Image with survey quote "92% of Students Want Smaller Carbon Footprints" and text that says Your student government takes initiative by converting energy waste into energy resources with the Southern Ute Tribe.

In 2012, with the leadership of student government, the Environmental Center started purchasing carbon offsets to mitigate the greenhouse gasses and climate footprint of energy used by the student-owned buildings on campus.  While we continuously work to reduce our energy use and consumption, for many years carbon offsets were purchased to counteract the greenhouse gas emissions that we were not able to avoid causing.  We purchased offsets from Native, a Public Benefit Corps who offers meaningful offset options.  For instance, we chose a project in Colorado that captured methane in La Plata County on the Southern Ute tribal land.

CU Student Government 2020 Carbon Offset Purchase

CU Student Government 2019 Carbon Offset Purchase
 

However, the Environmental Center is no longer purchasing bulk carbon offsets due to a substantial increase in offset pricing and a goal of investing in local projects with a social equity component.  Instead, in 2023 we are working on a Climate Action/Climate Justice plan in which we are exploring funding local projects with a social equity component and educational lens.

In the meantime, you can purchase small quantities of credible carbon offsets with profound social justice impacts directly through Native.

 

Image showing how carbon offsets contribute to carbon neutrality goals. On the left, sources of carbon emissions are showed, such as factories, and modes of transportation, and on the left in green are carbon reducing images, like reforestation, wind power, solar pwer, biking and recycling.

Image from http://www.go-green.org/