Becoming carbon neutral early, American University asks where to go from here

WASHINGTON – Eight years ago, American University’s then-acting president, Neil Kerwin, signed an agreement called the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, which set the goal for American to reach carbon neutrality by the year 2020. Instead, American reached that goal two years early, becoming the first school in America to be carbon neutral.

“Right now, we’re actually starting a process of creating a new plan,” said Hannah Debelius, American’s sustainability outreach and communications manager. “That’s pretty open-ended. I know for sure we’ll definitely include issues around resiliency, which is about planning for the impacts of climate change.”

Within the office, there are three staffers, each doing their part to improve American’s green initiatives.

From the agreement, which began in 2010, the Office of Sustainability grew, expanding into the effort on campus that is around today. The office was created with the purpose of reaching carbon neutrality and helping American become more sustainable.

But before the Office of Sustainability was created, American had the Office of the Architect, which was re-branded as the Office of Planning and Management earlier this year.

Within the Office of Planning and Management Arboretum Manager Michael Mastrota and Grounds Operations Manager Stephanie DeStefano help the university stay on top of the arboretum and grounds work on the main campus.

Mastrota was hired to design the arboretum about 15 years ago. Today, it’s thriving.

DeStefano helps as well, working with a staff in order to keep American up to their standards.

Within American, the two offices work together to keep the campus sustainable.

Mastrota spoke of the Office of Sustainability, mentioning that since the two offices were housed under different management sections within American that he wished that the two offices worked closer together, but that they still worked with each other frequently.

Debelius echoed the sentiments expressed by Mastrota, saying, “American University has a policy that all new buildings should be built to LEED Gold standards,” that helps them maintain that connection between the two offices.

But not all green work is done internally.

It was by partnering with those outside the university, that American was able to reach its goal two years early. Of those partnerships, Casey Trees and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, have been instrumental to both offices’ success.

Casey Trees has partnered with American, through their facilities, for several years. By planting trees on the university’s campus, the company has helped American’s arboretum grow. The firm comes in every spring and help plant more trees, while also contributing each growing season.

While Casey Trees helps bring more trees onto the campus, the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority helps keep the carbon produced down. “WMATA approached us,” Debelius said. By having unlimited Metro access for all the full-time students, the university is able to encourage more sustainable access to the city, since fewer people are taking Ubers or calling taxis.

It’s these kinds of partnerships that help American stay carbon neutral and create a more sustainable environment for the students.

However, even with all the signs around campus, some still don’t know what carbon neutrality means. Debelius explained it: Carbon neutrality is about how American can offset its carbon footprint and engage in sustainable options, rather than not doing anything, she said. American partnered with a solar farm, which means that 50 percent of its electricity is sustainable, while also working with Veteran’s Compost, a local business, which employs both veterans and their families.

But it’s not just the off-campus work. From creating Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified buildings, to having a Zero Waste Club, reaching carbon neutrality was a campus-wide effort by both the office and the students.

Because American is a leader in efforts to create a sustainable environment, tours on campus now hold places for talking point about their work.

The Office of Sustainability offers a “sustainability map,” which is easily downloadable onto any smartphone. It used to be on paper and would fly off the shelves outside of the admissions office, but the office changed it to an online map, thus taking small step to help neutralize American’s carbon footprint.

Tiana Hakimzadeh, the associate director for on-campus programs, said, “Generally the topic of sustainability actually comes up in the guided tours so it’s something that we train the tour guides on.” The focus of the tours is the campus, but often times there are potential students who are interested in the work that American is doing to create a sustainable campus, especially as the university has reached their goal so early.

This was echoed across campus as both Debelius and Mastrota said that a lot of the work comes from students. One of the students who worked as an intern for their office was able to redo some of the tour talking points to include sustainability highlights, Debelius said.

Mastrota added that they do “a lot of community engagement, a lot of work with students … and promoting American University through the arboretum.”

The treasurer of American’s Zero Waste Club, Sofia Mongeon said the club had a “tremendous impact, especially through major events like Project Food or Project Move-Out.”

Project Move-Out is a newer program at American that encourages all people to donate their old belongings at the end of the semester. The club operates a beginning of the year yard sale that allows all items to be re-sold and re-used at little to no cost.

“It’s an awesome program that diverts a ton of waste away from landfills and benefits the club,” Debelius said. With their involvement of students in activities and tours planned on the main campus, the Office of Sustainability is never inactive.

“All of the work we do is about partnership,” Debelius said. “Staff, faculty and students.”

Sustainability Outreach and Communications Manager Hannah Debelius sits in her office on the third floor of the Spring Valley Building at American University. She worked with students, interns and outside operations to help American become carbon neutral.