Carbon footprint of Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University, Salaya Campus, Thailand in the year 2010- 2012

Abstract

Greenhouse gas emissions, a significant amount of which come from corporate organizations, is widely seen as the main cause of global warming. Global warming is widely thought of as being one of the main factors threatening the survival of humanity at present [1]. In order to attempt to reduce green house gas emissions they must first be measured. This study focuses on the estimating m of greenhouse gas production from the Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University. This is also known as the Carbon Footprint. Greenhouse gas emissions arising from the activities of the faculty were estimated using data such as electricity and water supply consumption, wastewater and garbage production and the amount of fuels used. These data were then, multiplied by internationally recognized emission factors in order to give a result in terms of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e). The results showed that the GHGs emissions from the Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies in the years 2010, 2011 and 2012 were 1091.85, 1485.79 and1210.80 ton CO₂e, respectively. This means that the average GHG emission per head of the student and staff population was 1.479, 2.156 and 1.903 tonCO2e, respectively. Sources that emit the most greenhouse gases in order of ranking were found to be the use of electric energy, followed by the use of chemicals and the production of solid waste. It was therefore concluded that power consumption and the amount of solid waste generated in the faculty should be reduced with the use of current energy-saving technologies. Campaigns to reduce the power
consumption of the students and staff population should be carried out in addition to encouraging waste separation for recycling.