Understanding and Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Academic Libraries

It is now widely understood that societies must rapidly decarbonize to avoid the worst impacts of future climate change. To contribute to this urgent effort, academic libraries should develop an understanding of the carbon footprint resulting from their activities. This article shares the results of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Portal (Baltimore, Md.) Md.), 2024, Vol.24 (1), p.7-19
Main Author: Goldman, Ben
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic Achievement
Academic libraries
Activity Units
Climate
Climate change
College Students
Emissions
Emotional Response
Energy
Librarians
Libraries
Library Personnel
Professional Identity
Psychological Patterns
Purchasing
Social Responsibility
State Schools
State Universities
Sustainability
Sustainable Development
Treaties
Universities
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Summary:It is now widely understood that societies must rapidly decarbonize to avoid the worst impacts of future climate change. To contribute to this urgent effort, academic libraries should develop an understanding of the carbon footprint resulting from their activities. This article shares the results of an effort at the Penn State University Libraries to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions generated in one year. It will define the elements of a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory, explain the context and process for undertaking this effort at Penn State, share findings, and discuss potential implications for academic libraries.
ISSN:1531-2542
1530-7131
1530-7131
DOI:10.1353/pla.2024.a916987