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.

1187 resources

Building Standards at the University of Michigan: A Report Developed for and Supported by the U-M President's Commission on Carbon Neutrality

  • University of Michigan (MI)

This report was compiled during the academic year of 2019-2020 for the University of Michigan President's Commission on Carbon Neutrality by the Building Standards Internal Analysis Team. The Building ...

  • Posted Nov. 17, 2021
  • Publications
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Commuting at the University of Michigan: A Report Developed for and Supported by the U-M President's Commission on Carbon Neutrality

  • University of Michigan (MI)

This report was compiled during the academic year of 2019-2020 for the University of Michigan (U-M) President's Commission on Carbon Neutrality by the Commuting Internal Analysis Team. Through its ...

  • Posted Nov. 17, 2021
  • Publications
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Energy Consumption Policies at the University of Michigan: A Report Developed for and Supported by the U-M President's Commission on Carbon Neutrality

  • University of Michigan (MI)

This report was compiled during the academic year of 2019-2020 for the University of Michigan (U-M) President's Commission on Carbon Neutrality by the Energy Consumption Policies Internal Analysis Team ...

  • Posted Nov. 17, 2021
  • Publications
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Food at the University of Michigan: A Report Developed for and Supported by the U-M President's Commission on Carbon Neutrality

  • University of Michigan (MI)

This report was compiled during the academic year of 2019-2020 for the University of Michigan (U-M) President's Commission on Carbon Neutrality by the Food Internal Analysis Team. Through its ...

  • Posted Nov. 17, 2021
  • Publications
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University-Sponsored Travel at the University of Michigan: A Report Developed for and Supported by the U-M President's Commission on Carbon Neutrality

  • University of Michigan (MI)

This report was compiled during the academic year of 2019-2020 for the University of Michigan (U-M) President's Commission on Carbon Neutrality by the University-Sponsored Travel Internal Analysis Team. The ...

  • Posted Nov. 17, 2021
  • Publications
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Final Report and Recommendations, U-M President's Commission on Carbon Neutrality

  • University of Michigan (MI)

The President's Commission on Carbon Neutrality, charged with recommending scalable, transferable, and financially responsible strategies for U-M to achieve net-zero emissions, recently submitted its final report and recommendations to ...

  • Posted Nov. 16, 2021
  • Publications
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Healthier building materials and equity: the upstream and downstream impacts of material choices

  • Williams College (MA)
  • Integrated Eco Strategy

Materials used in current building construction often contain chemicals that at best have not been tested for human health impacts and at worst are actively harmful to human health. While ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Networking to collaborate with UC-CSU NXTerra: California's new Climate Emergency Teaching Tool

  • University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)

Presenters Dr. John Foran and Richard Widick will introduce UC-CSU NXTerra and discuss our strategies for scaling up the urgency of climate change education. NXTerra is an interdisciplinary network collaboration ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Accelerating Higher Education's Role in Meeting Global Decarbonization Targets

  • Second Nature (MA)
  • Environmental Association for Universities & Colleges (EAUC) (Gloucestershire)
  • United Nations Environment Programme

The Paris Agreement establishes a framework for keeping global temperature rise below 1.5 - 2 degrees C. While much of the focus has been on the parties to the Agreement ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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How We Became Carbon Neutral Certified: Charles Sturt University and University of Tasmania

  • University of Tasmania (TAS)

Climate change remains one of the single greatest environmental and social challenges we face. Tertiary education organizations can take positive action and be part of the global response that is ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Advancing Operational Climate Action During COVID-19: Perspectives from Global Research Universities

  • Arizona State University (AZ)
  • University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
  • University of British Columbia (BC)
  • Second Nature (MA)

The coronavirus pandemic has effected us all - changing the way our university campuses currently operate and will operate well into the future. And while universities continue to respond to the ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Measuring Campus, Climate Anxiety and Ideas for Coping Beyond the Classroom

  • University of Vermont (VT)

We're all surrounded by students from what's been dubbed the 'climate generation' (a group that is particularly attuned to the threat and inequity of climate change) as well ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Climate Action Workshop, Using Climate Interactive's En-Roads Model

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell (MA)
  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)

Come to the Climate Action Workshop and create a scenario to address global climate change with known technologies and policies. You will be immersed in the challenge and opportunity of ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Using Building Science and Technology to Deliver Equitable Indoor Air Quality

  • Duquesne University (PA)
  • AUROS Group (PA)

The data is clear. Building occupants directly benefit from high indoor air quality in both 1) improved health and 2) improved performance. This lightening talk will not only empirically support ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Your Values at Work - How YOU Can Drive Corporate Action on Climate Change

  • Environmental Defense Fund (DC)

Young people today are increasingly aligning their lifestyles and career choices with their values, especially when it comes to sustainability. With their futures ahead of them, students and young professionals ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Mobilizing to VOTE: Climate 2020

  • Our Climate (OR)

Our Climate's workshop will highlight our voter registration and Get Out The Vote campaign. Young people are the largest voting bloc in this country, we can have a tremendous ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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The Roadmap to Zero: Decarbonizing Swarthmore's Energy Systems

