|
SCORE: An Overview
Helping Stanford varsity athletes fly carbon-neutral! SCORE (Stanford Carbon Offsets to Reduce Emissions) was a collaborative effort between Students for a Sustainable Stanford, Stanford Students Environmental Consulting (SSEC), and Cardinal Council which brought students and student-athletes together from across campus to reduce the carbon footprint of athletic-related travel through carbon offsets. During the 2016 school year, we offset all varsity team air travel emissions from 2015... that's 2640 metric tons less of CO2 going into the atmosphere! Through SCORE, we aimed to not only decrease our carbon footprint, but to get people excited about it! As climate change becomes an increasingly urgent global threat, we need to act now. We believe SCORE helped to expand the conversation regarding climate change and climate responsibility to the realm of Athletics and beyond. Ultimately, we want carbon offsets to become an essential part of the way Stanford Athletics operates - as well as a point of pride. We believe that SCORE helped set a precedent for climate action across other athletic departments and organizations, and sparked important conversations about climate change in our everyday lives. |
|
✈ ✈ ✈ ✈ ✈ ✈ ✈ ✈ ✈
|
What Are Carbon Offsets?
Carbon offsets provide a way to achieve a “net neutral” carbon footprint in cases where emissions cannot be reduced at the source. Investing in offsets funds projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions somewhere, in order to compensate for (or, "offset") emissions released somewhere else. Since flying to athletic competitions around the country inevitably releases emissions, Stanford Athletics can use carbon offsets to "balance out" these emissions and achieve a "net neutral" carbon footprint. 
|
Our Offsets
We purchased carbon offsets through the provider 3degrees, from the Billings Landfill Gas Destruction Project in Montana. This project captures methane coming off the landfill and converts it into natural gas, which can be used as an energy source. The project is verified, in the US, and affordable enough that we were able to offset the entire Athletic Department’s 2015 travel emissions! We had very stringent criteria for choosing our offsets. In summary, they needed to be verified, in the US, have community co-benefits/an environmental justice component, and be within our budget so that we could offset all 2015 team travel emissions. Fun Facts!
|
✈ ✈ ✈ ✈ ✈
Why Does it Matter?
Climate change is an increasingly urgent and high profile global issue. Effects including intense storms, flooding, drought, food insecurity and increased spread of infectious disease are already being seen worldwide - especially in the developing world. This is a global problem, and in the coming years, everyone will be forced to make changes to be part of the solution.
Stanford has always been looked to as a leader and an innovator. By taking efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of Stanford Athletics, SCORE encouraged Stanford Athletics to be a leader in the movement for sustainable athletics at a critical time.
Why Does it Matter?
Climate change is an increasingly urgent and high profile global issue. Effects including intense storms, flooding, drought, food insecurity and increased spread of infectious disease are already being seen worldwide - especially in the developing world. This is a global problem, and in the coming years, everyone will be forced to make changes to be part of the solution.
Stanford has always been looked to as a leader and an innovator. By taking efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of Stanford Athletics, SCORE encouraged Stanford Athletics to be a leader in the movement for sustainable athletics at a critical time.
SCORE In the News
"Varsity Athletics Program to Fly Carbon Neutral," Stanford Daily, 4/27/16
"Saving the Earth, Mile by Mile" GoStanford.com, 5/12/16
"Stanford Student-Athletes Kick Off "SCORE" Initiative to Offset Team Air-Travel Emissions" Green Sports Alliance, 5/26/16
"Varsity Athletics Program to Fly Carbon Neutral," Stanford Daily, 4/27/16
"Saving the Earth, Mile by Mile" GoStanford.com, 5/12/16
"Stanford Student-Athletes Kick Off "SCORE" Initiative to Offset Team Air-Travel Emissions" Green Sports Alliance, 5/26/16
|
|
Support
We received official support/endorsements from the Stanford Athletic Department, the TomKat Center for Sustainable Energy, the Stanford School of Earth, Energy, and Environmental Sciences, the Stanford Office of Sustainability, the Haas Center for Public Service, the ASSU student body, the Green Sports Alliance, and the Palo Alto Clean Coalition.
Endless thanks to you all!
We received official support/endorsements from the Stanford Athletic Department, the TomKat Center for Sustainable Energy, the Stanford School of Earth, Energy, and Environmental Sciences, the Stanford Office of Sustainability, the Haas Center for Public Service, the ASSU student body, the Green Sports Alliance, and the Palo Alto Clean Coalition.
Endless thanks to you all!
