Proposal: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory at St. Mary’s College of Maryland

Abstract

In order to see progress towards climate neutrality, and sustainability in general, a baseline measure of campus emissions must exist. The goal of this project was to build a foundation for this baseline measurement by augmenting St. Mary’s College’s current efforts to quantify greenhouse gas emissions with other institutions' metrics and practices such that St. Mary’s College could eventually publish its own greenhouse gas emissions inventory report. This would have many benefits for the college including more targeted efforts to reduce environmental impact, increased financial savings, an engaged student body with an expanded educational experience, and increased value of the institution as a whole. After summarizing current efforts at St. Mary’s College and reviewing other institutions' greenhouse gas emissions inventories, I developed a list of emissions metrics that should be used at St. Mary’s College, as well as the sources, or likely sources, of those data. Further, I outline a system of reporting these data that incorporates individuals across campus, including students, faculty, and staff, into a relatively effortless and highly educational collaborative process of updating the emissions inventory. While this project was limited by time, the next step is clear: contact and organize the various individuals (outlined in this proposal) necessary for data collection. Successfully doing so initiates the process of annual reporting necessary for a greenhouse gas emissions inventory at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.