Treading Lightly with Your Footprint

Larry Foster

Today’s Map

What’s a Footprint “The Culprits” Red-Faced Speaker Your Turn!

- At Home & Work- Zipping Around

UAA’s Turn

Food Map, Please!

Useful Footprints

Ecological Footprint

Carbon Footprint

Paw Print!

Ecological Footprint Amount of BIOPRODUCTIVE

land & sea area in continuous production to supply all you use and absorb your waste, using prevailing technology. ------ Jim Merkel

Units in acres or m2 or PLANETS

Ice Area?

Carbon Footprint If you died a year ago,

how better off is the atmosphere?

-- esteemed scholar Larry Foster

Units in CO2 lbs or kg

kilograms?

Where Does CO2 Come From?

From Natural Sources

From Human Activities

All Natural Bear!

Combustion = CO2

Credit: Deborah L. Williams

Fossil Fuels

1.8

1.4

1.1

0.7

0.4

0

-0.4

-0.7

-1.1

Glo

bal Te

mpera

ture

Change (

deg F

)

Year1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000

380

360

340

320

300

280

CO

2 Conce

ntra

tion (p

pm

)

1000 Years of CO2 and Global Temperature Change

Temperature

CO2

Source: ACIA 2004 Jennifer Allen

graphic

Humans have increased carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere by more than

35% since the Industrial Revolution. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2006)

The most carbon dioxide in 650,000 years. (IPCC 2007)

Credit: Deborah L. Williams

Global Temperature & CO2

These Pollutants do What? – Global Fever

Greenhouse gases cause the earth to heat up the same way that a person sleeping under a thick blanket in the summertime is too hot…or wearing a parka that is too thick.

Our atmospheric “blanket” or “parka” is over 35% “thicker”.

Thick blanket traps too much heat.

Thinner blanket is “just right”.

Credit: Allison Butler

Credit: Deborah L. Williams

“Recognizing the risk of climate change, we are taking actions to improve efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our operations.”

Exxon MobilDecember 2006

“When 98% of scientists agree, who is Shell to say, ‘let’s debate the science’ [about global warming]?” Shell Oil

November 2006

“Human activity, including the burning of fossil fuels, is contributing to increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that can lead to adverse changes in global climate.”

ConocoPhillips

Just in Case Your Were Wondering

Danger Will Robinson – danger danger!!

Most models UNDER estimate impacts and OVER estimate capacity.

Who’s Will?

Time to Compare

Experimenting withmy students

Call the IRB!

As of just three weeks ago!

Math?

Ton

s C

O2

Earths

2 3 4 5 6 7 80

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Message of the Day!

To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint – Reduce Your Ecological Footprint!

Seems Too Simple

Computing the Ecological Footprint

By hand: “Radical simplicity – small footprints on a finite Earth” by Jim Merkel

Web model forEcological Footprint: http://www.myfootprint.org/en/visitor_information

Do it now!

Computing the Carbon Footprint

CO2 Equivalence.

Web model for Carbon Footprint: www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator

oh, that gas

Need a victim!

Just what is MY footprint?

embarrassing!

So who cares . . .

Global Warming

Ocean Acidification

hey stupid – I do!

Ocean Acidification

525 BILLION tonsof CO2 into the Ocean in last 200 years

½ of Human Emissions

MILLION BILLION lbs

But where is the Acid?

pH goes from 8.21 to 8.1 in 200 years

Why? Drink a COKE!

7-Up is better!

So what – just 0.11!

Its all in the Math:10^0.11

Looks hard!

30% - yeeks!

Its all in the Math:10^0.11 ~ 30%

forget swimming!

and Acids do what?

Sea life at the bottom of the food chain need calcium carbonate.

Acids bind with carbonate preventing shell formation

I’m on top of this!

Did you flunk chemistry?

Its all about TUMS.

Great Web Source:Alaska Marine Conservation Councilwww.akmarine.org

Actually, an A+

Any more BAD News?

Business as usual:10^0.4 ~ 250%by end of century

Miss 20 Million BCE?

Hot Chiles!

But that’s the rest of the world!

BAD NEWS – Impacts the cold polar and sub-polar regions first!

Bummer!

Impacts in Alaska

Melting sea ice, glaciers & permafrost.

Wildlife. Wetlands and forests Weather. People & Cultures.

20032003

Matt

Nola

n p

hoto

Aust

in P

ost

photo

19581958

McCall Glacier

Credit: Deborah Williams

Your Turn!First - Do Your Foot Prints

Home Ideas Work Ideas At the Fridge! Zipping Around Going Neutral

I’m already on it!

At Home

Turn it off – turn it down

Upgrade Do an audit Compost & recycle 70 times Trash

Off - stupid!

More Home Ideas Buy local – buy green Buy “Recycled – Post

Consumer” Stop Junk Mail Don’t Forget:

Reducing your Eco Print means Reducing your Carbon Print

I don’t eat Greens!

“Plug It In”

Engine Block Heaters &

Timers

and More Ideas for the Home

Plug in when temperatures drop below 200F. Use timers to activate heaters two hours before starting. Reduces

air pollution and excessive engine wear.

Learn for Life!

My Favorite - Plant a Tree!

At work Read UAA’s Energy

Policy Buy Energy Star Green Purchasing Zero – Waste! “Recycle or Bust” Reduce travel

I’m working too!

Work Ideas – Stay Informed

More Work Ideas Go Paperless Double Sided Printing Ecoware / China for Lunches Get a Water Bottle Turn off Computer Monitors Flip that Switch!

Remember: Carbon follows Eco

Footprint

At the Fridge Eat less meat Buy local – buy

organic Buy seasonal Don’t waste food Experiment with

your Eco Footprint Model

less Meat?

Zipping around

Bike – walk Car / van pool Emissions ~ MPG What about flying?

Bike to Work Day

May 21

4xPaw Power!

What if?

Commuting Data – 18 Thousand Metric Tons of CO2

One less trip to campus / week:- Avoided: Six Moon Commutes- Carbon Footprint Reduction: 7%

U-Pass

Free Rides

Seawolf Shuttle

Free & Dependable

Transportation Services and Alternatives

Hiking Across Campus

Going Carbon Neutral Neutral is good if only

I knew what that means!

Simple – making or buying offsets

TerraPass, STI, …. Tax Credits Corporations – Gov’t

already moving Neutral

Seems Simple!

Air Travel – HUGE Footprint Carbon Offset –

Easy!

Just in case you Forgot!

Vote!!!

Voters taste better too!

So, …, does UAA have footprint?

45 thousand metric tons!

Metric ton??

the wicked detailsThat’s a lot of

gas!

Energy Friendly Practices

Energy Conservation, Management and Policy

Energy modules serving multiple buildings

Lighting set-backs

Heating set-backs

De-lamping and upgrades

Electric heater amnesty

Self-illuminating signs

Energy policy

More Energy Friendly Practices

Using and Advancing

Energy Friendly Technology

Chancellor Elaine Maimon and UAA’s First Hybrid Vehicle.

Important Reading

January 2007: UAA’s Chancellor signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment to reduce carbon emissions and take other actions toward sustainability.

May 2007: Chancellor Ulmer reaffirms this commitment when she became UAA’s Chancellor.

Great UAA Resource

UAA Office of Sustainability Paula Williams – Director

- 786-1515 & anpw@uaa.alaska.edu

uaa.alaska.edu/sustainability Building a future for UAA and the

Great Land through environmentally wise, economically sound, and socially responsible actions.

Your Homework!

Surprised ???First - Do Your Foot Prints