MU Environmental Network News
October 2009
Vol. 15 No. 10
Editor - Jan Weaver
208Tucker Hall, MU 65211
What is Missouri Doing about Greenhouse Gases?
by Jan Weaver
What is Missouri doing about greenhouse gases? In 2008 Missouri produced around 137 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalents - about 23 tons per person (5.9 million people) and .0006 tons per dollar of Gross Domestic Product ($238 billion). This puts us pretty much in the middle of greenhouse gas production nationally. Regionally we produce more greenhouse gases than Iowa, Kansas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Nebraska, but less than Illinois and Kentucky.
Between 50% and 60% of our greenhouse gases come from coal fired plants which produce electricity, principally for residential use. A little more than half of that energy comes from coal plants inside the state. The remainder comes from coal fired plants outside the state or from nuclear power (almost 6%), natural gas (about 3%), and hydroelectric (about 1%). Less than 0.2% comes from biomass, solar or wind. Fourteen utilities offer green pricing on clean energy to their customers to encourage growth of green power sources and seven have low income weatherization programs.
Transportation is responsible for 30% of our greenhouse gas production. Missourians use 559 gallons of gasoline per person per year, 17% more than the US average and more than is used in any neighboring state, though Iowa comes pretty close at 557 gallons per person per year. We are 11th in ethanol production and have 62 ethanol and 33 biodiesel stations in the state. The remaining 15% to 20% of our greenhouse gases come from industry, agriculture, home heating and commercial sources.
In 2002 the Missouri Department of Natural Resources or DNR (the state agency responsible for environmental protection in Missouri) completed a state climate change action plan. On the EPA website, it shows we joined the Greenhouse Gas Registry, but set no greenhouse gas target or cap, and had no activity on electricity disclosure or greenhouse gas reporting. The DNR Energy Center (http://www.dnr.mo.gov/energy/index.html) has reports on our greenhouse gas production, biomass feedstock availability, solar energy resources, wind energy resources, incentives for green energy, residential energy efficiency, alternative fuel station locators and several other sources related to green energy.
In 2007 the state legislature passed a law requiring electric utilities to offer net metering for systems up to 100 kilowatts that generated electricity using wind, solar, thermal or hydroelectric energy. The same year it also passed legislation allowing municipal landfills to become bioreactors (adding water and oxygen to the waste to generate methane) so they could use the methane from decomposition of organic matter for electricity generation instead of using fossil fuels.
In 2008, 1.77 million citizens of Missouri upped the ante and passed Proposition C, the Missouri Clean Energy Initiative, which required investor owned utilities to derive 2% of their energy from renewable sources such as solar, wind, biomass and hydropower by 2011, and 15% of their electricity from clean sources by 2021. The initiative passed with a 66% majority.
Twenty Missouri cities and towns (out of 973 nationally) have signed the Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement agreeing to: 1) meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets (7% reduction from 1990 levels by 2012); 2) urge their states and the federal government to enact policies and programs to meet or beat the targets; and 3) urge the US Congress to pass bipartisan greenhouse gas reduction that would establish a national emission trading system. The cities are Clayton, Columbia, Creve Coeur, Florissant, Gladstone, Houston Lake, Kansas City, Kirkwood, Lake St. Louis, Liberty, Maplewood, Overland, Parkville, Pleasant Valley, Raytown, Riverside, St. Louis, St. Peters, Sunset Hills and University City. Kansas City appears to have gone the furthest in meeting these obligations (http://www.kcmo.org/manager.nsf/web/cpp), but nine of the other cities, including Columbia, have taken at least a few steps towards compliance. For comparison, Illinois (41 cities) and Iowa (35 cities) are ahead of us, Kansas (12 cities), Tennessee (6 cities), Kentucky (6 cities), Arkansas (4 cities), Nebraska (3 cities) and Oklahoma (3 cities) are behind.
