Climate Week: Carbon Offsets Should Make a Difference: Connecting Offsets for University-Sponsored Air Travel to a Vision for an Energy and Climate Partnership with West Philadelphia

Speakers:
Megan Ryerson, UPS Chair of Transportation, Associate Dean for Research, Weitzman School
Benjamin C. Pierce, Henry Salvatori Professor of Computer and Information Science, Penn Engineering
William W. Braham, Professor of Architecture, Director of the Master of Environmental Building Design and of the Center for Environmental Building + Design, Weitzman School
Steve Luxton, Executive Director/CEO at the Energy Coordinating Agency of Philadelphia (ECA). ECA provides community-based energy efficiency services and assistance to low-income families in Philadelphia.
Andrew Huemmler, Senior Lecturer, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Member of the Board of Directors of the Energy Coordinating Agency of Philadelphia
Regina Bynum, Director of Teaching and Learning for University-Assisted Community School Programs, The Netter Center for Community Partnerships

Moderator:
Simon Richter, Class of 1942 Endowed Term Professor of Germanic Languages and Literature, Chair of the Climate Week at Penn Organizing Team

Description:
Before the pandemic, air travel was one of the major contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions. Whether you travel privately or for your institution or company, invariably air travel makes up the biggest chunk of your carbon footprint and overshadows your other efforts. To its credit, the University of Pennsylvania recognized that University-sponsored air travel made up 20% of Penn’s carbon emissions, making it the second largest source of carbon emissions at Penn. In January, 2020, the University announced a plan to purchase carbon offsets to neutralize its emissions. Join Penn experts and Steve Luxton, CEO of the Energy Coordinating Agency, for a webinar that will focus on

– the carbon footprint of air travel and air transportation trends in the US and globally
– how carbon offsets work and what options there are for individuals
– Penn’s plans to offset university-sponsored air travel
– developing a vision of how Penn could invest its carbon offsets to help residents in West Philadelphia become more energy efficient, switch to renewables, and become more climate adaptive