Friday, October 8, 2010

Yale Tries to Cut Back on Carbon Emissions Too


By Pritha Dasgupta '13

On Monday, Oct. 4, the Office of Sustainability at Yale revealed a three-year "sustainability strategic plan," an initiative designed to help Yale realize its "vision of being a sustainability leader."

The 25-page plan not only details the increased restrictions on everyday consumption and disposal practices, but also addresses the current sustainability challenges of the institution and presents potential resolutions. Goals outlined in the sustainability plan, similar to those in Princeton's own, include tapping more energy from renewable sources, using green cleaning products in all builings and reviewing methods of food transportation. Like Princeton, Yale hopes to greatly reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in the next decade--to 43 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Woopdedoo. lol. (not a coincidence)

Robert Bonds said...

The amusing comment from the first poster is justified, given that your article has been worded to imply that Yale is copying Princeton in trying to reduce its carbon emissions. In fact, though, Yale's three-year strategic plan is just the second step in a sequence begun five years ago.

Yale's goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to 43% below 2005 levels by the year 2020 was announced in 2005. Since then its emissions have dropped by 6%, despite a 12% increase in the size of the campus during the same period. The new 3-year plan is the next step towards achieving the previously announced goal for 2020.

Princeton is to be applauded for its own efforts, which were announced in February 2008.