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Projects Updates for key objective: 8.2 Develop a Mechanism for Units to Purchase Offsets

  1. archived info - previous project description

    Associated Project(s): 
    Virtual Storeroom for Carbon Offsets

    The 2015 iCAP chapter 8, objective 2 is, "By the end of FY17, develop an administrative mechanism to enable campus units to voluntarily purchase carbon offsets." During FY17, iSEE is executing a campuswide purchase of offsets. A starting inventory of carbon offsets will be put into a Virtual Storeroom, for internal purchases by campus units.  Through this website, units can directly engage in emission reductions, with the benefit of the initial bulk purchase.

    The Carbon Credit sales funding has been approved by Director of iSEE Evan DeLucia and Interim Executive Director of F&S Helen Coleman for buying 10,000 additional carbon offsets, to provide the initial inventory for a new Virtual Storeroom for carbon offsets.

    Background

    If your department is interested in reducing your carbon footprint from air travel (or other things), you can go online to the Virtual Storeroom and purchase (using a CFOP) offsets from iSEE.  iSEE will collect the funds from these sales to replenish the Carbon Offset storeroom inventory when it gets low.

    Some campus units (or individual faculty or staff) may wish to voluntarily offset their carbon emissions, for example, from air travel to scholarly meetings. iSEE could work with the Office of Business and Financial Services (OBFS) to develop an administrative mechanism that would allow such units to “buy in” to periodic campuswide purchases of verified offsets.

    By the end of FY 17, iSEE helps develop the virtual storeroom which stocks the carbon offsets instead of tangible goods. The carbon offsets will be stored in a virtual storeroom, where units can buy offsets to reduce their carbon emissions for any reason. For example, you can buy them to reduce the carbon emissions of steam, electricity, even university cars, and air travel, which is the main carbon emission source that needs offsets rather than reduction, according to the iCAP. The money what we spend in the virtual storeroom will be collected in a fund that will be used for the purchase of more carbon offsets, when the inventory is low.

  2. Carbon Credit funding declined for Virtual Storeroom offsets purchase

    Associated Project(s): 
    Virtual Storeroom for Carbon Offsets
    Carbon Credit Purchasing Program (C2P2) with Second Nature

    Helen Coleman declined the purchase of 10,000 $7.14 offsets for the virtual storeroom.

    "I do not understand why we should buy $7.14 offsets instead of more $0.40 offsets, especially when we sold our original carbon credits for $6.75." -Helen Coleman (12/05/2017)

     

    An email with more information is attached below.

     

    Attached Files: 

  3. Carbon Credit funding approved for Virtual Storeroom

    Associated Project(s): 
    Virtual Storeroom for Carbon Offsets
    Carbon Credit Purchasing Program (C2P2) with Second Nature
    Utilize Carbon Credits
    Reduce Emissions from Business Travel

    The estimated cost of $2-3/Carbon Credit has been approved by Director of iSEE Evan DeLucia and Interim Executive Director of F&S Helen Coleman for buying 10,000 additional carbon offsets, when purchasing the 103,000 replacement offsets from the carbon credits sold from 2015.  The additional carbon offsets will be used as the initial inventory for a new Virtual Storeroom for carbon offsets being developed by iSEE for on campus users.

    An email of approval is attached below.

    Attached Files: 

  5. Status update for purchasing offsets

    Associated Project(s): 
    Carbon Credit Purchasing Program (C2P2) with Second Nature
    Virtual Storeroom for Carbon Offsets
    Utilize Carbon Credits

    iSEE is working with the Purchasing Division to publish a Request for Proposals (RFP) to purchase carbon offsets.  These will include replacement offsets for the 2015 Carbon Credits (CCs) sold, and an option to purchase an additional 10,000 CCs to start an internal virtual storeroom for voluntary departmental offsets.