{"637460":{"#nid":"637460","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Global Change Starts Here: Undergraduate Students Design Plans to Cut Corporate Carbon Emissions","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom increased wildlife presence to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/ajc-fewer-cars-and-pandemic-atlantas-air-quality-improves\u0022\u003Ecleaner air in cities\u003C\/a\u003E across the world, the environmental impacts of Covid-19 have captured global headlines. Worldwide shelter-in-place orders reduced global CO\u0026shy;\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E emissions \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41558-020-0797-x\u0022\u003Eby an estimated 17%\u003C\/a\u003E in early April. But if we are to stabilize climate in line with internationally agreed targets, net emissions must be reduced by roughly 50% by 2050. In this past spring\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sls.gatech.edu\/energy-environment-and-society\u0022\u003EEnergy, Environment, and Society\u003C\/a\u003E class at Georgia Tech, students were charged with significantly reducing the carbon footprint of large organizations by millions of pounds of CO\u0026shy;\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E while delivering cost savings in the process.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESince 2013, students in the course have participated in a nationally recognized \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.carbonreductionchallenge.org\/\u0022\u003E12-week carbon reduction challenge\u003C\/a\u003E. Led by climate experts \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/cobb-dr-kim\u0022\u003EKim Cobb\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Power Chair ADVANCE Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and the Director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/globalchange.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGlobal Change Program\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/planning.gatech.edu\/people\/jairo-garcia\u0022\u003EJairo Garcia\u003C\/a\u003E, a lecturer in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/planning.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of City \u0026amp; Regional Planning\u003C\/a\u003E, students spend the semester learning about climate change, carbon emissions, and climate policy through guest lectures and lively discussions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThroughout the course, students are challenged to create business proposals for partnering organizations that will save money while reducing carbon footprints. Top proposals are selected based on expert and peer rankings of the final proposal, and the winning team is rewarded with a cash prize and, when it is safe to do so, a trip to Washington, D.C. to discuss their findings with policymakers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There are so many ways to reduce carbon emissions that some people don\u0026rsquo;t even realize,\u0026rdquo; explains Perrine Kemerait, a third-year student in the course. Kemerait\u0026rsquo;s group noticed the piles of furniture that Georgia Tech students tend to discard as they leave campus for the summer.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo reduce the amount of neglected furniture, Kemerait and her fellow group members proposed a partnership between Georgia Tech Student Housing and Habitat for Humanity. Through social media marketing and strategically placed donation centers, students could be encouraged to donate their furniture to Habitat for Humanity at the end of the year, preventing over 120,000 pounds of projected annual CO\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E emissions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOther groups cut the carbon footprint of iconic Atlanta-area Waffle House restaurants by targeting a major source of emissions: lighting. Targeting over 250 restaurants, the Waffle House group suggested the replacement of inefficient parking lot lightbulbs with high efficiency LED bulbs. The simple switch is calculated to save the corporation over $20,000 annually, and to reduce carbon emissions by over 161,000 pounds a year. The retrofit is already underway for all Atlanta-area sites.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe overall winning team worked with Catholic Relief Services, a non-profit organization that uses a large fleet of vehicles to deliver supplies to communities in need around the world. By using more fuel-efficient vehicles and reducing idle time, students estimate that Catholic Relief Services would save about $250,000 and 4.6 million pounds of CO\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E per year \u0026mdash; equivalent to the annual energy usage of over 200 average homes. After proposing this plan to Catholic Relief Services leadership team, group member Michelle Babcock shares that the non-profit plans to implement the student-driven recommendations within the next two to three years.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlthough the Covid-19 pandemic presented challenges to the students in this past semester\u0026rsquo;s Energy, Environment, and Society class, Cobb says they still came out on top. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s really a testament to their tenacity, and their passion,\u0026rdquo; she notes. \u0026ldquo;Even under the incredible challenges brought by the pandemic \u0026hellip; the students really carried through with their project plans towards an amazing set of final presentations and proposals for their stakeholders.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003ESpring 2020 Georgia Tech Carbon Reduction Challenge\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFirst Place:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CCHNjHcFi4M\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECatholic Relief Services Project\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMichelle Babcock\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nEmmaline Cunningham\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nRachel Mohr\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nVeronica Thompkins\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis plan cuts 4.6 million pounds of carbon dioxide and saves an annual $247,000.