The Journal

Issue date: 3/29/07 Section: News

One hundred and forty-eight college and university presidents from 34 states have signed a pact agreeing to reduce carbon emissions to zero. The American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment is an agreement to offset carbon-dioxide emissions by using renewable sources of energy and reforestation to release more oxygen into the atmosphere and balance out the carbon dioxide.


Carbon dioxide is a pollutant that is released into the atmosphere through burning energy - primarily coal, natural gas, oil, wood and human energy.


Webster University President Richard Meyers said at this time he will not sign the commitment because he doesn't think the school has the ability to abide by the requirements.


"There are some things (in the commitment) that require a lot of thought and probably will take many committees looking into where we can comply with this," Meyers said. "The whole idea of having an interest in the climate, recycling, being green and protecting the environment is something I am very serious about."


Upon signing, the presidents will have two years to document their campus' carbon emissions (electricity, heating, cooling, commuting and air travel) and lay out a timeline for achieving carbon neutrality. Meyers said he didn't know if the school would actually be able to do this for financial reasons.


In addition to documenting the campuses' carbon emissions, the presidents will have to immediately adopt at least two energy-saving methods from a list of actions provided in the commitment. For example, schools can use Environmental Protection Agency-approved appliances or 15 percent of the campuses' energy must come from renewable sources. Renewable sources of energy are wind, solar, nuclear, water and biofuel power. Meyers also said he was not sure where the school could get renewable sources or if Webster can even purchase them.


David Stone, the interim director facility planning and management for Webster, said the university gets its electricity from AmerenUE. Seventy percent is produced from burning coal, 26 percent is made from nuclear power and the other four is from hydroelectric (water power), Stone said.


At any point of the day, the maximum amount of electricity Webster generates is 10,000 megawatts of coal power, 3,000 mw of oil and natural gas, 1,200 mw of nuclear and 800 mw of hydroelectricity. These numbers fluctuate throughout the day depending on how much electricity is being used. For every one pound of fossil fuels burned, three pounds of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere.

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