California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
IN-1: Innovation 1

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT INVENTORY for COLLINS COLLEGE
The Collins College and the Lyle Center recently partnered on an analysis of Collins College greenhouse gas emissions related to their building operations, as well as their restaurant facility and cooking labs. This inventory was quite unique in that unlike other inventories this included a "foodprint" - used life-cycle analysis of the food and food purchases to calculate resulting emissions. The results are being used by the college to pursue their strategic plan priority of leadership in sustainability within the hospitality industry and to inform choices in the development of their new building.

The 2012 Environmental Impact Inventory prepared by the Lyle Center with help from Collins College faculty, staff and students found that electricity and natural gas accounted for 77 percent of the overall greenhouse gas emissions, followed by food purchases (14 percent), waste (4 percent), consumables like paper and plastic (4 percent) and water (1 percent). This was the first study to include the environmental impacts of food within a college.

By understanding the impact it is having on the environment, the college can develop systematic ways to cut emissions through changing behavior including purchasing choices, introducing new technologies and incorporating sustainability into the curriculum. It can also serve as a model for the hospitality industry and other colleges with similar programs that are interested in addressing their environmental impact and commitment to sustainability.

http://www.csupomona.edu/~crs/documents/Collins_initiative.pdf
http://www.csupomona.edu/~collins/documents/EnvImpact.pdf
http://www.csupomona.edu/~collins/sustainability_spotlight.shtml