About: Sustainability: Outreach: Student: Ecological Footprint: Transportation

Willamette’s Footprint: Transportation

Parked Vehicles [photo] During the 2003-2004 school year transportation accounted for approximately 9% or 1667.25 acres of the total footprint. Three main areas are factored into this calculation, including University travel (jet fuel), gasoline consumption, and diesel consumption. Gasoline use does not include commuting done by student and faculty members because this is not directly controlled by University policies. In order for this footprint to serve as a tool for institutional planning this is a necessary omission.

However, because of the educative nature of this analysis, and because our information is meant for community members as well as for the University, research was also compiled on alternative options to personal vehicle use. The following provides a brief summary of the ways in which travel, diesel, and gasoline are used by the University and suggests how to decrease each of their contributions to the total transportation footprint.

Travel Center [photo] University Travel (97% of total footprint)
This includes any travel booked through the travel center (airplane, charter bus, and rental car transportation) for athletics, administration, faculty, academic departments, Willamette graduate schools, and individual travel.

Suggestions to lessen its impact:

Incorporation of video and phone conferencing as an alternative to on-site travel
Decreasing excessive faculty and administrative travel
It is not always necessary to travel in order to present papers and research
Fewer people can attend conferences and bringing back any important information that was discussed to share with others
Coordinating times for students and faculty to carpool to HUT (airport shuttle service) or the Portland Airport around breaks

Diesel Consumption (negligible % of total footprint)
This includes not much! Only one grounds maintenance vehicle runs on diesel fuel.

Suggestions to lessen its impact:

Replacing regular Diesel fuel with Biodiesel

Steering Wheel [photo] Gasoline Consumption
University Fuel Use (3% total footprint)
This includes university vans, maintenance, facilities, mail services, and campus safety vehicles.

Suggestions to lessen its impact:

Getting rid of the current fleet and instead renting from the state motor pool, which incorporates a variety of different sized vehicles and both electric and diesel options
Replacing our own fleet with minivan, diesel, and hybrid options. This may eventually include the capacity to use Biodiesel.

Commuting
This includes student, faculty, and staff travel to and from campus.

Bicycles [photo] Suggestions to lessen its impact:

Encouraging community members to utilize ride-share and public transportation programs and making them both easy and convenient
Prohibition of cars for freshmen students on campus
Raising parking permit costs or changing to a graded permit system where closer spaces are more expensive or reserved
Zip-code parties that allow neighborhood residents to meet each other and coordinate schedules
Flexcar rentals for students that do not own cars on campus
Learn more about Flexcar from the link listed below!

Related Material

Check out your mileage: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/
Flexcar vehicle rentals: http://www.flexcar.com/
Green Vehicle Guide: http://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/
Information on Biodiesel: http://www.grassolean.com/

Sources

Grim, Gary. Physical Plant Operations Manager. Personal Interview. 30 November 2005.
Jordan, Kindra. Director of Travel Services for the Travel Center. Personal Interview. 1 December 2005.
Rolls, Robin. Coordinator for Mid-Valley Ride Share and Cherriots bus system. Personal Interview. 30 November 2005.
Stout, Ross. Director of Campus Safety. Personal Interview. 29 November 2005.
Willamette University Ecological Footprint for 2003-2004. Calculated by Nathan Sivers-Boyce’s Environmental Economics Class.