Nation’s First College to be Carbon Neutral Supports Truck Stop Electrification Project
Ivan Chan on September 29th, 2009
College of the Atlantic, the first college known to become carbon neutral, is now offsetting its emissions through Carbonfund.org and supporting the truck stop electrification project. Available in over 30 states around the country, the project enables long-haul truck drivers such as those carrying freight across states to avoid idling their engines for power and for heat/air conditioning. Drivers can instead get connected to equipment at truck stops to, for example, power and heat their cabs, which can save about a gallon of diesel an hour and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) and other tailpipe emissions.
“Colleges and universities are uniquely positioned to demonstrate that acting wisely to address the challenge of climate change is both the right thing to do as well as the smart thing to do. Higher education has a fundamental responsibility to move beyond business as usual, and set an example for our students and for society. Inaction in the face of the indisputable knowledge we have about a future dominated by the consequences of climate change would be inconsistent with our values and our mission.” said David Hales, president of the College.
COA, which became carbon neutral in Dec. 2007 following a pledge to be the first, is a member of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) program. The College recently filed its Climate Action Plan with the program, detailing further steps to reduce carbon emissions. Already, the College has taken steps to reduce its carbon footprint, including:
- a comprehensive energy audit and energy efficiency improvements to campus buildings.
- using renewable electricity
- opening six energy-efficient student residences in August 2008
- using heavy insulation for campus buildings (the College is in Maine after all!)
- heating buildings with renewable wood pellets and using water-saving toilets
The college is also looking into heating buildings with biomass fuel.
Carbonfund.org is excited to work with College of the Atlantic in continuing to achieve its carbon neutrality goals!
Learn more about the truck stop electrification project here. Carbonfund.org is also a proud member of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
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