Air & Climate
Introduction
Global climate change is having myriad negative impacts throughout the world, including increased frequency and potency of extreme weather events, sea level rise, species extinction, water shortages, declining agricultural production, and spread of diseases. The impacts are particularly pronounced for low-income communities and countries. In addition, institutions that inventory and take steps to reduce their air pollutant emissions can positively impact the health of the campus community, as well as the health of their local communities and regions.
Featured Resources
New Resources
Paradigm Project
- American University (DC)
A woman outside Nairobi, Kenya holds a wood-burning, efficient cookstove from the Paradigm Project.
- Posted July 30, 2018
- Photographs
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Arboretum at the University of Pennsylvania
- University of Pennsylvania (PA)
Penn's main, academic campus was accredited as a Level I ArbNet-certified Arboretum as of April 2017, and Level II in November 20107. The Arboretum at the University of Pennsylvania ...
- Posted July 30, 2018
- Photographs
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Vassar Groveville Hydro Project
- Vassar College (NY)
Photo Credit: Karl Rabe/ Vassar College In Fall 2015, Vassar College signed a 20-year agreement with Gravity Renewables to establish a purchasing partnership with a small scale hydropower project on ...
- Posted July 27, 2018
- Photographs
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VCU Community-University Urban Forestry Program
- Virginia Commonwealth University (VA)
The Urban Forestry Initiative at Virginia Commonwealth University is a community-based research project designed to meet the community identified need of increasing urban tree canopy cover and the university identified ...
- Posted July 27, 2018
- Photographs
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Delta College Living Wall
- Delta College (MI)
The campus Health Professions Building North atrium at Delta College showcases a living wall, an architectural feature and natural ventilation system that acts as a bio filter to improve air ...
- Posted July 26, 2018
- Photographs
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Quantitative analysis of factors affecting greenhouse gas emissions at institutions of higher education
- University of Illinois Chicago (IL)
Increasingly, institutions are reporting greenhouse gas emissions as a means to measure sustainability. One way higher education is taking a leadership role is through the American College and University Presidents ...
- Posted June 29, 2018
- Publications
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Measuring carbon performance in a UK University through a consumption-based carbon footprint: De Montfort University case study
- Arup (NY)
- De Montfort University
This paper presents a consumption-based carbon footprint study for a UK university including scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions under the classification of the WRI/WBCSD Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate ...
- Posted June 29, 2018
- Publications
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Longitudinal Study of the Impacts of a Climate Change Curriculum on Undergraduate Student Learning: Initial Results
- Stonehill College (MA)
The present study assesses the efficacy of a semester-long undergraduate sustainability curriculum designed from a systems approach. The three-course curriculum, which incorporated environmental science and ethics courses along with an ...
- Posted June 29, 2018
- Publications
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Exploring the applications of carbon footprinting towards sustainability at a UK university: reporting and decision making
- University of Leeds (West Yorkshire)
Campus greening is often the first step universities take towards sustainability. In order to infer the current level of environmental performance and the progress being made it is imperative that ...
- Posted June 29, 2018
- Publications
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Carbon sequestered in the trees on a university campus: a case study
- University of Waikato
The authors aim to investigate the ability of a New Zealand university to rely on the CO2 sequestered in the trees on campus to mitigate the CO2 emissions caused by ...
- Posted June 29, 2018
- Publications
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Carbon brainprint – An estimate of the intellectual contribution of research institutions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Cranfield School of Management
Research and innovation have considerable, currently unquantified potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by, for example, increasing energy efficiency. Furthermore, the process of knowledge transfer in itself can have a ...
- Posted June 29, 2018
- Publications
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The Nitrogen Footprint Tool for Universities
- University of California, Davis (CA)
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
- University of Virginia (VA)
- AASHE (MA)
The Nitrogen Footprint Tool (NFT), designed for institutions of higher education, assesses the impact of campus consumption and activities on excess reactive nitrogen (N) in the environment. Excess reactive nitrogen ...
- Posted June 28, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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An Analysis of the Sustainability of Different Methods of Delivering Higher Education
- Manchester Metropolitan University
Transforming society and the economy to a more sustainable basis remains one of the most significant challenges of the 21st Century. Higher education institutions are considered key in helping to ...
- Posted June 20, 2018
- Publications
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Comparing Greenhouse Gas Emissions across Texas Universities
- St. Edward's University (TX)
This project serves as a study comparing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions between universities in Texas. Over 90 percent of climate scientists believe that increased climate change is due to anthropogenic ...
- Posted June 20, 2018
- Publications
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Grappling with Climate Uncertainties: MIT’s Resiliency Approach
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
- AASHE (MA)
Heightened awareness from recent extreme weather events and emerging data about current and future climate risks is placing increasing pressure on university campuses to develop processes for enhancing the resilience ...
