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A New Approach to Offsetting: The College of William and Mary Offset Program

A New Approach to Offsetting: The College of William and Mary Offset Program. Max Cunningham (2013) Dr. John Swaddle. The College of William and Mary. Suburban Williamsburg, VA About 5,800 undergraduate students Public University. Sustainability Initiative.

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A New Approach to Offsetting: The College of William and Mary Offset Program

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  1. A New Approach to Offsetting:The College of William and Mary Offset Program Max Cunningham (2013) Dr. John Swaddle

  2. The College of William and Mary • Suburban Williamsburg, VA • About 5,800 undergraduate students • Public University

  3. Sustainability Initiative • Sustainability has grown within the last four years • Committee on Sustainability • Improving transportation sustainability • Carpooling • Public transit usage • Offsetting?

  4. Carbon Offset Defined • Compensating for personal emissions • Example: Flight from Richmond, VA to Singapore • Direct Flight: 7,600 lbs of CO2 • To offset: contribute to a carbon reducing project • A town in Kansas replaces its coal plant with wind energy

  5. Carbon Offset Companies • Offset companies identify carbon reducing projects • For profit • Prefer big donors as official partners • Less than transparent • Unclear how donated money is spent

  6. The W&M Solution • Launch our own W&M Offset Program • 100% of money goes toward energy reduction projects on campus • Give full transparency to donors

  7. The W&M Solution Cont. • Program design: • Identify carbon-reducing projects on campus • Example: HVAC renovations • Members of W&M community offset their activities by contributing to W&M improvements

  8. Examples

  9. Current Status • Experimental stage • Results pending • Advertisement and promotion • Eventual broader participation

  10. Web of Interaction Alumni Board of Visitors Conferences Admissions Study Abroad Commuters Athletics

  11. Implications • Ease of implementation • Economic setting • Put carbon offsetting on a local level • Sustainability reaching a new audience • Drive towards carbon neutrality • Education

  12. Acknowledgements • Funding • William and Mary Committee on Sustainability • Collaborators • Dan Patterson, Energy Manager • SarahHanke, Sustainability Fellow • Development • IT • Creative Services • Study Abroad • Admissions • Alumni Association • Facilities Management • If you want to offset: http://offset.wm.edu/

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