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Carbon Footprint

As part of the American College and University President's Climate Committment, we have determined our carbon footprint. We will be working to refine this measurement over the next year, but we will begin to use this data to develop a comprehensive plan to achieve climate neutrality.

Calculate your individual carbon footprint!

Carbon Footprint Analysis Information

  • Professor Jeffrey Corbin’s ENS100 class just completed the first estimate of Union College’s Carbon Footprint. This is a major step toward our efforts to reduce our emissions and become carbon neutral.
  • Union’s Carbon Footprint is estimated to be between approximately 27,500 Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalents (MTCDE’s). This includes emissions from six categories of campus activities – energy and electricity, dining, student transportation, faculty transportation, waste and recycling, and paper purchasing.
  • Where do these numbers put Union College relative to other institutions of our size and location? It is difficult to make specific comparisons due to differences in how carbon footprints are calculated. However, we believe that we are on a par with or even slightly better than most other small institutions both in terms of our energy use and our overall carbon emissions.
  • Union College’s gross emissions (28,500 MTCDE) from its activities are offset by the purchase of wind offsets equal to 15% of our electricity. This offset, equivalent to 1,000 MTCDE or 3% of our gross emissions, is funded through contributions by the Student Forum and the President’s Office.
  • Analysis of the six main components of Union’s Carbon Footprint, completed by ENS100 students, shows that ~60% of our emissions comes from electricity and natural gas, 33% from dining services, 5% from waste disposal, 3% from travel (student and faculty) and 1% from the paper that we purchase.
  • Union’s U Sustain Committee will use these numbers to develop specific proposals to reduce Union’s Carbon Footprint and to develop a plan toward becoming carbon neutral.













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    U Sustain seeks to promote sustainability initiatives and educate the campus community about ways to live, work, and enjoy Union in the most environmentally friendly and sustainable ways possible.

     

    Carbon Footprint
    Learn about Union's carbon footprint

    Lecture Resources
    Download environmental lectures to supplement your class

    Media Resources
    The latest pictures, videos, and documents about Union sustainability

    Do it in the Dark
    Information on the student run energy saving competition