Seattle Academy Carbon Sequestration Project Seattle Academy of Arts & Sciences Alex Brewer Kyle Shurtleff June 2010
Mar 29, 2015
Seattle AcademyCarbon Sequestration Project
Seattle Academy of Arts & Sciences
Alex BrewerKyle Shurtleff
June 2010
Seattle AcademyCarbon Footprint
(2008-2009 school year)
Direct Financed Air Travel
Purchased Electricity
Student & Faculty Commuting
Direct Financed Transportation Solid Waste
WastewaterPaper Purchasing
All Other
Carbon Footprint Data
Category
Emissions (metric tons CO2 equivalent) Percentages
Direct Financed Air Travel 646 38.2%Purchased Electricity 316.6 18.7%Student & Faculty Commuting 284.7 16.8%Direct Financed Transportation 261.3 15.5%Solid Waste 64.5 3.8%Wastewater 56.5 3.3%Paper Purchasing 1.9 0.1%All Other 59.1 3.5%Total 1690.6 100.0%
Primary Goals To become a carbon neutral institution; To create non-tuition derived cash flow; To prove that carbon neutrality is an
economic reality for Seattle Academy; To investigate if carbon neutrality could
be an economic reality for a broad range of urban, suburban, and rural schools.
Team Students, from the class of 2010
forward; Currently Alex Brewer and Kyle Shurtleff.
Preliminary work by Page Ive, Andy Healey and the Environmental Studies class.
Lead Advisor Dexter Chapin Faculty, Administration and Board of
Directors. The broader Seattle Academy
community of parents and supporters.
Stipulated Assumptions Anthropogenic carbon dioxide, as well
as other anthropogenic greenhouse gases, are engendering climate change;
There is a demand and a market for individual and corporate amelioration;
This project combines education, service, non-tuition income, and amelioration.
Organizational Context Seattle Academy has the conditions
socially and environmentally to simultaneously educate and ameliorate climate change. Internally, the culture of performance; Externally, an educated, environmentally,
socially, and economically committed and supportive community;
Legally, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization who can act as a conservation easement trustee, meeting the requirements of 509(a)(2).
Business Summary Seattle Academy initially offsets its total
organizational carbon emissions. Sustainable forestry practices and sales of
carbon credits begin to generate institutional income from year 6 onward. Sustainable harvesting of hybrid poplar and
long-rotation selective harvesting of conifers and broadleaf trees.
Monitoring and sale of ex-post carbon credits.
Sequester carbon in a mixed forest on a clear-cut, purpose donated or leased/loaned, parcel of approximately 60 hectares in the Cascade foothills.
SAAS Advantages As far as we know, no other school in
the country is doing this Broad interest and support among
administration, faculty, and students School’s entrepreneurial culture
Sequestration Projections
Sequestration Projections
1 9 17 25 33 41 49 57 65 73 81 89 97 1051131211291371451531611691771851930
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
P. trichocarpa x P. deltoides Hybrid OP367
Years
Tota
l C
arb
on S
equeste
red(
t C
O2 p
er
hecta
re)
Sequestration Projections
1 9 17 25 33 41 49 57 65 73 81 89 97 1051131211291371451531611691771851930
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
300000
350000
400000
Total Carbon Sequestered
Years
Tota
l C
arb
on S
equeste
red (
t
CO
2
)
Sequestration Projectionst CO2 per hectare Year 1 Year 15 Year 50 Year 100+100% Conifer 4.390 6.010 10.170 8.02150:50 Split (conifer/broadleaf)
5.955 6.765 8.845 7.771
100% Broadleaf 7.520 7.520 7.520 7.520100% Hybrid Poplar 72.2 72.2 72.2 72.2
Land Required to Immediately Offset SAAS Emission 100% Conifer – 385 hectares 50:50 Conifer/Broadleaf split – 280 hectares 100% Broadleaf – 225 hectares 100% Hybrid Poplar – 23.4 hectares
Credit Value Projections
Credit Price
Year 1 Year 15 Year 50 Year 100+
$5.00 $8,411.00 $8,573.00 $8,989.00 $8,774.10
$10.00 $16,822.00
$17,146.00 $17,978.00 $17,488.20
$15.00 $25,233.00
$25,719.00 $26,967.00 $26,232.30
$20.00 $33,644.00
$34,292.00 $35,956.00 $34,976.40
Sustainable Forestry
FSC Certification Long-term Forest Management
Plans Direct Sales / Local Marketing
Process and Goals1st year:
Locate and negotiate use of land Topography dependent planning
With input from UW and WADNR Reserve and procure seedlings from
Webster Forest Nursery (WADNR) Seasonal planting
Conifers and broadleaf trees at approximately 380 units per hectare
Hybrid poplar at approximately 1700 units per hectare
Process and Goals2nd to 6th years: Additional planting Selective cutting for carbon analysis.
