Journey Down A Road Less Traveled

The University at Buffalo's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory

Jim Simon is a graduate student at the State University of New York at Buffalo, pursuing an MS in Environmental Policy. Jim is also a Student Assistant with UB Green, the environmental stewardship office at UBwhere he is working on the UB Climate Change Initiative. The Initiative is study of UB’s greenhouse gas emissions that will culminate in a report, with recommendations to reduce emissions. Here, his insight on the challenges and rewards of doing a campus emissions inventory.

It is often difficult for a large research intensive University to admit that it is doing something wrong. Contributing to global climate change through institutional emissions is not something that most colleges and universities take pride in advertising. Many have recognized their impact on the environment and are taking important strides to reduce it. The University at Buffalo is a nationally recognized leader in energy conservation; since the late 1970’s our projects and conservation measures have reduced UB’s energy consumption by nearly 40%, saving an estimated $9 million a year in energy costs! 

However, we are not yet a “sustainable” campus. We recognize that we can do much more to reduce our environmental impact. A step in the right direction for all colleges and universities is working to reduce institutional greenhouse gas emissions. At UB, we are doing this through a greenhouse gas emissions inventory, the UB Climate Action Initiative.

The road to the Climate Action Initiative began when we invited Ross Gelbspan to speak at the University at Buffalo. After listening to Ross’s message, we recognized that something needed to be done about UB’s contributions to climate change.  Early last spring, we decided to perform a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and publish our findings in the form of a report to be shared with the university community, and other colleges and universities. We met with Clean Air-Cool Planet and some of the key players at UB that would be involved in the inventory process.  Everyone recognized the need for an inventory.

Now eight months into the process, we are still collecting data - much of it is archived or needs to be teased out from other reports and documents. In most cases, data does not exist as far back as we had wished, and that’s okay. We are adapting and viewing this as an opportunity to work with our colleagues.  We have created an Advisory Council, consisting of UB faculty, staff, students, community members and members of the professional community to gain feedback on the process.          

We are also incorporating academic excellence into the inventory process. This is an institutional goal for the University at Buffalo, and we are making it an environmental goal as well. We are offering professors in-class presentations to create opportunities for students to learn more about climate change on local and global scales.

The inventory has been a learning experience above and beyond the collection of data.  I’m learning about the science and policy of climate change everyday. Climate change has permeated my academic world as well- I’ve integrated what I’ve learned into several of my grad school projects, and I’m always keeping an eye out for climate change articles in newspapers and journals.

After examining Oberlin College’s plan to reach climate neutrality by 2020 we have decided to work towards a similar strategy. While administrative support and a feasibility study for climate neutrality at UB would be required, climate neutrality should not be an unreachable goal for any college or university- large or small- that is up to the challenge. The question that remains to be answered is can a large research university become climate neutral?  I’m sticking around to find out.

The University at Buffalo is a leader in campus environmental stewardship. For more on their climate change work, visit their CA-CP web profile. Or, get a glimpse of the impressive scope of their environmental initiatives by browsing the UB Green website.