Solving for carbon neutrality at MIT

MIT’s goal to reduce carbon emissions by 32% by the year 2030 is a lofty target. Therefore, MIT faculty, staff, students, and researchers from each sector of the five-pronged approach outlined in the Plan for Action on Climate Change are constantly evolving their contributions to the effort. Julie Newman, Director of the MIT Office of Sustainability, and Tim Gutowski, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, have teamed up to offer a new class tackling the carbon issue head-on: Solving for carbon neutrality (11.S938 / 2.S999).  Joining us for our first monthly lunch seminar of the semester, the two walked us through their approach to the class, which includes five major themes to guide the carbon conversation (technical services, buildings, outside services, policy and behavior, and accounting), a host of guest speakers from different facets of the action plan, and a final project asking students to propose their own plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2080 at MIT.

Contributed by Tess MacCurdy, ESI Programs Intern