Happy Earth Day from Facilities Management

Happy Earth Day!

Columbia University Medical Center is celebrating by making our electricity green all week.

From today, April 22, through Saturday, April 27, we are buying wind power equivalent to the electricity consumption of all of our research and residential buildings. For each megawatt hour of electricity we use, we are buying a Green-e Energy Certified® Renewable Energy Certificate, which pays for a wind farm to deliver the same amount of energy to the U.S. power grid.

By midnight Saturday, April 27, we will have provided enough wind power to the power grid to avoid 1,086 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, the amount generated by 2,531 barrels of oil, according to EPA estimates.

CUMC is working to cut greenhouse gases not just for Earth Day, but every day.

Purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates is just one initiative in our year-round work to reduce our carbon footprint. By 2025, we aim to cut our greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent-and we are well on our way.

By the end of fiscal year 2013, CUMC is projected to reduce its carbon footprint by 4 percent from 2010 levels. Visit the Energypage of the Facilities Management website to learn more about the projects contributing to this reduction.

How can you participate?

To work toward our 30 percent reduction goal, we are organizing groups-called Green Teams-to share stories and integrate sustainable practices into classrooms, laboratories, offices, and campus residence halls.

If you attend classes, work, or live in a CUMC building and would like to join a Green Team, reply to this email and let us know.

We welcome your suggestions and comments on our energy and sustainability initiatives at cumc-energy@columbia.edu.

Stay tuned for energy and sustainability updates from Facilities Management.