- Posted May 31, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Princeton Student Climate Initiative
- Princeton University (NJ)
On the Friday night after midterms week, seven Princeton undergraduates gathered in the Pace Center for Civic Engagement to talk climate change legislation. Decked in hoodies, sweats, and mismatched socks ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
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University of California Irvine's PUMP2PLUG Electric Vehicle Adoption Program
- University of California, Irvine (CA)
The UCI Pump2Plug Electric Vehicle (EV) Adoption Program is widely recognized as the first university incentive program for EV adoption through the replacement of gas-powered vehicles with electric vehicles. With ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
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Tackling it Together: A Framework for Assessing Climate Vulnerability in the Pioneer Valley
- Smith College (MA)
In Western Massachusetts, stakeholders are engaging with vulnerability in different ways. While some are planning at the campus and city levels, others have engaged only in areas specific to their ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Publications
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Sustainable Choices
- Chandler-Gilbert Community College (AZ)
Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) is a fast growing community college in a suburb of the Phoenix Metro area. As one of ten colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
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American University Achieved Carbon Neutrality Two Years Ahead of 2020 Target
- American University (DC)
In 2018, American University became the first university, first research university, and first urban higher education campus to achieve carbon neutrality. This major goal was reached two years ahead of ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
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Making Climate Commitments into Climate Action
- University of Illinois Chicago (IL)
The Climate Action Implementation Plan (CAIP) is the sustainability action plan for the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). The UIC Climate Commitments, announced in April 2016, form the basis ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
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UCI Bus Love: UC Irvine’s Transition from a Bio-Diesel to Electric Transit Fleet
- University of California, Irvine (CA)
The University of California, Irvine (UCI) is the first college campus in the nation to transition over to a fully-electric bus fleet. The student-funded-and-operated Anteater Express campus shuttle service has ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Case Studies
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SIMAP: Sustainability Indicator Management and Analysis Platform
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
SIMAP™ is a carbon and nitrogen accounting platform that can track, analyze, and improve your campus-wide sustainability. Our proven algorithms, based on nearly two decades of work supporting campus inventories ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Tools
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Designing a Proxy Carbon Price Strategy for Smith College
- Smith College (MA)
This thesis to Design a Proxy Carbon Price Strategy for Smith College was written to internalize the social cost of carbon emissions into financial decision-making. A proxy carbon price is ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Publications
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SUNY Polytechnic Institute Campus Forest Carbon Inventory Report and Sequestration Estimates
- State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (NY)
This report takes initial measurements for existing SUNY Polytechnic Institute campus forest carbon stocks and estimates projections for annual rates of carbon sequestration. Establishing a baseline for campus forest carbon ...
- Posted May 18, 2018
- Publications
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Towards a universal carbon footprint standard: A case study of carbon management at universities
- University of Southampton
Organisations of all types are significant contributors to international greenhouse gas emissions. The business case for supporting low-carbon practices is gathering pace, alongside the regulatory demands imposed through carbon emission ...
- Posted May 14, 2018
- Publications
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First Application of UN-Toolkit to a Collegiate Climate Action Plan
- San Diego State University (CA)
The United Nations Guiding Principles for Climate Action Planning Toolkit: City-Level Reviews was re-engineered to allow for the applicability and utilization towards university-level climate action plans. Through tailoring the eight ...
- Posted May 11, 2018
- Case Studies
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The Role of Eco-campus Assessment Management System in the Sustainable Development of British Universities
- Nottingham Trent University
The university is a key driver of sustainable development. In the UK, environmental management systems (EMSs) are increasingly being used by organizations to improve environmental performance. Environmental management systems bring ...
- Posted May 10, 2018
- Publications
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Climate Change and the Canadian Higher Education System: An Institutional Policy Analysis
- University of Rochester (NY)
- University of Saskatchewan (SK)
Climate change is a pressing concern. Higher education can address the challenge, but systematic analyses of climate change in education policy are sparse. This paper addresses this gap in the ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Publications
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The Unsustainability of Academic Aeromobility in Australian Universities
- University of Melbourne (Victoria)
This article analyzes how certain forms of unsustainable hypermobility – primarily air travel – are embedded in the institutional orientations of Australian universities, and hence, into the professional practices of academics in ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Publications
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Towards Transformative Social Learning on the Path to 1.5 Degrees
- Wageningen University
- Rhodes University
- University of the Witwatersrand
This paper provides insights into learning orientations and approaches that encourage change and transformation on the path to achieving the 1.5 degree C target. This literature review of the ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Publications
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Ontario Helping Colleges and Universities Fight Climate Change
- Ontario Tech University (ON)
- Upper Canada College (ON)
- Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (ON)
- Sheridan College (Ontario) (ON)
- Niagara College Canada (ON)
- Fairtrade Canada (ON)
Ontario is investing in colleges and university campuses to improve energy efficiency while also fostering student involvement. Ontario is helping fund green projects such as installing energy-efficient windows, high-efficiency boilers ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Purchasing Carbon Offsets 101
- Second Nature (MA)
"Join this webinar for an introduction to purchasing carbon offsets through the voluntary carbon market. The webinar will cover how schools can use verified carbon offsets to meet emissions reduction ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability
- Columbia University (NY)
The Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability is dedicated to the development of a rich, robust and vibrant world within which we can secure a sustainable future. Through a diverse ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Research Centers & Institutes
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Gardening for a Changing Climate
- University of Illinois Chicago (IL)
Thousands of students enjoyed the spring weather as they celebrated Earth Day and the UIC Climate Commitments at the Earth Day fair. This outdoor pop-up event, planned by UIC students ...
