Chevy Buying Carbon Credits from Colleges

Ball State University in Muncie (Credit: GM)

As Chevy moves to promote clean energy initiatives in the United States, the automaker is taking on a new initiative that involves voluntary carbon reduction. The company has come up with a formula that allows colleges to earn income by upgrading facilities to reduce greenhouse emissions. The initiative is a first for colleges, giving them a change to use carbon performance practices to earn money as they reduce their carbon footprint. Not only do the campuses reduce harmful emissions, they also reduce their operating budget by spending less on utilities, plus students have the ability to learn more about clean energy right on campus.

“Historically, campuses purchased other organizations’ carbon credits to help achieve carbon neutrality. Now they are earning revenues for the carbon reductions achieved right on their own sites, where the long-term clean energy benefits lie for their community,” said Eban Goodstein, director of the Center for Environmental Policy at Bard College in New York.

Because colleges throughout the United States are looking to incorporate energy efficiency practices by using renewable energy, more efficient equipment, etc. Chevrolet has decided to create a winning situation for the education institutions. The automaker is buying and then retiring carbon credits from various colleges. Many of these surplus credits are coming from energy conservation efforts as well as the construction of LEED certified buildings on campus.

In the past couple of years, Chevy has stepped up efforts to promote more environmentally-conscious practices. For example, it has launched a campaign to discourage truckers from idling their vehicles at rest stops. The company pledged back in 2010 to cut carbon pollution by 8 million metric tons.