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
Opening Keynote - David Orr
- Oberlin College (OH)
A long time leader in the sustainability field, Mr. Orr is the author of seven books, including Down to the Wire: Confronting Climate Collapse and Earth in Mind: On Education ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Stanford reduces emissions by 68% in 2015
- Stanford University (CA)
In late 2011, Stanford's Board of Trustees approved the investment in SESI, of which a key component is a replacement Central Energy Facility for heat recovery, to meet the ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus Carbon Offset Initiatives in Action
- Sterling Planet, Inc. (GA)
Colleges and Universities can reduce the impact of direct greenhouse gas emissions and achieve marketing value through study abroad and campus parking carbon offset programs. These innovative programs allow students ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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COP21 : Making the Most Out of Your Trip to Paris in December
- University of Connecticut (CT)
If you're planning to send a team of students, faculty, and/or sustainability staff to COP21 this December, please join us to share information about schedules, including educational and ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Taxing Campus Air Travel to Create a Climate Action Fund
- Southern Oregon University (OR)
As carbon neutrality deadlines loom on the horizon, many universities are scrambling to find ways to reduce emissions to meet our goals. Reducing our carbon footprint can be difficult as ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Beyond Carbon Offsetting: Making PLU Study Abroad Carbon Conscious
- Pacific Lutheran University (WA)
- Living Routes, Inc. (MA)
Universities are key leverage points in developing and implementing positive responses to climate change. Students must understand the basic science and need practical ways to implement changes in their own ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Moving beyond carbon: A nitrogen footprint model for universities
- University of Virginia (VA)
Nitrogen footprints connect entities, such as individuals or universities, with the reactive nitrogen (all species of nitrogen except N2) lost to the environment as a result of their activities. While ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Toward Carbon Neutrality: Université Laval’s voluntary GHG offset program
- Université Laval (QC)
Université Laval in Québec City is the oldest French-language university in North America. UL has some 45,000 students and 10,000 employees, offers over 400 programs, and is one ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Kentucky College & University Carbon Consortium
- University of Louisville (KY)
- Western Kentucky University (KY)
Beginning in 2009, in celebration of the annual America Recycles Day event, college campuses across the nation began informally competing on the self-reporting website Recordsetter for “largest cardboard box fort ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Climate Adaptation & Resiliency in Colgate’s 2013 Campus Master Plan
- Colgate University (NY)
Changing weather patterns due to climate change are beginning to have profound impacts on campus operations and budgets while also disrupting the academic mission, study behaviors, and overall quality of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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MomentUs: Building a Movement on Campus for Climate Solutions
- Millersville University (PA)
- ecoAmerica (DC)
Empowered by collective action on our campuses and throughout our communities, we can build momentum to align the myriad of climate change solutions and exponentially increase our effectiveness. Together, we ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus resilience - Climate-ready landscape evaluation
- Loyola University Chicago (IL)
In the summer of 2013, four interns piloted a new tool to evaluate campus landscapes for their sensitivity to climate change and provided recommendations to the land owners. Led by ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Should Higher Education Go Carbon Neutral?: A Look at Forest Carbon
- Clarkson University (NY)
Nearly 700 signatories to the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) have voluntarily committed to taking measurable steps towards climate neutrality. For a college or university to achieve ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Saving $370 Million while Reducing Emissions by 35%
- University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
In 2014, the President of the University of Maryland announced several new initiatives that will allow the university to save money while reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. These ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Voluntary Sustainability Agreements as a Transition Niche
- Chatham University (PA)
The lack of climate change leadership across many government levels in the United States has left a gap in the work of low-carbon transition for sustainability. Recognizing the importance and ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Seeing the Carbon for the Trees: Offsetting Air Travel Through Avoided Deforestation in Costa Rica
- American University (DC)
- Pax Natura Foundation (UT)
Achieving carbon neutrality requires reducing emissions at the source through efficiency and reduced consumption, while switching to clean, renewable sources of energy. Not only are these reductions technically feasible within ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Carbon-Reduction Efficacy Analysis of Transportation Alternatives: How to Prioritize Initiatives and Influence the Administration
- California State University, East Bay (CA)
- Salt Lake Community College (UT)
California climate change legislation has increased the urgency for the state’s educational institutions to identify the most effective carbon-reduction strategies from their largest source of indirect carbon emissions – student ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Alliance for Resilient Campuses (ARC): Campus, Community, and Corporate Partnership for Climate Adaption and Resilience
- Second Nature (MA)
- Van Ness Feldman (DC)
