San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) Developed a Carbon Reduction Plan in an Effort to Become Carbon Neutral by 2040

In 2018, the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) developed a Carbon Reduction Plan to eliminate the use of fossil fuels and achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. It was developed with input from Facilities, Buildings & Grounds, the Bond Department, and numerous other stakeholders from the City of San Francisco and elsewhere. 

The plan has three main goals: reduce energy use in District owned buildings, switch the vehicle fleet to electric, and power their schools with renewable energy. 

The District’s climate footprint is currently dominated by the natural gas it uses to heat its buildings and fuels it uses to power its vehicles. The 2016 GHG inventory shows that facility energy and vehicle fuels generated 16,800 metric tons of CO2e (MTCO2e). Facility energy made of 71 percent of GHG emissions, and vehicle fuels made up 29 percent. These include diesel fuel used in large school buses, gasoline used in smaller school buses, and gasoline used by District fleet vehicles. 

Due to existing energy efficiency efforts and sustainable design choices during past modernization projects, SFUSD has made significant progress toward these goals to reduce its utility and fuel costs so that more funding is available for the classroom. SFUSD efforts to reduce energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions complement and support existing efforts to minimize waste, connect students to nature, and promote active school commutes. This plan will not only be good for the planet but also create a healthier environment for their students.

Check out the Carbon Reduction Plan, below:

https://gettingtozeroforum.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/08/CarbonReductionPlan_SFUSD.pdf