SEI CARBON REDUCTION

Reducing our carbon footprint.

SEI’s mission is a world powered by renewable energy. A serious call to action was 2018’s IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 degree C. Beyond training the solar energy workforce, we’re being studious in looking at where we can reduce, and we invite you to join us, every little bit helps! We’ll be posting ongoing, on our actions and inquiries, but for now, here’s  some of what we’re working on.

Carbon sequestration through planting more trees on our campus.
Reducing our paper and printing resources to keep more trees alive.
Assessing our staff’s carbon footprint due to travel and encouraging more ridesharing, biking, less flying and driving!
Changing the frequency and packaging choices of shipments that come to us.
Using our voice to influence others to reduce their carbon too.

ACLYMATE

SEI is backing the South Jordan Landfill Gas Capture project

The South Jordan Landfill project is located at the Trans-Jordan Landfill, a 200-acre sanitary MSW landfill near Salt Lake City that has been in operation for 50 years. The project commenced in 2005 and was renewed for a second ten-year crediting period in 2015. Project activity is the installation and operation of a gas collection and control system (GCCS) that is comprised of an interconnected network of vertical extraction and horizontal wells connected via underground header piping. Landfill gas is sent to three separate Caterpillar 3520 (1.6 MW) generator engines and an open flare for destruction. In addition to the significant GHG emission reductions from the destruction of methane that would otherwise have been released to the atmosphere, the project lowers methane levels in groundwater, increases safety by avoiding methane migration, and reduces emissions of VOCs and other local pollutants.

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PLANTING TREES ON OUR CAMPUS

Carbon sequestration through new saplings.

Did you know that SEI’s alumni are responsible for about 10% of the world’s installed solar PV? This comes to an estimated 800 million tons of avoided greenhouse gas emissions, and for that we are really proud. But, it’s not enough–because burning fossil fuels brings 40 billion tons of emissions into our air each year. To do more, we’re working on carbon sequestration through planting trees on our Western Colorado campus. The 40 trees we plant will take in carbon dioxide, release oxygen, and help surrounding soils take in more carbon too. This will take about 1 ton of carbon out of the atmosphere each year! Won’t you join us by planting some trees this Spring too? Learn more here about how trees help make the world go round by clicking the link below.

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REDUCING PAPER, PRINTING & SHIPPING RESOURCES

Keeping trees alive to reduce CO2.

SEI took a closer look at what we were printing in our notebooks, and with what methods–and, we realized, painlessly, we can cull out 100 pages of printing. Why does it matter? This will save at least 1.5 trees per year. Over 30 years, that’s about 50 trees. By keeping these trees alive, we’ll reduce CO2 by 16 million tons–with this one small change to our organization. 

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Shipping and office supplies.

We also paid attention to how our office products are shipped and what office supplies we are using. For shipping, wherever possible, we are now using sustainable packaging and carbon-neutral shipping methods. Our office supplies are slowly evolving to be intentionally constructed of recycled, recyclable, or compostable materials. This is just part of our efforts to lower our carbon footprint and make incremental changes that pay off in the long run.

THE GOOD TRAVELLER PROGRAM

SEI is considering ways to offset travel related carbon emissions.

SEI sees about 1,500 people a year in our live-trainings, and this stacks up incredible diversity in our alumni, and a lot of travel related carbon emissions! We’re looking to work with The Good Traveler to assess numbers on how our instructor and student travel add to our carbon tab. SEI would commit funds to “offset” SEI instructor’s travel through The Good Traveller; these funds would go right to carbon sequestration projects in different areas of the world, particularly preserving tropical forest lands, where 50% of terrestrial plant and animal species live. Upcoming, we’ll be sending information that makes it easier for our students to carpool to SEI, we also always have bikes available, and Paonia is a wonderful spot to be on 2-wheels. More on this coming from our Carbon Reduction Committee soon…

GROUP CARPOOL

Utilize SEI’s Online Ride Share Board.

When you sign up for classes at one of our three campuses, you receive access to SEI’s Online Ride Share Board. This tool makes it easier for those attending SEI to share rides, whether from the Front Range, or from more local airports. Whether you can either offer a ride or need a ride, you can share the cost of gas, get to know your fellow classmates, and reduce your carbon emissions!

CARBON OFFSET INVESTMENTS

Giving back through the retirement of carbon offsets

In our effort to become a carbon neutral organization, SEI invested in the retirement of carbon offsets through a unique local project that collects and utilizes methane from abandoned coal mines, just 10 miles up valley from our headquarters! The methane is withdrawn using vacuum pumps from boreholes/wells and then destroyed either through an enclosed flare or three electricity generators. The project is currently capturing 280,000 cubic feet of methane per day – the equivalent to taking 33,000 automobiles off the road every day! Learn more about Vessels Carbon Solutions Inc. by clicking the button below.

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