college of science FALL/WINTER 2007
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Purdue's Big Foot


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The course was a 500-level course, open to upperclassmen and graduate students of any degree program with no prerequisites. “Climate change is a problem that’s not just about physical science. It’s about the human interaction with the physical world,” says instructor Kevin Gurney. “If we put any prerequisites, we were going to limit the discipline spread.”

The result was a course in which the students spanned colleges of science, engineering, liberal arts, and agriculture. So did their instructors — Paul Shepson, professor of chemistry and earth and atmospheric sciences and director of the Purdue Climate Change Research Center (PCCRC); Kevin Gurney, assistant professor of earth and atmospheric sciences and associate director of the PCCRC; Leigh Raymond, an associate professor of political science and an associate director of the PCCRC; Larry Nies, associate professor of civil engineering; John Graveel, professor of agronomy; and Daniel Schuster, a project manager with Purdue physical facilities.

Shoe size

emissions graph“Calculating the footprint was the most challenging aspect of the project. It went beyond purchased and produced energy to include indirect carbon emissions,” says Walker. The study was more comprehensive than those that have been performed at other universities because it included indirect sources of carbon, like the emissions associated with the manufacturing process for building materials.

The students divided the university into six sectors: on-campus energy, off-campus energy, transportation, permanent materials, consumable materials, and land use. On-campus energy was the largest source of carbon emissions, with a contribution of 103,200 metric tons of carbon. Off-campus energy was responsible for 45,800, permanent materials were responsible for 18,000, transportation for 11,000, and consumables for 4,400 metric tons of carbon.

“Many of the sectors did not have readily available data,” Walker says. “We had to combine strategies from across disciplines and fields to develop methodologies for this calculation.”

A smaller footprint

The students developed a three-pronged proposal for lowering Purdue’s carbon emissions: changing individual behavior, updating older buildings, and integrating new energy-efficient designs and technology into future buildings.

Changing behavior: 75 percent of the energy used by appliances is used when they’re in standby mode, says Gurney. Turning off these “vampire devices” like computers, televisions, and stereos can make a noticeable dent in the electric bill.

Updating older buildings: Called “retro-commissioning,” it’s not as expensive as it sounds. The Purdue Physical Facilities Building was recently retro-commissioned. The initial investment was $5,000. Over 10 months, the energy savings compared with the previous year added up to more than $34,000.

Integrating new energy-efficient designs: New buildings can be designed to better use sunlight (passive solar energy) and solar energy tiles, for example. Passive solar energy is free.

Actions speak loudly

The course is part of a growing interest in global and climate issues, but a true testament to the course and the instructors is the action that has come from it. West Lafayette mayor Jan Mills has already met with faculty about expanding the analysis to include the community.

$ave some green

Here are a few simple measures that help the environment and save money.

  • Every 20 glass bottles you recycle saves two pounds of carbon.
  • Replace five incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs and you can save $60 per year in energy costs. If the entire country did it, the impact would be similar to removing nearly 10 million cars from the roads.
  • Research estimates that 16 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions each year come from homes. Build new homes to at least EPA Energy Star standards. These homes are at least 15 percent more energy efficient than non-Energy Star homes, and can save up to $400 per year on utility bills.
  • Those feet were made for walkin’! Leaving your car at home just two days a week will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 1,600 pounds per year.
  • If you’re not using it, lose it. Driving with a roof rack you’re not using can reduce your fuel economy by as much as 5 percent.
  • Reduce, reuse, recycle. Pass a magazine on to a friend. And when they’re done, it’s recyclable, so don’t toss it in the garbage. Put it in the recycling bin so it can become something in its next life.
(Source: EPA and EPA’s Energy Star)

“Students can be and have been great motivators of change,” says Kerry Rabenold, professor of biological sciences. He encouraged the students to leave a legacy by making the research available to other institutions and helping faculty establish next steps for the course.

Ashley Robbins, a junior in biological sciences, had been aware of environmental issues but saw some changes in her behavior by the end of the semester. “I always tried to recycle or turn lights off, but I never had a firm understanding of what is happening when I don’t or what the consequences are. This class has changed the way I think, but it more drastically changed the way I act,” she says. She now tries to drive less, use less electricity, and buy fluorescent light bulbs more. Several students have established the “Carbon Neutrality@Purdue” club to continue the work and engage more classmates.

“We have a great opportunity to serve society better, to save Purdue money, to make the U.S. a leader, the list goes on and on,” says Shepson. “But it all starts with doing the right thing.” end of story

Click here to view or download the PDF of the class' final report from their semester of research.

Elizabeth Gardner is a writer with Purdue University News Service.

Amira Zamin is a communications coordinator with Purdue Marketing Communications.

Produced by Purdue Marketing Communications