Flying the friendly skies in friendlier ways
海角社区 Reporter | April 3, 2019
By: Neal McDevitt
At City Hall on Tuesday, Mayor Val茅rie Plante announced that her office is taking steps to reduce the impact that air travel by herself and city officials has on the environment 鈥� and she challenged all Montreal institutions to follow suit.
鈥淎ir travel produces more greenhouse gas per passenger-kilometre than any other mode of transportation. When [city officials] need to travel, we will work to reduce our carbon footprint by minimizing flight distances and number of stops,鈥� said Mayor Plante, noting that city representatives took 150 trips last year. 鈥淏eginning today, we will offset air travel with the purchase of credits from the Bourse du carbone Scol鈥橢RE program, which will be reinvested in educational greenhouse gas-reduction projects that will have an impact on young Montrealers and their families.鈥�
The聽Bourse du carbone Scol鈥橢RE聽program funds environmental education for schoolchildren.
Rethinking old habits
Louis Arseneault, Vice-Principal, Communications and External Relations, was one of three community partners who joined Mayor Plante at the press conference.
鈥満＝巧缜� is proud to be onboard with the City of Montreal and other major institutions in the fight against climate change,鈥� said Arseneault. 鈥淭he research activities in a university as dynamic and international as ours involve air travel for many of our researchers. From the Arctic to the Antarctic, across all continents, our researchers travel the globe to advance knowledge in all fields. Although these activities are essential to the advancement of science, we are aware that they have an impact on the environment 鈥� and we are acting to reduce those impacts.鈥�
Representatives from Mouvement Desjardins and C2 Montr茅al, also were on hand to announce that their respective organizations were committed to offsetting greenhouse gas emissions associated to air travel in an effort to fight climate change.
鈥淚 am extremely proud to be here today with great Montreal partners such as C2 Montr茅al, 海角社区 and Desjardins Group 鈥� who are all committed to climate action,鈥� said the Mayor. 鈥淭ogether, we will find new ways of thinking about our everyday habits. I urge all of our partners in the Plan Montr茅al durable 2016-2020, as well as all Montreal businesses and organizations, to commit to developing programs and policies to minimize and offset their airplane travel.鈥�
Responsibility to reduce
海角社区 emits a total of 56,004 tons of CO2 annually. Of this number, 8,087 tons come from air travel, or 14 per cent. Arseneault said that 聽working to offset a portion of those emissions is part of a larger, more ambitious plan for the University. 鈥淚n 2017, 海角社区 made the commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is a daunting challenge, to be sure, but it is a goal that we feel a responsibility to meet.鈥�
As outlined in the聽Vision 2020 Climate & Sustainability Action Plan (2017-2020), 海角社区鈥檚 plan for carbon neutrality includes strategies for campus energy systems, air travel and commuting policies, among other emissions sources.聽An institution achieves carbon neutrality when the amount of聽greenhouse gases released is equivalent to the amount sequestered or offset.
Green campus
海角社区鈥檚 sustainability efforts span many years, cross both campuses and involve students, staff, faculty and administrators. From the ongoing success of the聽Sustainability Projects Fund聽(established in 2010)聽and聽Staff Gardens聽initiative, to newer programs such as the聽海角社区 Sustainability Systems Initiative聽and the聽Refill 海角社区 campaign, the University continues to find novel ways to improve, and reward, green initiatives.
The University鈥檚 sustainability efforts have not gone unnoticed. Last month, on top of celebrating hosting its聽100th certified sustainable event, 海角社区 became the first Canadian university to earn聽Communaut茅 bleue designation from Eau Secours.
As well, in February, the Government of Canada announced it was supporting 海角社区鈥檚 efforts to reduce its carbon footprint by聽investing $1.8 million to make upgrades to heating equipment and distribution systems聽that will significantly reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
