University of Massachusetts Amherst ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst ECSC Conference 2015 Sustainable UMass 2015 Calculating the Campus itrogen Footprint Allison Leach University of ew Hampshire - Main Campus Jennifer Andrews University of ew Hampshire - Main Campus Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/necsc2015 Part of the Sustainability Commons Leach, Allison and Andrews, Jennifer, "Calculating the Campus itrogen Footprint" (2015). ECSC Conference 2015. 10. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.umass.edu/necsc2015/10 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Sustainable UMass at ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in ECSC Conference 2015 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact scholarworks@library.umass.edu.
Calculating the campus nitrogen footprint Allison Leach and Jennifer Andrews (UH) Jim Galloway, Lia Cattaneo, Elizabeth Castner (UVA), John Aber (UH) ECSC, UMass Amherst, 10 April 2015
Presentation outline 1 The nitrogen dilemma 2 What is a nitrogen footprint? 3 Calculating the nitrogen footprint of UVA and UH 4 Combining the carbon and nitrogen footprint
1 The nitrogen dilemma What is REACTIVE ITROGE? Unreactive itrogen Reactive itrogen H H O H O O O 2 All types of nitrogen except 2
Reactive is Created By: atural processes: itrogen fixation by microbes Also: lightning Man-made processes: Fossil fuel combustion Haber Bosch process
Energy Production Food Production E V I R O M E T
Too Much Too Much itrogen; itrogen: Too Many In a Cascade Consequences E V I R O M E T Smog, Haze Ozone Hole Forest Dieback Global Warming Acidification Dead zones
The itrogen Dilemma Benefits: ecessary for life Synthetic nitrogen fertilizer provides unlimited food supply Drawbacks: Excess reactive nitrogen negatively affects environmental and human health Challenge: Optimizing the use of nitrogen, while minimizing the negative impacts
Addressing the nitrogen challenge 1. Technology 2. Policy 3. Personal/institutional Action
2 What is a nitrogen footprint? A nitrogen footprint is the amount of reactive nitrogen released to the environment as a result of an entity s resource consumption itrogen footprints focus on 2 areas of resource consumption: Food* Energy *Food consumption and production
Food consumption = that enters human mouth Food footprint: Definitions Virtual = Food production = lost to the environment during the food production process
The impact of FOOD CHOICES on a nitrogen footprint E V I R O M E T 3 oz steak 15 g of protein ½ cup of beans 15 g of protein E V I R O M E T
footprint (kg /person/yr) Personal footprint in United States 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 USA Goods & services Transport Housing Food production Food consumption www.-print.org
University of Virginia 2010 itrogen Footprint 3 Calculating the nitrogen footprint of UVA and UH Meat FOOD PRODUCTIO 180 MT FOOD COSUMPTIO 23 MT UTILITIES 234 MT Dairy & Eggs Veg & Grains Purchased Electricity Seafood 492 metric tons TRASPORTATIO 30 MT Heating Commuting Fleet
How could UVA s footprint change?
REDUCTIO STRATEGIES in place or in progress at UVA EERGY & OTHERS $ Storm water offsets FOOD Sustainable Food Organic Food COMPLETE I PROGRESS
Extending the nitrogen footprint to other institutions Universities: UH, Brown, Colorado State, Dickinson, MBL Secondary schools with EarthEcho Watersheds: Chesapeake Bay with CBF Cities: Baltimore
Applying the model to UH
What will be new in the UH nitrogen footprint? Research farms Sustainability initiatives Cogeneration & EcoLine Carbon goal E 50 by 60 goal Compost heat recovery
itrogen footprint tools: Data template and user s manual
Calculating YOUR ISTITUTIO S footprint DATA REQUIRED: Utilities Transport Food Other Energy consumed Fuel consumed Commuter miles Food purchases Food waste Research farms Fertilizer loss factors How does this overlap with your carbon footprint?
4 Combining the carbon and nitrogen footprint DATA REQUIRED: Utilities Transport Food Other Energy consumed Fuel consumed Commuter miles Food purchases Food waste Research farms Fertilizer loss factors Carbon Footprint data Food sustainability tracking data
Relationship to Carbon Footprint
A combined carbon and nitrogen campus tool? A combined tool would provide: Broader picture of environmental impact Connections to local impacts Win-win for reduction strategies We want your feedback! Would you use a combined tool? Do you want to calculate the C footprint of food? We need universities to test the footprint tool!
Summary: University Footprints itrogen challenge We must optimize nitrogen s benefits while minimizing its negative consequences Institutions: Contact us to calculate your institution s footprint info@n-print.org Consumers: Calculate YOUR nitrogen footprint: www.-print.org Questions? Allison.Leach@unh.edu Jennifer.Andrews@unh.edu