Campus Makes Strides Toward Climate Action Plan Goal, Completes Chancellor’s Challenge

To: UT Faculty, Staff, and Students
From: Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek
Subject: Campus Makes Strides Toward Climate Action Plan Goal, Completes Chancellor’s Challenge

In February 2011, I challenged the campus community to work together to reduce our energy consumption. The Chancellor’s Challenge is now over, and the results are in. We have reduced electricity use by one-kilowatt hour (kWh) per square foot over this past year. We have also saved more than $900,000 in electricity costs.

We are also forging ahead with new and existing long-term sustainability programs. Earlier this year, we updated our 2010 Climate Action Plan (CAP), signaling our university’s continued commitment to sustainability.

I am pleased to announce we are already half way to meeting the first interim goal of the CAP: to reduce emissions from campus operations to twenty percent below the FY2008 level by the year 2021. We reached this milestone by decreasing net emissions by 29,184 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, or 11 percent, since 2008.

Sustainability is, and continues to be, a priority for our campus. I appreciate all students, faculty, and staff who demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and making a difference on our campus.

To find out more about campus sustainability efforts, visit environment.utk.edu.