The Kentucky College & University Carbon

ConsortiumJustin Mog

University of LouisvilleChristian Ryan

Western Kentucky University

Mountain top removal: Border of Pike County, KY and Buchanon County, VA

A new day is dawning over Appalachia

Western Coalfields

Eastern Coalfields

A region which has been at the heart of: Fossil fuel

dependence

Leading the nation in per capita carbon emissions

Rural poverty

Health disparity

Mountain-top removal

…is transitioning to a green future with the help of Kentucky

schools.

We’ve made significant strides to reduce emissions►Berea

College carbon

neutral with efficiency,

renewables, &

sustainable college forest

management.

►University of Louisville

reduced carbon

emissions 27% since

joining ACUPCC.

…Yet we recognize that wecannot achieve success in

isolation.

Guilt-free, solar hot showers at UofL’s new Student Rec Center

Schools need each other and we need Kentucky & Appalachia to be strong and vibrant once again. • So we’re coming together to support one

another & to invest in Appalachia’s small-holder forests through the Kentucky College and University Carbon Consortium (KCUC2).

• Organized by Midwest Clean Energy Enterprise (MCEE), on behalf of the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED).

• After soliciting interest amongst Kentucky schools, MCEE selected four to shape a consortium focused on mitigating climate impacts through regional forest management:

1. Berea College2. Centre College3. University of Louisville4. Western Kentucky University

Consortium’s Purpose

• To be an enzyme that catalyzes change statewide

• Higher-ed focused, but with broader community impact

• Researching & applying sustainable solutions

• Forum for sharing best practices & resources

• Identifying projects that can best be done collaboratively

• Not just serving sustainability staff• Peer mentoring for less advanced schools

The Consortium will serve multiple roles.

1. A regularly scheduled gathering of institutional and regional stakeholders for discussion of sustainability challenges and opportunities and sharing best practices.- Rotating host institution = Site visits and tours

2. A climate clearing house for university-organized:• Resource & curricular exchanges• Campus tours• Speakers• Carbon offsetting: on-campus projects

and purchase of local offsets and services through MACED.

Consortium Structure

• An Executive Visionary Board / Steering Committee• Board Members: Berea, Centre, UofL,

WKU, MACED, MCEE, KUPEE• Want to expand statewide, don’t want to

lose the intimacy and relationship-building we’ve already developed. Ideas:• Annual state summit, smaller

gatherings between?• Longer quarterly meetings with 15

minute updates from each school?• Site visits valuable, but perhaps we need

Skype-in options for those who cannot travel?

• Stay smaller and simply reach out to others on project-by-project basis?

Potential InitiativeCarbon Offsetting Portal for

Universities• Online platform where students, faculty, staff can:- Calculate emissions from common university activities - Offset emissions in a way that can be tracked and regularly reported back to the university.

• Needs to be easy & convenient for both the users of the platform and the staff who need to track offsets.

• Collaboration with a respected, locally-based organization like MACED helps keep offset dollars in the region and supporting the needs of Appalachia.

• Possibility for offset funds to be captured for on-campus projects?

University

Dorm Events Publications

Buildings

School:

(select your institution)

Department/Unit:

(if applicable)

Results / Check Out

• Summarize impact of offsets with infographics (equivalencies such as acres of forests protected; cars removed from road; etc.)

• Optional Field: University departmental account code to which charges should be invoiced.

• Quarterly reports sent to University contact itemizing departmental offsets.

• Graphs showing relative offsets in past year from other schools or departments within your school.

What questions or ideas do you have for us?!

Coal storage along Big Sandy River, Boyd County.