Carbon Management

Since 2008 we have been measuring our carbon emissions across the University.

In the 2009/10 financial year we emitted approximately 64,500 tonnes of carbon.

What does that equate to?

• Over 2,600 kilograms of carbon for every student
• The equivalent of 16,504 cars on the road (annually)

Put another way – 13,735 global hectares would be required to produce the resources consumed and to absorb the waste generated by the University.

What is our carbon footprint made up of?

• Provision of utilities – electricity, gas and water to operate our buildings and surrounds.
• Business flights – travel interstate and overseas.
• Equipment – use of paper for printing and copying
• Stationary and Transport fuels – for our fleet of vehicles (cars and buses)
• Waste – waste to landfill, incinerated and wastewater

The Carbon Tax

From July 2012, the University will pay $23 for every tonne of CO2 produced as a result of our electricity consumption. From early estimates, we will be liable for ~$1M annually, in addition to our existing electricity budget.

If you weren’t convinced that reducing energy wastage, maximising energy efficiency and choosing low carbon energy sources were good ideas before, the addition of the tax means every action to reduce our carbon footprint will have an even larger impact on reducing energy expenditure. Not to mention reducing our contribution to climate change.

It is more important than ever to think about where we can save energy. Check out our Electricity page for a list of what you can do to help.