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2016 CLIMATE ACTION PLAN MORAINE VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE “Climate change is a collective issue, whereby the responsibility to generate solutions is not isolated to policy makers and scientists. At Moraine Valley, sustainability is a serious issue for every department and discipline, as well as the student, and we want to make an equal impact on our community and the world at large.” By Dr. Sylvia Jenkins CONTENTS 1 Executive Summary 4 2 Moraine Valley’s Climate Commitment: A Message from the President 6 3 Introduction 8 3.1 History 3.2 Moraine Valley Climate Action Plan 3.3 Why This Matters 3.4 Second Nature Climate Action Plan Reporting Requirements 4 Moraine Valley’s GHG 18 4.1 Glossary of Terms 4.2 Data Analysis 5 Strategies 25 M.0 Strategy 01: Mitigation R.0 Strategy 02: Renewable Energy AR.0 Strategy 03: Adaptation and Resilience E.0 Strategy 04: Engagement 6 Implementation 40 7 Conclusion 44 8 Bibliography 44 9 Acknowledgments 45 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Formerly known as the American Colleges and Universities Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), the Carbon Commitment is focused on reducing emissions of harmful greenhouse gases to zero, thus alleviating higher education institutions’ contributions to climate change. This effort is supported by Second Nature, who has maintained the ACUPCC in some capacity since 2006, retaining sole responsibility in 2011. Moraine Valley Community College signed the ACUPCC in 2013. And in 2015, the ACUPCC further evolved into three commitments: Carbon Commitment (again, formerly ACUPCC); the Resilience Commitment: a newly developed commitment to address the critical need for resiliency planning; and, Climate Commitment, which combines the two. Moraine Valley is currently involved in efforts supporting the Climate Commitment; however, Moraine Valley has chosen to continue the ACUPCC/Carbon Commitment to meet the requirements of our pledge to Second Nature, and more accurately to our common future. The Carbon Commitment defines climate neutrality as having no net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by a certain date. Signatories also commit to taking “actions to make climate neutrality and sustainability a part of the curriculum and other educational experience for all students,” and “actions to expand research or other efforts necessary to achieve climate neutrality.” The implementation of the Carbon Commitment involves: • Setting up an institutional structure (committee, task force, office, etc.) • Completing an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions. • Creating and implementing a climate action plan (that includes a target date and interim milestones for achieving campus climate neutrality). • Taking two of seven tangible steps specified in the commitment to reduce GHG emissions. • Integrating sustainability into the curriculum and making it part of the educational experience. • Making the action plan, inventory and progress reports publicly available on an annual basis. Climate change is a global challenge that necessitates a global response, as well as requisite individual and community action. Preventing problems, reducing emissions and implementing adaptation strategies are much more efficient than responding to catastrophes. Through awareness, education, and thoughtful action, Moraine Valley must both limit its contribution to climate disruption as well as equip its community to do the same. The college also must provide the leadership and develop strategies to ensure campus and community resilience and adaptability as we face inevitable change. Through signing the Carbon Commitment, Dr. Jenkins took action and pledged the college to be carbon neutral by 2042. 4 Moraine Valley Community College / 2015 Climate Action Plan To achieve this goal, the president developed a task force through which this Climate Action Plan was developed. Prior to developing the plan, it was Moraine Valley necessary to analyze the current state of climate impact of the college. This analysis Community College is sometimes called a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory, or a carbon footprint. The current carbon footprint of the college is 25,775 metric tons of CO2e (“carbon is proud to have a dioxide equivalent” representative of all the greenhouse gases). The majority of Center for those GHG are the result of activities of the college, but occur from sources not necessarily controlled by the college; for example, waste, business travel and Sustainability, commuting of students, staff and faculty. which is made possible in part by How will we achieve carbon neutrality? the IGEN. The task force identified five major strategy categories to begin to meet the goal of carbon neutrality: mitigation, renewable energy, transportation, waste, and engagement. The college’s progress will be measured through annual greenhouse gas inventories, strategy implementation evaluation by the task force, and integration into the development and review of the campus master plan, which occurs every five years. Achieving carbon-neutral operation requires appropriate funding, continuous implementation of identified emissions mitigation strategies, administrative and community support, planning flexibility to address future technological developments, and time. Furthermore, as a community college, Moraine Valley is built on the foundation of existing as a brick-and-mortar resource to the community, as well as being a convenient commuter campus. These needs and challenges will not change and will take a long time to address. The task force will focus initial efforts on implementing procedures to reduce physical plant energy consumption, create renewable energy sources, and develop curriculum and activities to educate its community on climate change. Further along the journey, a greater focus will be given to the more challenging emission sources, potentially through the purchase of carbon offsets or other innovative strategies. Moraine Valley Community College / 2015 Climate Action Plan 5 A Message from the President As a community college, it is our mission to serve our community, to be a steward of its health through education, workforce development and service. It is our responsibility to be aware of changes and emerging challenges so we may develop solutions that drive community wellness. Now, more than ever, we recognize that not just our community, but our world, is facing serious challenges due to climate change and disruption. Clearly, the Moraine Valley district is not exclusive of these threats. Many are trying to find solutions to these challenges; however, I recognize it is our students will bear the greatest burden of finding solutions to these global problems. Climate change is a collective issue, whereby the responsibility to generate solutions is not isolated to policy makers and scientists. At Moraine Valley, sustainability is a serious issue for every department and discipline, as well as student, and we want to make an equal impact on our community and the world at large. As an institution of higher education, we recognize our greatest impact on climate change can be through our primary asset — teaching our students how to interpret and react to pressing issues of our time. Students are the next generation of problem-solvers; however, it is also our duty to demonstrate examples of solutions. Therefore, in the fall of 2013, I made a significant commitment on behalf of Moraine Valley Community College when I signed the Second Nature Carbon Commitment (formerly, the American Colleges and Universities Presidents Climate Commitment). This commitment is the beginning of a journey through which we will achieve campus carbon neutrality, support community resilience, and provide climate change education and global citizenship opportunities for our students. By signing this commitment and upholding the promises within, Moraine Valley is leading by example; we are showing our community that we are responsible stewards and recognize our duty to do everything we can to mitigate climate change disruption because it’s necessary and because it’s the right thing to do. As a matter of fact, through our participation with the South Metropolitan Higher Education Consortium (SMHEC), we are working directly with our community to make the Chicago Southland the greenest and most resilient region through sustainable practices. We have partnered with key community stakeholders, including municipal, manufacturing, non-profit, health care and other leaders, to provide a platform to link and leverage resources throughout the area. Through this effort, we will raise up the region’s ability to adapt to a changing climate while also mitigating carbon emissions and other unsustainable practices, fostering a healthy future for us all. I am honored to say that at Moraine Valley we recognize and fully support this effort as a necessary cooperative and unified action that will make positive change for today and tomorrow. Furthermore, by joining the Carbon Commitment, Moraine Valley also aligns with a specific, ambitious goal adopted by hundreds nurturingof other higher education institutions; united, the kind of shared vision across institutions wethat are is needed nurturing the kind to achieve transformationalof shared vision across institutions that is needed to achieve changetransformational changes s to avoid climate disaster.to avoid climate disaster. To do this, we have developedTo do this, this Climatewe have Action developed this Climate Action Plan; a plan that is flexible and Plan; a plan thatadaptive is flexibleover and time and which will lead adaptive
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