6th year: Begin hybrid poplar harvesting. Additional planting Selective cutting carbon analysis
Process and Goals6th year onward: Maintain optimal planting density Continue poplar harvesting with an
aggressive 6 year rotation Begin selling carbon credits in year 15 Begin conifer/broadleaf harvesting with
a sustainable 40-50 year rotation.
Financials1st year: Costs:
Travel to meetings and activities between Olympia and Monroe; unknown
Direct costs of involved faculty; unknown Seedlings for pilot planting/5 hectares; est.
$1,000 Planting tool sets/12 sets; est. $800 General overhead and expenses; est. $2,500
Income: none Goodwill: “It’s such a SAAS thing to do.”
Financials2nd year: Costs:
Travel to activities in Monroe; unknown Travel to Olympia is reduced; unknown but low
Direct costs of involved faculty; unknown Seedlings/25 hectares; est. $5,500 Planting tool sets/36 sets; est. $2,600 General overhead and expenses; est. $2,700
Income: none Goodwill is increasing as PR increases at
PNAIS, etc.
Financials3rd and 4th year: Costs/year:
Travel to activities in Monroe; unknown Direct cost of faculty; unknown Seedlings: 3rd year est. $5,600, 4th year est.
$1,000 Planting tool sets/10 sets; est. $900 General overhead and expenses; est. $2,800 Income: none Goodwill: Continues to spread through word-
of-mouth, local media, etc.
Financials6th year Costs/year:
Costs will stabilize at about the level for the 4th year
New costs may be incurred putting in an education/retreat center based on ten platforms, guide tents, a well, and associated equipment
Goodwill: maintained at high level Income: First poplar cuttings sold at $2/bf
Resource Requirements at Start Up
Non-financial Planning and technical support from State
and University Departments Input from potential harvesters and
buyers Financial
Startup costs of seedlings, tools, utility vehicle, etc.
Land, insurance, and overhead, including staffing
Organizational RewardsSAAS would Be carbon neutral, and in a position of
community leadership Have a non-tuition income stream for
scholarships, and development of program and facilities
Have gained an educational/retreat center that can be used in multiple ways to further the goals and culture of the school
Have a recognized brand
Educational RewardsStudents would Have a place-based, experiential,
expeditionary, opportunity to learn in an interdisciplinary, authentic manner both in and out of class.
Be exposed to the complexity of scientific, economic, and socio-cultural facets of making a project work.
Develop a long-term, vested interest and understanding of sustainability issues
Near-term Key Issues Is acreage available?
Donation, long-term rent, loan? What don’t we know?
Don’t underestimate our ignorance. Are possible mentor/models available?
Commercial, academic, government What resources are available to explore
this effort?
Long-term Key Issues What is the impact of Cap and Trade? How do we maintain the integrity of the
SAAS project so that only realized offsets are sold?
How do we maintain interest, enthusiasm, and support for ongoing project?