How close are we?
Sonoma State Carbon Baseline
With the signing of the Climate Commitment on April 5th, Sonoma State is setting a goal for carbon neutrality! We’re on our way!
But how far do we have to go? Carbon neutrality means no net release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. If we release any carbon dioxide, we need to figure out how to take out an equal amount of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere someplace else.
So the first question is "how much carbon do we produce right now?" Students in Geography, Environment and Planning (GEP 373) are partnering with SSU facilities to calculate the first estimates of SSU's carbon footprint. They gather energy usage and natural gas emission readings from buildings all over campus, and calculate carbon equivalents of the energy used.
Dr. Daniel Soto, faculty in GEP, has been guiding his classes to participate the in the Carbon and Energy Use Project for several semesters. "The students are producing a glimpse of our effects on the planet while they gain marketable skills in sustainability," he says. Dr. Soto and students are helping Sonoma State hit the ground running as we launch planning for carbon neutrality.
Get Involved
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Contact Daniel Soto (sotod@sonoma.edu) if you’d like to take part in the Carbon and Energy Use Project
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Find out more about the President's Climate Leadership Commitment at Second Nature