1 SSU Baseline

Please read our carbon inventory baseline and answer the following questions.

  • What do you find interesting on noteworthy in the document?
  • What do you think our class should add to this document this semester?
  • Are there any parts of the document you find unclear?

2 Ultra-Low Carbon Lifestyle

Using our discussion of emissions scopes to list sources of carbon, write a short description of what an ultra-low carbon community would look like.

  • How are people getting basic energy services like communication, transportation, cooking, and thermal comfort?
  • What technical transitions have occurred?
  • What social transitions have occurred?

3 Scope 1 and 2 Emissions List

Make a list of scope 1 and 2 emissions at your home and at SSU.

  • For each of these, sketch out a plan for estimating them.
  • In your plan, identify the specific quantitative tools you’ll need and how you will use them (carbon intensities, energy densities, etc…)
  • How might these emissions be reduced through different services or energy sources?

4 Scope 1 and 2 Estimates

Show your estimates for the following two problems:

  • SSU consumes approximately 1 million therms of natural gas per year. How many metric tons of carbon dioxide does this generate?
  • SSU consumes approximately 20 million kWh of electricity per year. How many metric tons of carbon dioxide does this generate? (Use the PG&E carbon intensity (0.524 lb CO2/kWh).)

5 Transportation Emissions List

Make a list of (scope 3) transportation emissions at your home and SSU.

  • For each of these how would you estimate them?
  • What could we do to lower the emissions?

6 Transportation Emissions Calculation

Compute the carbon per mile for the car you are driving now.

  • Clearly show your assumptions (miles per gallon, carbon content of fuel, carbon intensity of electricity)
  • Compute the likely carbon emissions for a year of use of this vehicle in units of metric tons of carbon dioxide.

7 Food Emissions List

Using your knowledge of carbon dioxide production, what do you think causes some foods to have higher carbon emissions than others?