Ten Missouri universities and colleges (out of 650 nationally) have signed the College and University President's Climate Commitment. The commitment requires them to: 1) initiate a plan to achieve climate neutrality by setting up the necessary institutional structures: 2) complete a comprehensive inventory of greenhouse gases (a carbon footprint); and 3) develop an institutional plan to become carbon neutral. The institutions are Drury University (Springfield), Missouri University of Science and Technology (Rolla), Park University (KC area), St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley, University of Central Missouri (Warrensburg), University of Missouri (Columbia, Kansas City, St. Louis & the System), and Webster University (St. Louis). Eight of the institutions have taken some steps according to their websites. Mizzou is currently working on its inventory of greenhouse gas emissions. This and other efforts should be available at the MU Office of Sustainability website (http://sustainability.cf.missouri.edu/)
For Missouri's energy profile visit http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=MO. The website e Redux tracks and compares energy profiles for states and cities. Missouri's site is http://www.eredux.com/states/state_detail.php?id=1127&state=MISSOURI.
This is just a quick survey of what Missouri state and local governments, and colleges and universities are doing about our greenhouse gases. These efforts are supported (and sometimes driven) by the work being done by dozens and dozens of non-profits and businesses.
College and University Websites
City Websites
Special Events, Activities and Workshops
Organization Meetings and Contact Information
AUDUBON SOCIETY: 874-3904 / columbia-audubon.missouri.org Meet 3rd Wed 7:30 pm, Unitarian Church, 2615 Shepard Blvd.
BOONE COUNTY SMART GROWTH COALITION: http://smartgrowth.missouri.org/, 1st Weds 7:15 Boone Co Govt Ctr.
CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING: 875-0539 or http://www.midmopeaceworks.org/sustainableliving.php
CHOUTEAU GROTTO: http://chouteau.missouri.org/, Meet 1st Wed, 7 pm, The Casteel Building, 1518 Business Loop 70 East
COLUMBIA CLIMATE CHANGE COALITION: 573-529-9273, Meet 3rd Thu http://www.columbiaclimatechangecoalition.org/
COLUMBIA FOOD CIRCLE: 882-7463 or http://foodcircles.missouri.edu/sources.htm
COLUMBIA PUBLIC WORKS VOL. PROGRAMS: 874-6271 or http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Volunteer/Opportunities/#PW
COMMUNITY GARDEN COALITION: 875-5995 or cgardenc@yahoo.com or http://cgc.missouri.org 3rd Thursdays 7 pm Columbia Public Library
ENV EDUCATION WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES: http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/teacher/workshops/
FRIENDS OF BIG MUDDY: friends@friendsofbigmuddy.org or www.friendsofbigmuddy.org 2nd Tues, 7 pm, Bryant Cabin
FRIENDS OF ROCK BRIDGE M. S. P.: 815-9255 or http://rockbridge.missouri.org/ Outdoors Bldg, 200 Old 63 S.
GET ABOUT COLUMBIA: http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/GetAbout_Columbia/index.php
GREEKS GOING GREEN: new group for fraternities and sororities at MU sauzp5@mizzou.edu
GREEN SANCTUARY: 1st Fridays, 7:00 pm UU Church 2615 Shepard Blvd alternates green movies and discussions g_baka2002@yahoo.com
GREENBELT LAND TRUST OF MID-MISSOURI: 442-4789, greenbelt.land.trust @gmail.com or http://greenbelt.missouri.org
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RESTORE: 815-9836, drop off/ buy 1906 Monroe St. Columbia Mon to Fri 8:30 to 3:30, Sat 8-1 1pm,
MISSOURI ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION: www.meea.org
MO NATIVE PLANT SOC.: http://columbianativeplants.missouri.org/, 2nd Mon, odd months, 7 p.m., UU Church, 2615 Shepard
MISSOURI RIVER COMMUNITIES NETWORK: 573-256-2602 or www.moriver.org or moriver@coin.org
MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE ENERGY: http://www.mosafeenergy.org/Content/ first Tuesdays, 7:15, Peace Nook on Broadway
PEDNET COALITION: email: pednet@pednet.org or http://www.pednet.org
RIVER RELIEF: http://www.riverrelief.org/
ROCK BRIDGE MEMORIAL STATE PARK: 449-7402 or http://rockbridge.missouri.org
SHOW ME CLEAN STREAMS COALITION: (573) 751-4115 ext 3169 or www.mostreamteam.org
SIERRA CLUB: 875-2916, http://missouri.sierraclub.org/osage/index.htm 3rd Tuesdays 7:30 pm Hillel Found., 1107 University Ave
SUSTAIN MIZZOU: http://students.missouri.edu/~sustainmizzou/
WILD ONES: 573 882-9909, ext 3257 or email wildonesmo@yahoo.com, http://wildones.missouri.org Meetings 2nd Saturdays.
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