QueensBorough Community CollegeCarbon Footprint Project

Sponsors:National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS)NASA New York City Research Initiative (NYCRI)Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP)NOAA-CREST

Contributors:Paul Marchese, Asoc. Dean for Academic and Institutional Research – QCCTak D. Cheung, ProfessorGeorge Tremberger, Professor James ChenZa-y-va Lareche

Introduction

Background Info

Currently in Place…

Suggestions

References

Objectives

Experimental Setup

Expected Results

Conclusion Applications•We are currently in the midst of acquiring data to create a sound conclusion • www.qcc.cuny.edu/susproj

• www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx• www.carbonfootprint.com/minimisecfp.html• www.carbonfund.org/offsetnow• Ecological Footprint Analysis (EFA)• Greenhouse Gas Calculator

http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html• Emissions Calculator

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/individual.html

Paul Marchese1 Tak D. Cheung1 George Tremberger1 James Chen2 Za-y-va Lareche2

1 Faculty Mentor 2 Student Research Participants

What is global warming?An increase in the overall average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere by means of a growing greenhouse effect due to the additional substantial increase in man-made greenhouse gas emissions.

What causes global warming?•Global warming is a natural occurrence in earth’s history/lifecycle•Due to human activities, the rate of global warming has increased•Greenhouse gases in earth’s atmosphere (abundance of it) that traps heat and radiation.•Naturally occurring keeps earth at a habitable temperature•Burning of fossil fuels releasing CO2•Releasing of methane into the atmosphere

What are the effects of global warming for the planet?•Climate Change•Distinct change in climate for regions around the world•Warming weather expected to bring increased amounts of heat waves and decreases in cold spells•Will trigger and create larger and stronger hurricanes•Will also melt the polar ice caps gradually, thereby contribute greatly to sea levels rising•Decrease wildlife diversity and species range will shift•Erosion of healthy top soil from stronger and more damaging weather•Many ecosystems will not be able to handle such change, for example the coral reefs.•Air quality will suffer, diseases will increase•Agriculture will be more difficult to manage•Changes in migratory species patterns•Food supply will have issues/crisis•Loss of trees, leading to a decease In the conversion of CO2 into O2. •Increase in temperature will increase energy usage and will also increase water usage•Precipitation in various regions/areas in the world will change, may cause flooding due to severity•Acidification of the oceans.•May/will impair beneficial & ecological sustaining of plankton and various marine life.•1.2 – 1.4°F increase over past century has already changed many ecosystem norms, but a full 2°C or more increase would bring huge impacts on biodiversity, agriculture and the ecosystem.

In short,

The equilibrium in the world’s ecosystem will be altered.

The City University of New York (CUNY) mission statement assets that the aim of Queensborough Community College is to provide students with a quality, affordable education in a supportive environment.  For fifty years, Queensborough Community College (QCC) has served students from Queens and the entire New York City region as a starting place to pursue their academic and career goals. QCC understands that we are intimately connected with the ecological systems of the area and ultimately linked to the global atmospheric, biological and geological processes.

Responsibility entails QCC to be aware of our actions and the full range of effects. The actions of these thousands of people including students, faculty and staff are incorporated in the daily processes of QCC.

An ideally sustainable establishment would function without waste and would not burden the local ecosystems. Due to the fact that QCC is situated in a urban environment with like-minded individuals, there are many ways to make the sustainability of QCC environmentally friendly.

Though we may not be able to realize and calculate the full extend of the impact of QCC on the environment, it is extremely exhilarating to take necessary steps in order to give a measurement of the current environmental impact of Queensborough Community College. The environmental impact of Queensborough Community College may well extend beyond campus boundaries, but the limitations of data-mining in order for these calculations are nigh improbable to evaluate. Therefore, to the best of our ability the ecological impact of QCC will be used to reduce environmental demand caused by Queensborough Community College.

•The goal of this experiment is to assess the impact of CUNY - QCC Carbon Footprint. •In order to do this, we need to measure the Carbon Footprint of goods and services available in Queensborough Community College. •As well as the indirect services due to Queensborough Community College’s use of campus-wide activities and transportation, this will also be calculated.•This data will serve as a tool for spreading community awareness, facilitating communication, making informed decision and taking effective action in terms of “green energy.”

In order to determine the Carbon Footprint of Queensborough Community College, a component-based methodology will be used. This method will attempt to account for the different facets of QCC’s impact on the environment. This Carbon Footprint Analysis for QCC will account for a myriad of components:

1.Transportation2.Electricity Use3.Natural Gas Use4.Water Supply5.Food Consumption6.Land Occupied

By measuring these costs, the findings should yield a Due to constraints in data-mining and various variables, the availability of further data and more time will always yield additional outcomes and conclusions.

We expect the results from the ongoing data to be long-term and will hopefully show that a level of increased ecological sustainability is taking place at Queensborough Community College

• QCC Share-A-Ride• www.qcc.cuny.edu/susproj/CurrentQCCSustainabilityEfforts.htm• power reduction• tree-planting initiatives• reducing paper, bulk material recycling • automatic shut-down software for all campus computers• Campus BMS system• recycling bottles and cans• "green" products for housekeeping utilization• hybrid vehicles, CUNY Fleet and Transportation• solar panel project with ET/CT Department• on-campus greenhouse on top of the Medical Arts Building – in consideration

In order to work toward sustainability and decrease the carbon emitted from QCC, it will be necessary to act creatively and consistently in a manner that incorporates all members of the QCC community.

However small, these efforts can range from the closing to windows from waste recycling to wind power. From better insulation to changing to carbon friendly diets. By utilizing advancements in tech- nology by installing energy efficient light bulbs and seeking alternatives modes of energy in hating, electri- city and transportation it will be a success in the making for QCC. The use of solar panels will help cut down on electricity costs and help ease the burden on the energy grid for the city.

With the data gauged from the efforts applied here, this Carbon Footprint Analysis will serve as a long-term goal for reducing QCC’s ecological footprint. Queensborough Community College can serve as a pioneer for other Community Colleges as well as the global environment.

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