OHIO Carbon Offsets

Possible Academic Connections: Environmental Studies, Plant Biology, Restaurant, Hotel & Tourism, Geography

Recommended project length: Semester, year, or thesis/dissertation

Experiential Learning? Likely

Community Engagement? Likely

Remote learning possible? Yes

Connection to OHIO Sustainability & Climate Action Plan: Climate, Administrative Support, Engagement

Brief description: Create a proposal for an Ohio University-certified carbon offset program.

Project Description

Carbon offsets compensate for carbon emissions that cannot be avoided by reducing emissions elsewhere.

• For a semester-length project, students will create a proposal for an Ohio University certified carbon offset program. They will investigate methods for creating a certified carbon offset programs and will write and present a proposal with recommendations and best practices, including potential locations.
• Longer projects could include a cost-benefit assessment of implementation including greenhouse gas reductions, operating costs, ecosystem services benefits, opportunity costs, and/or actual implementation of a certified carbon offset program (for example, tree plantings).

Resources Available to Students/Faculty to Complete Project

• American Carbon Registry (ACR):
  • Possible option for tree plantings: IMPROVED FOREST MANAGEMENT IN NON-FEDERAL U.S. FORESTLANDS, version 2.0, July 2022
• Verified Carbon Standard
• Climate Action Reserve (CAR)
• UN certification of emission reductions
• Offset Network tools and resources
• For tree planting projects: limited baseline data on canopy cover at Ohio University
• Initial interview with a staff member

Project Alignment to OHIO Sustainability & Climate Action Plan

• Climate
• Administrative Support
• Engagement

Please send final project deliverables to sustainability@ohio.edu for tracking and reporting purposes.