Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Carbon emissions audit completed
By Kiel McLaughlin
The Towerlight, Towson U.
October 23, 2008

Each Towson student produces 4.37 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year on average. This is equivalent to 1.5 tons of waste.

As part of the American College and University President's Climate Commitment that Towson President Robert Caret signed last fall, the University was required to complete a full audit of greenhouse gas emissions on campus. Towson hired Aramark to collect and organize the data. The completed audit was released last week.

The majority of emissions produced on campus comes from the heating and cooling of buildings according to Steve Showers, associate vice president for facilities management, who chairs the climate committee responsible for completing the requirements of the ACUPCC. Nearly 70 percent of all emissions come from heating and cooling programs totaling more than 46,000 metric tons.

"We have done the inventory and now we get to work toward the action plan. That's due in 2010 to get the action plan together," Showers said. "The new [College of Liberal Arts complex] will help because it's built to get LEED silver certification. It will make our campus more efficient."

Showers said the committee is also looking into a campus-wide energy management system to better control the emissions through heating and cooling. There are energy management systems in individual buildings, he said.

The second largest contributor to the campus' emissions totals comes from transportation output. As a commuter institution, Towson students drive to campus and utilize public transportation services from York Road to the Towson Center.

Showers said the committee would have guidelines for how students can reduce their carbon outputs on the Towson Web site. These include the recycling bins put out around campus in residence halls and academic buildings.

"Sometimes it's just turning out lights or when you go home for the weekend, turning down the heat. All of those things make a difference," Showers said. "Everyone is concerned with the climate around the world. We will do anything we can to help find a solution."

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