Transportation


Preamble and Statement of Commitment
Nationally and internationally, transportation – particularly the use of vehicles and aircraft – are the major users of fossil fuels. By reducing its own use of those modes of transportation and encouraging its faculty, staff and students to do likewise, Earlham can contribute to a reduction in the generation of greenhouse gases, other pollutants and the use of fossil fuels.

As a national liberal arts college with an international student body and curriculum, Earlham College can cause significant environmental impacts through its normal transportation operations. Each year, Earlham students travel significant distances, primarily by automobiles and aircraft, as they travel between their homes and the College. On a daily basis, many students and employees commute between their local residences and the College. On a daily basis, employees drive within the local area on College business. And each year, many students and faculty travel by automobile or aircraft to destinations in the U.S. and overseas as part of their academic and administrative work.

An average automobile (in good mechanical condition, with fuel consumption of 20 miles per gallon) emits approximately 1 pound of carbon dioxide (plus other pollutants) for every mile driven. Traveling by commercial aircraft is more problematic from an environmental perspective. A typical passenger aircraft with a full passenger load emits as much carbon dioxide per passenger as a 27 mile-per-gallon automobile carrying only the driver. Two persons traveling cross country in an average automobile cause less pollution per person than if they were traveling in a commercial aircraft. Further, aircraft inject their pollutants at high altitudes, where the damage caused is even greater. National and international travel is fundamental to the curriculum and operation of the College, particularly off-campus programs, faculty research, and student activities.
The College fleet includes 26 vehicles, all of which run on unleaded gasoline. 12-passenger vans are often used with less than half-occupancy and for trips within 5 miles of the College. These vehicles average about 13 miles per gallon and thus contribute significantly more pollution per person-mile than is desirable when they are operating at less than capacity.

What Earlham has done and is doing on conserving energy in transportation
The College has instituted a program of purchasing hybrid vehicles and reducing the number of over-sized vehicles in the college fleet. The College provides low-interest mortgages to faculty members residing in very close proximity to the College and has reduced-rent programs for faculty and staff who rent college-owned houses in very close proximity to the College.