as an example Cellulosic ethanol from switchgrass? 2 nd generation biofuels

Biodiesel from Jatropha? Tell the larger story: Biofuels as an example 2 nd generation biofuels

Biodiesel from algae? 100,000 gal oil/acre? 2 nd generation biofuels Tell the larger story: Biofuels as an example

Workforce training Energy efficiency Renewables: solar, wind, geothermal, tidal? What about water, food, urban planning? Total US 94.6 Quad Btu EIA- annual review 2009

Biocides: chemical structures come from petroleum Fertilizers: Haber Bosch Process uses natural gas for the Hydrogen and requires high energy Irrigation: pumps depend on diesel and electricity (coal, natural gas) Mechanization (tractors): diesel, gasoline Transportation: trucks, ships, planes and the refrigeration required Food = Fossil Fuels

Energy conservation requires change in the food system 10 calories of petroleum required to produce 1 calorie of food 20% of current US fossil fuel consumption is used to grow, process, and distribute food (FF p. 102).

Water use = Energy use 19% of the state’s electricity, 30% of its natural gas, and 88 billion gallons of diesel fuel every year …and this demand is growing California Energy Commission In CA water-related energy use consumes:

Ecocity Builders Majority of human population now urban Many cities designed around the car = massive energy use Design for being there, not getting there

Expanding our idea of energy conservation Organic agriculture Rain water catchment Grey water systems Nutrient cycling Ecocity design What are we doing to train a workforce in:

Living Laboratory Green Building Transportation Food systems Water Landscaping Purchasing Maintenance Investments