American University
Tier2-1: Air Travel Emissions

Beginning in summer 2010, parents of incoming freshman are asked to contribute money to offset their travel to campus. All students coming to orientation are given the option to offset travel emissions by donating to the Clean Energy Revolving Fund (CERF) according to where they are traveling from, whether east or west of the Mississippi River or from abroad. Students east of the River were asked to pay $10, west of the River $15, and international students $25 to offset their travel emissions. In the first year that the option was offered, 173 students (127 east of the Mississippi, 29 west of the Mississippi, and 17 international students) took advantage of the option, contributing over $2,000 to the Fund. The option will also be extended to those traveling on family weekend (700 families usually register) and will be publicized even more to incoming students beginning in 2011.