1. The Presidents Climate Commitment at DMACC
Presented By:
Richard A. Ney
Senior Environmental Consultant
March 10, 2008

2. Overview of the Presidents Climate Commitment
Agenda
Overview of the Presidents Climate Commitment
What Does ‘Climate Neutral’ Mean?
DMACC Carbon Footprint
Potential Strategies for Reducing GHG
Moving Forward

3. Key Initiative
The American College & University (ACU) Presidents Climate Commitment (PCC)
High-visibility effort to address global warming
Garner institutional commitments to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions
Accelerate research and educational efforts of higher education to equip society to re-stabilize the earth’s climate

4. Key Initiative
The American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (PCC) signatories commit to
Initiate the development of a comprehensive plan to achieve climate neutrality as soon as possible.
Initiate two or more tangible actions to reduce greenhouse gases while the more comprehensive plan is being developed.
Make the action plan, inventory, and periodic progress reports publicly available by providing them to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) for posting and dissemination.

5. Create institutional structures to guide the program
PCC Requirements
Create institutional structures to guide the program
Select at least two immediate actions to implement:
LEED, Energy Star, offset air travel, public transport, 15% renewable elec., waste minimization
Submit initial reports
Develop the comprehensive plan
Complete an inventory of all GHG emissions
Revisit at least every two years
Submit reports to make them public through ACUPCC
Make sustainability part of curriculum

6. Defining ‘Climate Neutral’
There are both sources and ‘sinks’ for GHG in the atmosphere
Climate neutral means that the operation does not contribute to build up of GHG in the atmosphere
Zero emissions is the absence of any emission (likely not possible)
Zero-net emissions means that the emissions that are created are offset by the sinks
The sinks can be your own, or you can pay others to use the ‘credits’ from their sinks

7. DMACC Carbon Footprint

8. DMACC Carbon Footprint
Emissions in metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent
Emitting Activity
2006
2007
Electricity
16,589
17,274
Natural Gas
2,369
3,065
Fleets/Business Travel
581
618
Air Travel
298
275
Commuting*
2,806
Agriculture (Cattle)
113
Fertilizer 54 33
Solid Waste 65 60
Refrigerants
373
717
TOTAL
23,248
24,961

9. Broad Strategies for Reducing GHG
Improve energy efficiency to reduce the overall footprint
Implement renewable energy
Wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, ethanol, biodiesel
Innovate in transportation
Increase reuse and recycling, waste minimization
Develop sinks
Reforestation, prairie restoration
Purchase environmental credits from others
RECs and Carbon Credits ($100,000 to $1 million/year!!!)

10. Moving Forward Complete the footprint estimation
Starting Point: Footprint Assessment
Define
Aspirational
Goals
Develop Sustainability Master Plan
Implement Plan Recommendations
Measure, Reassess and Adjust
Complete the footprint estimation
Conduct a sustainability charrette to develop broad long-term visions
Analyze opportunities and costs formulate short- and long-term implementation options – create plan
Implement measures from the plan
Measure results, reconvene the charrette to determine if goals or plan need to be adjusted

11. Questions?