OCR Text |
Show The U stumbles on the path to sustainability T CARBON EMISSIONS STATS BY TAYLOR ALMOND /STAFF WRITER he U has committed itself to be more sustainable, but so far, it's not meeting its own green goals. The U signed the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), an initiative committed to ensure a carbon neutral campus by 2050. The plan includes sub-goals to keep the university on track and the next installment is to lower 2007's recorded carbon footprint by 25 percent by the year 2020. But as of 2012 — the most recent available date from the ACUPCC — the U had actually increased its carbon emissions since 2007. The total increase was 68,240 metric tons of CO2, equivalent to emissions from 6,226 homes annually, according to the EPA. This energy usage has broad implications. According to the 2010 Community Carbon Footprint Report, the U generated 16 percent of Salt Lake City's total emissions. That number was reported before many new campus buildings were completed. The Spencer Fox Eccles Business Building, the new Student Life Center and the Marriott Honors Dorms, were all finished after the 2012 report and more buildings are on the way. The Crocker Science Center, the S.J. Quinney College of Law, the basketball training facility, Lassonde Studios and the new wing of the Huntsman Cancer Institute, are all in progress and will generate more energy. Jeff Wrigley, energy manager for the U's Facilities Management, said the U is currently focused on making buildings energy efficient. According to a February article from The Daily Utah Chronicle, Wrigley said "It's far more economical at this point in time to conserve our usage than to replace it completely with clean energy." Sergio Rodriguez-Orellana, a freshman in computer science, agreed with Wrigley's sentiment, but wants more to be done to make the campus carbon neutral. "The cost of powering the campus on solar alone is insane': he said. "In a more realistic sense, I don't think that would be a solution — at least, not with solar panels right now:' The U's most prominent solar panels are on the roof of the Marriott Library. However, according to a Daily Utah Chronicle article from March, those panels only cover 0.6 percent of the library's total energy. Chelsea Gibbs, a freshman in biomedical engineering, said the new buildings' energy output must be accounted for in the long run. "Our school is very concerned about progress': Gibbs said. "But we're not compensating for the buildings we have on campus, we're just increasing the size of the campus:' Avisha Sabaghian, a sophomore in political science, is hopeful the U will be carbon neutral, but is reluctant to say it will happen. "Maybe they're just procrastinating, and it'll get done three months before 2050," Sabaghian said. The U's Sustainability Office, and Facilities Management, were unavailable for comment. talmond@chronicle.utah.edu @SeymourSkimmer -As of 2012 - the most recent available date from the ACUPCC l•hi s : Il The U has actually increased its carbon emissions since 2007.The total increase was 68,240 metric tons of CO2, equivalent to emissions from 6,226 homes anually, according to the EPA. c.tanner@chronicle.utah.edu for more information. orters "This energy usage has broad implications." Phot graphqs eeded Contact b.ube ty@chronicle.Lph.edu to apply 7 4 { THECHRONY I NEWS I OPINION I ARTS I SPORTS I FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2015 } The Daily Utah Chronicle Contact Courtney Tanner at THEU PHONATHON CREW IS CALLING BY MARY ROYAL /STAFF WRITER PHOTO COURTESY OF JENIFER WILSON idden on the east side of campus is a group of students who spend their time raising money for the numerous scholarships and campaigns across campus. Tucked inside the basement of the Development Office, the U-Phonathon Crew calls U alumni to ask for their financial support. In the 2015 fiscal year, the student callers have already raised $528,042. Jenifer Wilson, the U-Phonathon Program Coordinator, said she enjoys working with the 44 college students on staff and watching them make connections with alumni. "This is a great place for students to work because we understand and work with student schedules': she said. Brian Buehler, a junior in Parks, Recreation and Tourism, has been working for the U-Phonathon Crew for two and a half years and said the experience has been valuable on many different levels. H "Working at Phonathon I have learned so much about the whole university;' he said. "The job has taught me so much about memorizing and adapting to new information:' New employees are assigned to "futures': or alumni that have never given to the university before. As the callers get more experience they move up the chain and once qualified are assigned to "high-ask donors:' One of the largest donations Buehler ever received from a donor was $5,000. "Persistence will get you where you need to go and it all comes down to just putting yourself out there': he said. Benjamin Bradford, a junior in pre-business, enjoys speaking to alumni who graduated in his same major because they often provide him with good advice. He also likes being constantly updated on what's going on around campus and being able to share it with alumni. "We have a lot of facts thrown at us': Bradford said. "You learn how to think on your feet and use the information you are given to match the interests of the person you are talking to. It's a great skill to have:' Aleksandra Obradovic, a junior in business, said while the job is laid-back and the people are fun to work with, difficult nights come along every now and then. "There are some nights that are just off': Obradovic said. "Lots of refusals will come and it is easy to get discouraged, but the one thing I've learned at Phonathon is to push through and not to give up:' The U-Phonathon students use a three-question method when talking with alumni and asking for financial support. They first ask for the highest amount, and then lower the amount for the two subsequent attempts. U-Phonathon is actively hiring for summer and fall positions. If interested, students can go to giving.utah.edu/ways-to-give/uphonathon-crew/. m.royal@chronicle.utah.edu @mary_royal 5 |