  • Swarthmore College (PA)

Climate change poses a grave threat to human health, safety, and well-being. Building on Swarthmore's mission to educate for the common good, the College seeks to model the transformation ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
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Beyond Campus Boundaries: Transferring your Skills to Support Climate Action in Local Government

  • Hampshire College (MA)
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
  • University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (MA)

The climate crisis and lack of national-level action has left many of us feeling like we need to do more - both on campus and beyond. As students, staff, and faculty ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Lots of Watts: Four Campuses Join Forces to Build a Giant Solar Farm

  • Dickinson College (PA)
  • Lafayette College (PA)
  • Lehigh University (PA)
  • Muhlenberg College (PA)
  • Coho Climate Advisors (MD)

Large-scale renewable energy power purchase agreements can eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from purchased electricity, while saving money and mitigating energy price risk over time. However, most campuses are too small ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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The Offset Network: Campus-driven Carbon Offset Projects

  • Duke University (NC)
  • Hamilton College-Clinton.NY (NY)
  • Second Nature (MA)

Most campuses need to use some amount of carbon offsets to meet climate goals. However, few options through traditional carbon markets are affordable and provide the local co-benefits and connection ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Applied Sustainability: Leadership Lessons From the Field

  • Ohio University (OH)
  • University of Oregon (OR)
  • Local Government Commission (CA)

In order to empower leaders and build momentum for the sustainability movement, we need to embrace the full leadership pathway before, during and after the higher education experience. While much ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Using Hand-crafts to Engage a Campus on the Climate Crisis: 50 Years of Tempestries & a Sketch-crawl

  • University of California, Davis (CA)

For the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in April 2020, the UC Davis Office of Sustainability coordinated a master list and website (https://earthday.ucdavis.edu/) of more than 60 ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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2 Universities, 1 Climate Goal

  • College of William & Mary (VA)
  • University of Virginia (VA)

William & Mary and the University of Virginia jointly announced a carbon neutrality date of 2030 along with a climate action partnership between the two. Choosing to collaborate, each university ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Implementing the Renewable Energy Rider Program

  • University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)

In 2020, the University of Wisconsin-Madison partnered with its electric utility, Madison Gas and Electric (MGE), to invest in a 10 megawatt (MW) solar development through the Renewable Energy Rider ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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New Ways to Love a Tree

  • Hope College (MI)

The tree outside your window is providing ecological, economic, and health benefits that most folks take for granted. As urban development continues to replace natural forests at a rapid pace ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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The Post Carbon Neutrality Story: A Student Perspective on how to Pursue Meaningful Peer Engagement

  • Colgate University (NY)

In 2019, Colgate University became the first university in New York, and one of the first in the country, to achieve carbon neutrality. While the road to carbon neutrality was ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
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Building Campus-Community Relationships and Resilience

  • Bemidji State University (MN)
  • Precipitate, PLLC (MN)

Located in Northern Minnesota, Bemidji State University (BSU) operates within a dispersed, rural, and diverse community. Bemidji State staff and faculty will be joined by planning consultant Precipitate to share ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
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GHG's and EIS: Automating the Greenhouse Gas Inventory Process

  • California State University, Northridge (CA)

Universities nationwide have made impressive commitments to reduce emissions of the greenhouse gases that drive climate change. This has led to a variety of emission-tracking tools and methodologies, ranging widely ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Visualizing Climate Change/Justice in 2020 Political Campaigns: Deep Democracy or Greenwashing

  • Maryville College (TN)

Environmental issue salience in the 2020 election cycle is the highest in two generations. How are candidates presenting their sustainability and climate justice records to prospective voters? Campaign branding, print ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
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Leverage Your Renewable Energy Impact Through Avoided Emissions Power Purchase Agreement Strategies

  • Boston University (MA)
  • Washington University in St. Louis (MO)
  • Edison Energy (CA)

Renewable energy procurement is a critical strategy for reducing an institution's greenhouse gas emissions, however not all renewable energy projects avoid the same amount of GHG emissions per kWh ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
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Planning and Progress Toward Carbon Neutrality, Year Two

  • University of Dayton (OH)
  • Rocky Mountain Institute (CO)

Despite widespread commitments to carbon neutrality, few campuses have published feasibility studies on these programs. Especially important to the climate impact of these goals is challenging assumptions around issues of ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
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Don't Be a Maverick: Opportunities for Cost-Sharing Air Travel Offsets

  • Arizona State University (AZ)
  • Second Nature (MA)

In 2019, Arizona State University, Carbonfund.org and Second Nature began a partnership with the goal of convening and organizing institutions interested in: -Cost-sharing carbon offset purchases with airlines -Developing ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
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Renewable Energy Procurement: Strategy Development and Stakeholder Engagement

  • University of Dayton (OH)
  • Edison Energy (CA)
  • Stillwater Creek Solutions (OH)

