Energy & Climate Change
at UF
Energy is necessary for life. All living things require energy to eat, move, and reproduce. From the solar energy used by plants to make food, to the electricity we use to run the equipment we use every day, we all need energy.
Around the globe, much of our energy comes to us by way of fossil fuels. Coal and oilwere formed by decayed plants and animals that lived 300 million years ago. These energy sources are non-renewable. In addition, they have been storing carbon for millions of years. This carbon is now being released into our atmosphere as we burn these fuels for energy, and it is causing our Earth to warm.
As Americans we have become so accustomed to cheap, abundant sources of energy that we have become wasteful. The side effects of this energy consumption are more apparent every year. Decreasing air quality, rising gas prices, and climate change, are just a few of the symptoms that our energy consumption is not healthy for us or the planet.
Many efforts to reduce our energy use and carbon emissions are already underway at UF. In 2007, President J. Bernard Machen was the first to sign the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment. As a University we have now set a goal of carbon neutrality by 2025. A complete audit of our carbon footprint and a plan to reach neutrality are currently being developed by UF’s Climate Neutrality Working Group and ICBE. You will be able to access information about your individual department’s carbon inventory online in the coming months. You can read more about the efforts that UF is making for energy conservation here.
All of us use energy at work -- from light switches to computers, photocopiers and printers. We even use energy indirectly by using fossil fuel intensive products like plastics. There are lots of ways that you and members of your department can help reduce our carbon footprint and save money on energy bills. Check out the following topics for more information: Lighting, Office Equipment.
