Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 58.11
Liaison Elizabeth Drake
Submission Date April 19, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Swarthmore College
IN-24: Innovation A

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Aurora Winslade
Director of Sustainability
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Name or title of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
Swarthmore Carbon Charge Initiative

A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome that outlines how credit criteria are met and any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation:

An internal carbon price, informed by the social cost of carbon reported by the EPA, was applied to campus carbon emissions at Swarthmore College this fiscal year. This calculation generated a fund amount of $300,000. A 1.25% fee on departmental budgets, exclusive of salary and benefits, was levied to collect this revenue. $200,000 from this Carbon Charge Fund will serve as the seed capital for a Green Revolving Fund, which will finance energy efficiency projects with a payback on campus to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Swarthmore is the only college in the nation to use carbon charge revenue to create a GRF. It is imperative to note also that President Smith of Swarthmore College became the second college president in the country to endorse a national price on carbon, and is currently collaborating with other institutions to have them sign on as well.


Which of the following impact areas does the innovation most closely relate to? (select up to three):
Air & Climate
Energy
Investment & Finance

A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise or a press release or publication featuring the innovation :
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The website URL where information about the innovation is available :
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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