Addressing climate-related risks and the need for corresponding adaptation strategies is both a necessary and strategic priority for institutions of higher education in the 21st century. Colleges and universities face ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Elephant in the Room: Confronting Your Embodied Emissions
- Portland State University (OR)
Colleges and universities across the country are measuring their carbon footprint and taking steps to reduce it. Climate action plans call for energy efficiency upgrades, waste reduction, fuel efficient fleets ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Social Experiment of Voluntary Carbon Offsets at App State
- Appalachian State University (NC)
By the time the 2014 AASHE Conference opens in Portland Oregon is fall, Appalachian State will have, for the first time, made the voluntary purchase of carbon offsets a web-click ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Engaging students in Years of Living Dangerously
- National Wildlife Federation (VA)
The YEARS OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY is a journey into the eye of the storm, as Hollywood’s brightest stars and today’s most respected journalists explore the issues of climate ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Parcel by Parcel Towards a More Refined Carbon Emissions Estimation for Livermore, CA
- University of California, Merced (CA)
Carbon accounting has become imperative in instituting regulations, developing major policies, and in expanding urban metabolism research. For years, city agencies have reported carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions across large ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Passport to carbon neutrality: study abroad and voluntary offsets
- University of Denver (CO)
The University of Denver is uniquely situated near a thriving downtown and in the shadow of the stunning peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Studying abroad enhances and shapes the undergraduate ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Payment for Ecosystem Services for Carbon Sequestration in Haiti: Offsetting University Air Travel Emission to Meet Sustainability Goals
- Sewanee - The University of the South (TN)
This case study explores the institutional dimension of a university program taking climate action at the community level, with a goal to contribute to sustainable development in Haiti, while building ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Engaging Students in Climate Research with High Altitude Stratospheric Balloons
- Trevecca Nazarene University (TN)
For the last four years, Trevecca Nazarene University has been using small-scale high altitude balloon flights to engage students in climate research and raise awareness of that research within the ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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State of the Campus Sustainability: Campus Carbon Calculator
- Clean Air-Cool Planet (NH)
Over the past decade, college and universities have often been at the forefront of action and leadership on the issue of climate change. They have convened teams of environmental advocates ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Learning Adaptation through Real-Life Examples in AMS Climate Studies
- American Meteorological Society (DC)
Climate science literacy is not just about how people affect the climate, but how climate affects people; namely how people adapt to become more resilient. These are key ideas embedded ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Preparing for the Impacts of Climate Change
- Harvard University (MA)
Preparedness framing aligns public action on climate change with core community values (protecting our families, protecting our homes, protecting our communities. Robustness protects from damage. Resilience is recovering from damage.
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Beyond Carbon Offsetting: Making a Sustainable Living Class Carbon Conscious
- Living Routes, Inc. (MA)
This Case Study will report on how a university class measured and managed its carbon footprint in a way that directly supported campus sustainability projects. It’s clear that climate ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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ASU Carbon Neutrality: Go BIG or Watch Everyone Else Pass You By - Campus Energy Efficiency at Scale
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- Rocky Mountain Institute (CO)
Universities and Colleges are leading the way toward a carbon neutral future for all of us. Arizona State University is an inspirational example of a campus on the frontlines of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Climate Adaptation – The Role of Higher Education Institutions
- Florida International University (FL)
- Stanford University (CA)
- University of San Francisco (CA)
- Arup (NY)
As global action languishes, institutions of higher education are beginning to ask questions. If the global community is successful in greenhouse gas mitigation, there will still be changes in climate ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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On-site Power Purchase Agreements 101: What you really need to know
- Yale University (CT)
- Community Energy, Inc. (PA)
- Second Nature (MA)
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (DC)
In an effort to address climate change universities across the nation have made formal commitments and set targets to reduce campus greenhouse gas emissions. They are now grappling with how ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Framework for Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Leadership
- Second Nature (MA)
- U.S. Green Building Council (DC)
- AASHE (MA)
With an eye to the future, AASHE, the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council and Second Nature will share their vision for resilient and sustainable ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Passive Strategies: The Common Sense Approach to Energy Reduction
- Lipscomb University (TN)
- Lake Flato Architects (TX)
The path to Carbon Neutrality or Net Zero starts with intelligent passive strategies that reduce loads and minimize a building’s reliance on carbon based energy before active strategies and ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Roadmap to Resilience: Assessing Tools and Strategies for Climate Preparedness on Campus
