April 22, 2009

MEDIA CONTACT: Tracy Schario
(202) 994-3566; tschario@gwu.edu

GW IS FIRST UNIVERSITY IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
TO COMPLETE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY

University Reaffirms Participation in American College & University
Presidents Climate Commitment

WASHINGTON--GW President Steven Knapp today announced the preliminary findings of the University-wide greenhouse gas emissions inventory. The University is the first in D.C. to catalog its emissions as a part of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment signed a year ago.

"This is an important first step in our University's efforts to become a climate neutral institution, and it underscores GW's commitment to sustainability," said President Knapp.

GW completed its greenhouse gas emissions inventory using the Clean Air-Cool Planet Campus Carbon Calculator, a tool used by more than 500 schools in North America. GW's inventory surveyed energy usage, transportation, waste water, and solid waste data, among other metrics, from the Foggy Bottom, Mount Vernon and Virginia campuses and in leased facilities for Fiscal Year 2008. This information establishes the baseline for which to evaluate the University's carbon footprint and measure progress on emissions reductions annually.

Meghan Chapple-Brown, director of the GW Office of Sustainability, said, "The most significant portion (53%) of the University's emissions is from purchased electricity, an area where all GW community members can work collectively to reduce personal consumption and where the University can identify institutional conservation measures and opportunities to work with neighbors and power providers."

GW was the first university in D.C. to sign the Presidents Climate Commitment last year and will prepare a carbon neutrality plan by spring 2010. The GW greenhouse gas emissions inventory is online: http://sustainability.gwu.edu, and the University will file its report by May 15 as required by the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment. Progress reports by GW and the more than 600 signatories are available online: http://acupcc.aashe.org/.

GW is committed to operating, in all its programs and activities, in ways that express its responsibilities as a pre-eminent institutional citizen of the nation's capital. For more information on GW's sustainability efforts, please e-mail sustaingw@gwu.edu or call 202-99GREEN. Follow us on http://twitter.com/Sustain_GW or join the Facebook group: Sustain GW.

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