Duke University To Go Climate Neutral

We applaud Duke University's plan to become "climate neutral" by 2024, one hundred years after its establishment. "Duke has long been a major center for the study of the environment," President Richard H. Brodhead said. "We are committed to being a leader in best practices in responding to climate change.” Since 2003, their new buildings have met the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council.

William Chameides, Dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment, and others began in 2007 to assess the university’s greenhouse gas emissions. It's about 300,000 metric tons, caused mostly by energy and transportation uses. Duke is addressing these, converting the East Campus steam plant to run on natural gas, for example. The plan includes reducing the number of commuters who drive to campus alone and increasing the number of those who take buses or park-and-ride shuttles. The university intends to offset the emissions it cannot reduce by investing in projects that improve the local environment. An example might be helping North Carolina farmers capture methane and other harmful gases found in hog waste.

More information is available at Duke News and the Raleigh News-Observer.