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFinalists:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CAdrJf9lYXs\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBank of America Project\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKanisha Ahmed\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAlli Brightwell\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nShine Lee\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAnastacia Wood\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis plan ideates two pathways for cutting 70,000 pounds of carbon emissions and saving an annual $3,900 for the Bank of America Plaza.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CAqR2Gllwtk\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHabitat for Humanity Project\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHenry Carman\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nPerrine Kemerait\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCarlie Ladinsky\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nHetu Patel\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis plan increases equity and cuts 120,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWaffle House Project\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESydney Hambacker\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nKweisi Quimbley\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDevon V. Robinson\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAmy Weng\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis plan cuts 161,307 pounds of carbon dioxide and saves $20,120 each year. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CClYZLRl4LA\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWild Wing Caf\u0026eacute; Project\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJoey Hoh\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nElla Stewart\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nNicole Woods\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nReagan Weigel\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis plan cuts 800,050 pounds of carbon emissions, and saves $75,000 per year.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoin the Carbon Reduction Challenge Finalist Expo!\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECome to hear participants share their projects that identify effective low-carbon work behaviors that can curb CO\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E emissions and save money.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJoin virtually on Aug 14, 2 - 3:30 pm. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.co1.qualtrics.com\/jfe\/form\/SV_cGaaOqWC0UyN4X3\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERSVP here\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn Georgia Tech\u0026#39;s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sls.gatech.edu\/energy-environment-and-society\u0022\u003EEnergy, Environment, and Society\u003C\/a\u003E class, students brainstorm strategies to deliver cost savings that significantly reduce the carbon footprint of large organizations \u0026mdash; by millions of pounds of CO\u0026shy;\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Students brainstorm strategies to deliver cost savings that significantly reduce the carbon footprint of large organizations \u2014 by millions of pounds of carbon dioxide."}],"uid":"35185","created_gmt":"2020-08-03 16:12:32","changed_gmt":"2020-08-09 15:50:00","author":"kpietkiewicz3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-08-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-08-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"637461":{"id":"637461","type":"image","title":"One group of students suggested reducing the lighting time of the iconic Bank of America Plaza in midtown Atlanta.","body":null,"created":"1596471950","gmt_created":"2020-08-03 16:25:50","changed":"1596988084","gmt_changed":"2020-08-09 15:48:04","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242482","name":"skyline.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/skyline.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/skyline.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":105114,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/skyline.jpg?itok=ToWoMD1I"}},"622315":{"id":"622315","type":"image","title":"Kim Cobb","body":null,"created":"1559915999","gmt_created":"2019-06-07 13:59:59","changed":"1643205600","gmt_changed":"2022-01-26 14:00:00","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237029","name":"Kim Cobb by GT.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Kim%20Cobb%20by%20GT.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Kim%20Cobb%20by%20GT.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":9532,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Kim%20Cobb%20by%20GT.jpg?itok=gXzEYsCM"}},"637463":{"id":"637463","type":"image","title":"Jairo Garcia","body":null,"created":"1596473540","gmt_created":"2020-08-03 16:52:20","changed":"1596473540","gmt_changed":"2020-08-03 16:52:20","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242483","name":"jairo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/jairo.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/jairo.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":56907,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/jairo.jpg?itok=xQPkLCNl"}}},"media_ids":["637461","622315","637463"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/serve-learn-sustain.gatech.edu\/","title":"Serve-Learn-Sustain"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-launches-global-change-program","title":"Georgia Tech Launches Global Change Program"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/carbon-reduction-challenge-wins-awards-global-competition","title":"Carbon Reduction Challenge Wins Awards in Global Competition"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"170436","name":"Carbon Reduction Challenge"},{"id":"7508","name":"carbon dioxide"},{"id":"11114","name":"Environmentalism"},{"id":"791","name":"Global Warming"},{"id":"183637","name":"global change"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAudra Davidson\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSCI Fellow\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\ndavidson.audra@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["davidson.audra@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}