- Second Nature (MA)
- Clean Air-Cool Planet (NH)
While campuses have made great strides in mitigating dangerous greenhouse gas emissions, the climate is changing in a way which will require alterted strategies for building, maintenence, investment, teaching and ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainable Spelman: HBCU Climate Action Planning
- Spelman College (GA)
- O'Brien & Gere (NY)
The Vision of a Sustainable Spelman requires all of us to adopt an ethic of conservation. In January of 2013, Spelman College completed its Climate Action Plan (CAP) and submitted ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Off-site Power Purchase Agreements: How Long-term Contracts Can Reduce Emissions and Energy Costs
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (DC)
- ERG Consulting Firm (MA)
Colleges and universities are committing to aggressive emission reduction goals as part of their efforts to reduce their carbon footprints and meet their commitments under the ACUPCC. Electricity use commonly ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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New Funding Sources to Drive Campus Clean Energy/GHG Leadership and Innovation
- Ball State University (IN)
- Valencia College (FL)
This workshop introduces an entirely new funding source for colleges dedicated to pursuing aggressive clean energy efficiency goals: the voluntary carbon market. With announcements poised to be made at the ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Leveraging Community Partnerships to Enhance Climate Resiliency
- Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (MA)
- Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (DC)
Recent extreme storm events and new studies in climate science have brought to light the need to both prepare for a changing climate and to maintain strong relationships with host ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Cap-and-Trade Model for RIT Commuters
- Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)
As climate change awareness grows, several U.S. colleges and universities are tracking their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and have signed the American and University Presidents Climate Commitment (AUPCC), pledging ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Managing Campus Forests to Meet Carbon Neutrality Goals at Colgate University
- Colgate University (NY)
Deforestation, land use changes and poor land management practices are major contributors to global climate change. Alternatively, sustainable forest management and conservation of open lands must be an important part ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Opportunities for Wind and Solar Technology Education: Stabilize Energy Costs
- MV Green Power LLC (TX)
The presenters will also describe methods of incorporating the latest information on renewable energy technologies, solar and wind, into college course curricula. We also discuss ways of integrating these renewable ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Climate Adaptation in the West: Audits, Assessments, and Strategic Planning to Achieve Action
- University of Denver (CO)
Colorado and many western states face hotter and likely drier futures. Acknowledging the need for resilience, students and staff at the University of Denver embarked on an expansive environmental assessment ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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University’s Role in Building Resilient Businesses and Communities – The Case of the University of South Florida
- University of South Florida (Tampa) (FL)
Disaster management professionals are at a critical point in history, when their decisions and actions will either have long‐lasting damaging effects within their communities, or make substantial contributions towards ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Warren Wilson College Campus Tree Inventory and Carbon Sequestration/Storage Analysis
- Warren Wilson College (NC)
In a partnership with the North Carolina Forest Service Warren Wilson College Landscaping Crew students and staff conducted an assessment of the vegetation composition, function, and value of the urban ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Emergent Beauty: A Tapestry of Student Engagement and Climate Change Interwoven Through Community Art
- Appalachian State University (NC)
What happens when a community of students, faculty, and local citizens weave their voices together through the arts? Grounded in the diversity of each individual’s gift, a vibrant, living ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Teaching Module on Climate Change for the Introductory Business Course
- Dickinson College (PA)
Business managers are increasingly engaged with climate change issues, but pedagogy on climate change in the business curriculum is in the early stages of development. This session addresses the need ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Factoring Supply Chain into Scope 3 GHG Reporting
- Emory University (GA)
Thanks to a push from large corporations such as Wal-Mart, many corporations are tracking the greenhouse gas emissions of their supply chain. Knowledge of your supply chain is essential for ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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YERT 2.0: The Environmental Road Trip Continues
- Media Changing Media LLC (PA)
Building off of themes and stories covered in their 2012 award-winning, sustainable-solutions eco-docu-comedy “YERT: Your Environmental Road Trip,” with YERT 2.0 the YERT team is exploring through several film ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Making College and University Green Space More Resilient to Climate Change – Gardens, Landscaping, Habitat Restoration, and More
- National Wildlife Federation (VA)
Colleges and universities are more than a collection of buildings and paved roads. Many campuses have a tree-lined quad or other park-like areas. Wilder corners on campus protect wetlands, woods ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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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.