- Posted May 8, 2018
- Photographs
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Emory Pollinator Protection Program
- Emory University (GA)
Concerned about the plight of bees and other pollinators, which are essential for two-thirds of the food crops we eat every day, Emory University developed a comprehensive Pollinator Protection Commitment ...
- Posted May 4, 2018
- Case Studies
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Facilitating a World Climate Negotiation Simulation
- University of Massachusetts Lowell (MA)
- AASHE (MA)
The World Climate Simulation has been run with over 35,000 people in nearly 80 countries to enable people to experience the dynamics of the UN climate negotiations. Join this ...
- Posted April 26, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Climate Change and Art: Transparency with Miguel Barros
- Bow Valley College (AB)
To celebrate Earth Day 2018, the BVC Green team, Intercultural Centre, International Education, and Iniikokaan Aboriginal Centre at Bow Valley College partnered to host artist Miguel Barros' work Transparency, depicting ...
- Posted April 26, 2018
- Photographs
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Climate Change Minor
- Cornell University (NY)
Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and dozens of courses at Cornell explore the many facets of a warming world – from impacts on farming ...
- Posted April 12, 2018
- Academic Programs
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Climate Change Minor
- Florida Gulf Coast University (FL)
The Department of Marine and Ecological Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences at Florida Gulf Coast University seeks to maintain a team of engaged professionals from a range ...
- Posted April 12, 2018
- Academic Programs
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Human Dimensions of Climate Change Minor & Certificate
- University of Victoria (BC)
We focus on climate change from the perspectives of all the major disciplines that emphasize the human elements of climate change. This includes psychology, economics, geography, anthropology, law, philosophy, political ...
- Posted April 12, 2018
- Academic Programs
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Climate Dynamics (PhD)
- George Mason University (VA)
The mission of this program is to train the next generation of scientists in climate dynamics and related fields. Through a comprehensive grounding in classwork, our students learn about how ...
- Posted April 12, 2018
- Academic Programs
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Climate Change Certificate
- University of Utah (UT)
As the impacts of climate change become more severe over the coming years and decades, companies, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations will be required to adapt and respond to climate ...
- Posted April 12, 2018
- Academic Programs
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Climate Change & Sustainability
- University of Massachusetts Lowell (MA)
an interdisciplinary minor, under the direction of the UMass Lowell Climate Change Initiative and housed in the Environmental, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department. A student enrolled in this minor will ...
- Posted April 12, 2018
- Academic Programs
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Duke University Carbon Policy on the Road to 2024: Policy Proposals
- Duke University (NC)
The goal of our Bass Connections in Energy Team (henceforth “the Team”) was to research ways to measure and influence both individual and institutional change to reduce Duke University’s ...
- Posted April 11, 2018
- Publications
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Planning for Campus-Community Resilience to Climate Change in Champaign-Urbana
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)
This literature study involves a two-prong analysis. The first part (Chapter 2) will involve review of literature, reports, websites of organizations who are involved in sustainability and resilience planning. The ...
- Posted April 11, 2018
- Publications
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Building a Carbon Footprint of Clemson University's Main Campus
- Clemson University (SC)
Greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories have become a popular means for colleges and universities to better understand their environmental impact and quantify sustainability efforts. Clemson University is one of the many ...
- Posted April 6, 2018
- Publications
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Example RFP and Scorecard for Procurement/Advisory Services for Large Scale Renewable Energy
- AASHE (MA)
This is an example RFP for a professional services firm to provide renewable energy procurement services that include the development and execution of an integrated strategy to procure renewable energy ...
- Posted April 6, 2018
- Tools
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Taking Action to Mitigate Climate Change on Campus and Beyond
- Colby College (ME)
- University of Minnesota, Morris (MN)
- Clean Air-Cool Planet (NH)
- AASHE (MA)
- Energy Action Coalition
"Scientific instruments showed that the gas had reached an average daily level above 400 parts per million — just an odometer moment in one sense, but also a sobering reminder that ...
- Posted April 3, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Enhancing Sustainability and Climate Focused Curricula with AMS Climate Studies
- Coppin State University (MD)
- Second Nature (MA)
- AASHE (MA)
- American Meteorological Society (DC)
The intention of this webinar is to highlight the important of studying climate science and global change topics and working toward a climate literate society. Presenters will inform participants about ...
- Posted March 29, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.
All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.
OP 1: Emissions Inventory & Disclosure
- Description of the methodology and/or tool used to complete the GHG emissions inventory
- GHG emissions inventory (upload)
- Brief description of the GHG inventory verification process
- Brief description of the methodology for completing an air emissions inventory
OP 2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user, performance year
- Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year
- A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives
- Website URL where information about the institution's GHG emissions is available
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.