This document discusses sustainability and carbon sequestration. It provides definitions of sustainability as meeting present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own needs. Carbon sequestration is removing excess carbon from the carbon cycle by capturing and storing it indefinitely. The document then outlines components of calculating a carbon footprint including location, business sector, energy usage, waste, and transportation. It summarizes the results of a carbon footprint calculation for a sustainability intern's organization that identified transportation strengths but procurement weaknesses. Moving forward, it proposes carbon offset projects and ongoing environmental stewardship.

1. Our Carbon Footprint:
Knowing where we stand
Evan Novell
Sustainability Intern
University of South Florida

2. Outline
 What is Sustainability?
 What is Carbon Sequestration?
 Why are they important?
 Components of a carbon footprint
 Results from Cool Climate
 Limitations
 Moving forward!
The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that
someone else will save it.
-Robert Swan

3. What is sustainability?
 “Meeting the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs”.
-Brundtland Commission
 Three important concepts
 Longevity
 Triple bottom line
 Environmental, societal, economic.
 Processual
 Sustainability is not a goal but an ongoing
process of iteration.

4. What is Carbon Sequestration?
 The process of removing excess carbon from the carbon cycle by
capturing it (either naturally or artificially) and storing it
indefinitely.
 At OM Sanctuary, the easement serves as the vessel for this storage.

5. Why are they important?
 Sustainability
 It facilitates several
important things…
Socioeconomic
equitability
Environmental
economic viability
Actionable
environmental
responsibility on
multiple levels.
 Carbon Sequestration
 Plays an important role in
reducing greenhouse gas
emissions.
Particularly from non-point
sources.
 CO2 is necessary for
photosynthesis
Forest and agricultural
productivity is directly related
to the amount of CO2
present in forests and soils.

6. What to consider
when calculating a
carbon footprint?
 Location
 Business sector
 Number of facilities and Sq. feet
 Number of employees
 Annual revenue
 Business related transportation
 Energy usage
 Waste and recycling
 Procurements

7. Results of the Cool
Climate Calculation
 388 tons of CO2e from Oct 2015- Sept 2016
 Strengths
 Transportation
 Thanks to Asheville being a commuter friendly city.
 Locally focused organization
 This figure is also likely to be smaller based on staff
location.
 Weaknesses
 Procurements
 173% of similar businesses
 Does not account for organic or locally sourced

8. Limitations and
Obstacles
 Data is skewed because of
OMS’s previously dormant state.
 An example would be the
replacement of A/C
equipment.
 There are gaps in some of the
required data.
 Paper, stationary and
printing.
 In these instances, averages for
small-scale hotels were used.
 Some of these are not
representative of OMS.

9. But Evan, how does this apply to tourism?
 Asheville is a prime tourist destination.
 Wellness, outdoor sports and recreation, historical significance, and
beer!
 The OM sanctuary is situated adjacent to the French Broad River.
 This is the third oldest river in the world.
 Is considered a tourist destination.
 Our conservation easement contributes to the urban forest.
 As Asheville continues to develop, the longevity of the easement will
continue to provide benefits through natural services.

10. Moving Forward
 Carbon Offset project with:
 Dogwood Alliance
 Ecoforesters
 Ongoing environmental
stewardship.
 Prescribed burn
 Continue to engage the
community.
 Infographics
 Detailed record keeping
 Waste, procurements, etc.

11. Special thanks to

12. Questions?