GREENHOUSE GASSES IN DETROIT

Brent PalaianCI8831

DETROIT

The Motor City

Fortunately, we are not the capitol of greenhouse gasses.

Main Points1. The Detroit Greenhouse Gas Inventory

2. Where are greenhouse gas emissions coming from?

3. Important factors

The Report Data was collected by five students in the

School of Natural Resources and Environment as part of a U of M master’s degree requirement Jill Carlson, Jenny Cooper, Marie Donahue, Max

Neale and Anis Ragland The team measured Detroit's citywide

emissions for 2011 and 2012 The report utilized interactions with over 50

organizations around Detroit It was released Sept 2014

Greenhouse Gas Inventory The first step in creating a plan to reduce

greenhouse gasses is by gathering relevant information to make informed decisions.

The first time this data has been collected

Used to create Detroit's first climate action plan

Reduced greenhouse gas emissions = energy efficiency = money savings = increased profits

Where are greenhouse gas emissions coming from?

70% of Detroit's greenhouse gases are generated by buildings

41% is produced in four ZIP codes including Southwest, Midtown, and Downtown Main sources are industrial, commercial and

institutional.

30% are from other sources. Mobile sources

Passenger cars, municipal fleet vehicles and public busses Solid waste landfill disposal.

Important Factors The city produces a total of 10.6 million

metric tons of CO2 per year. Driving from Detroit to Ann Arbor 60 times would

produce one metric ton of CO2

Trees cover 23.5% of the city. The trees covert 70,400 metric tons of CO2 per

year

DTE uses coal to create around 76% of their electricity. Electricity contributes 45% of the city's overall

emissions.

Important Factors Detroit's per capita emissions are below

average compared to 13 other US and Canadian cities

93% of the governments emissions were produced by Detroit Water and Sewerage Department Detroit Public Lighting Department Detroit Department of Public Works The Greater Detroit Resource Recovery

Authority

Conclusion Creating greenhouse gas inventory for

Detroit was necessary to formulate its first climate change plan

Important results: A majority of the emissions arise from buildings

and a smaller portion from transportation and landfills

Despite this, Detroit remains below average compared to other major cities

References Article University of Michigan. "Detroit's first

comprehensive greenhouse gas inventory completed." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 10 November 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141110110102.htm>.

Pdf http://

css.snre.umich.edu/css_doc/CSS14-21.pdf