The purpose of this session is to help institutions of higher education develop and execute on renewable energy strategies through offsite and onsite renewable energy procurement. Hear how the University ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
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Engage Your Climate Action Toolbox: Renewable Energy, Carbon Offsets and Renewable Natural Gas

  • University of California, Office of the President (CA)
  • Center for Resource Solutions | Green-e (CA)

The clock is ticking to greatly reduce carbon emissions to avoid the worst of a climate catastrophe. These negative impacts will affect everyone, not just those who are emitting the ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Navigating Options for Scaling-Up Campus Renewables: PPAs, Onsite, Offsite, Leases, & More

  • Loyola University Chicago (IL)
  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (WI)
  • University of Wisconsin-Parkside (WI)
  • University of Wisconsin-Platteville (WI)
  • Coho Climate Advisors (MD)

The renewable energy marketplace is opaque and complex. Onsite solar, community solar, offsite wind and solar, direct ownership, lease, utility partnerships, third party PPAs? What's legal? What's prohibited ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Middlebury College Shifts Toward all Renewable Energy with Innovative farm to fuel Partnership

  • Middlebury College (VT)
  • Vanguard Renewables (MA)
  • Vermont Gas Systems (VT)

Middlebury College will significantly reduce its carbon footprint and move toward meeting its Energy2028 goal of 100% renewable energy, thanks to an innovative partnership with Goodrich Family Farm in Salisbury ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Are Campuses Making Progress on Their Climate Goals?

  • University of New Hampshire (NH)
  • Second Nature (MA)
  • Coho Climate Advisors (MD)
  • Brailsford & Dunlavey (DC)

The University of New Hampshire Sustainability Institute's 'Sustainability Indicator Management & Analysis Platform' (SIMAP) has greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory data from nearly 500 campuses. Working with Brailsford & Dulnavey ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
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Innovative Pedagogies for Climate Change Education across the University of Michigan

  • University of Michigan (MI)

A growing body of research is examining climate change education, in part due to the urgent need for educational programs to prepare the next generation of students to help lead ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
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GeoX - Lowering carbon through ground source heat pump technology at Colorado State

  • Colorado State University (CO)

Colorado State University, in Fort Collins, CO has undertaken its first project to employ geothermal energy, also called ground source heat pump or geoexchange system. This CSU project, dubbed GeoX ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
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Power Dialogs: Coordinated Civic Education on Climate Solutions and Justice

  • Bard College (NY)

Power Dialogs are a tool to mobilize educators across the planet to provide young people with realistic optimism that for fundamental economic reasons, the world is heading towards an energy ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
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Come Help Shape the Sustainability Strategy of the Largest Higher Ed System in the Nation

  • San Mateo County Community College District Office (CA)

In May of 2019 the largest post secondary system in the nation unveiled a new Climate Action and Sustainability Policy. Some might consider this policy to be advanced, others may ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Envisioning the Role of Higher Education in the Climate Crisis

  • Swarthmore College (PA)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania (PA)

This networking session will focus on building connections between practitioners at various institutions working towards cultural transformation and paradigm shifts in response to the climate crisis. We are interested in ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
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Solve Climate Worldwide Teach-in / 3.30.22 / Engage 1 Million Students

  • Bard College (NY)
  • AASHE (PA)

Another summer of record-breaking heatwaves, droughts, fires and floods has shown us how fast climate change impacts are hitting. As educators, there is nothing more important than engaging students across ...

  • Posted Nov. 3, 2021
  • Videos & Webinars
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Climate Action Plan

  • University of Central Florida (FL)

In order of magnitude, UCF's main sources of emissions are: buildings, transportation, waste, and natural resources management. The long-term plan to lessen the university's environmental footprint focuses of ...


Climate Action Plan Update

  • New Mexico State University (NM)

The American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) is a highvisibility effort to address global climate disruption undertaken by a network of colleges and universities that have made institutional ...


Climate Action Plan

  • Seattle University (WA)

This Climate Action Plan (CAP) is intended to guide Seattle University in furthering its commitment to sustainability and to addressing climate change. The university envisions a campus community in which ...


Climate Action Plan

  • Portland State University (OR)

At the start of the CAP planning process, the Campus Sustainability Office (CSO) took a leadership role in drafting the Plan, including gathering data, setting goals and targets, and identifying ...


Climate Action Plan

  • University of California, San Diego (CA)

In 2008, UC San Diego developed its first campus Climate Action Plan (CAP) for implementing the University’s climate strategy to meet State and UC climate policies and objectives. Specifically ...


Climate Action Plan

  • Carleton College (MN)

Carleton’s Climate Action Plan presents a practical approach that reflects Carleton’s current planning environment, ranging from the good fortune of our upcoming alumnisponsored wind turbine to realistic challenges ...


Climate Action Vision 2019

  • Barnard College (NY)

This vision is the product of a collaborative, communitywide effort. During the 2017-2018 academic year, the College hosted a “Campus Conversation” workshop series in which faculty, staff, and students worked ...

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

OP 2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.

Air & Climate Partners