Carleton College and Clarkson University-
Avoided Methane through Food Recovery
Project Description & Co-Benefits:
In partnership with a local non-profit, students at Carleton College in Minnesota developed an avoided methane carbon offsets project to quantify the avoided landfill emissions from food recovered in the local community. Students volunteer to recover food from several grocery stores, and then distribute it to the Northfield Community Action Center’s food shelf, making the food available to underserved individuals and families. Food that is non-recoverable goes to compost or to a local pig farmer. Students used a protocol from the voluntary market to develop their project, and estimate the avoided emissions from food recovery using the WARM tool by the EPA.
Carleton students Alyssa Malik (‘19) and Christof Zweifel (‘21) rescuing from local retailer
The project was peer reviewed by Clarkson University, led by Dr. Susan Powers, and verified by environmental engineering students over the Spring 2024 semester. In this way, the project provided educational and community engagement opportunities for students at two campuses.
The avoided methane project produces carbon offsets that are retired against Carleton’s Scope 3 emissions.
Food that can’t be redistributed is fed to local pigs. Carleton student James McGehee weighing one day’s worth of pig boxes.
Food that isn’t redistributed or fed to pigs is composted.
project organizer Contact Info:
Erica Zweifel, Assistant Director for Community Impact Community and Civic Engagement
ezweifel@carleton.edu
Project Status:
Active (2023-Present)
Offset Registry or Program:
The Offset Network
Protocol Applied:
VCS Methodology VM0018: Energy Efficiency and Solid Waste Diversion Activities within a Sustainable Community
# of Total Offsets:
320 MTCO2e