News Archives - 2009
Roundtable on greenhouse gas inventory
When President Pribbenow signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment last year, it was an important event for Augsburg College. Essentially, this commitment obligates the College to neutralize its greenhouse gas emissions and to further research and educational efforts to assist society with climate stabilization.
In response to this commitment, Augsburg conducted a greenhouse gas inventory of the total emissions from fiscal years 2001 to 2008. The survey was conducted using the Clean Air-Cool Planet calculator by three members of Augsburg's Environmental Stewardship Committee -- Tom Ruffaner, John Harkness, and Reid Larson. (Download the report)
The Environmental Studies program and Augsburg's Nobel Peace Prize Forum planning committee are sponsoring a public roundtable discussion to share the results of the greenhouse gas inventory on Thursday, Feb. 19 at 4 p.m. in OGC 202.
The inventory determined that Augsburg's total greenhouse gas emissions from FY 2008 were 21,669 metric tons of carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide equivalents. The survey reports that emissions have increased slightly from 2001 to 2008 with a 1,000 metric ton increase occurring with the introduction of Kennedy Center and Oren Gateway Center to the campus.
The bulk of Augsburg's emissions — 41 percent — were produced by electricity usage. This usage is offset completely by the purchase of 100 percent wind energy for the campus made possible by the student fee instituted this year.
The inventory includes a commuter analysis conducted in part by Larson and the Augsburg chapter of the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG). The College has undertaken significant efforts to minimize the impact of commuter carbon emissions by providing more transportation options and incentives to use public transportation.
The public roundtable discussion will give the Augsburg community an opportunity to discuss the survey and efforts to reduce the College's carbon footprint. It will also offer a preview of the Nobel Peace Prize Forum which this year focuses on climate change. The 2009 forum will be held Mar. 6-7 at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn.
