This January, the Faculty Senate Ad Hoc Committee on the OSU Carbon Commitment and the Sustainability Office will host a climate forum to discuss OSU’s carbon neutral commitment, what progress has been made towards this goal, and what action still needs to be taken to reduce the university’s carbon footprint. Four key speakers will report on these efforts: Provost Ed Feser, Faculty Senate President-elect Selina Heppell, Sustainability Officer Brandon Trelstad, and ASOSU Coordinator of Environmental Affairs Grace Doleschel.
When: January 12, 10 – 11:00 A.M.
Click below to register for this important climate forum!
What is the Carbon Commitment?
In 2009, OSU President Ed Ray made a commitment to be carbon neutral by 2025. This commitment has led to a variety of carbon mitigation accomplishments, including the addition of 21 electric vehicle chargers, refined building, heating, and cooling controls, large scale solar installations, and construction of the OSU Energy Center. Despite these efforts, much deeper investments must be made. Without greater commitment, OSU will miss the 2025 goal.
Have we made any progress?
Yes, progress has been made towards reducing our carbon emissions, even with growing numbers of students, faculty, staff, and buildings. OSU has implemented a variety of sustainable development requirements, has invested in carbon offsets for university-funded travel, has invested over $1 million in lighting efficiency upgrades, and much more. Unfortunately, there have been inconsistent financing mechanisms, which has made it difficult for OSU to make these goals a reality.
What are our next steps?
OSU is in a good position to make systemic changes, but we must scale up significantly and invest more money in climate solutions! We need partnerships and support from other colleges and divisions. Make sure to attend the forum to hear more about our next steps and learn how you and your department can contribute.
If you are unable to attend, the Sustainability Office will post a summary with more details following the event.
CATEGORIES: Campus Sustainability Climate Action Plan Energy Events and Outreach Uncategorized