Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Indicator:  Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions of the City of Spokane

3,229,308 Metric Tons of CO2e (2005)

Why is this important? 

Greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide, contribute to climate change by building up and causing rising temperature by trapping heat in the atmosphere. This climate change will drastically affect the health of the environment in the Spokane area, just as it does around the world, and consequently also the economic and social health. The climate has already shown concrete evidence of human-caused change:

 Allowing this warming trend to continue at present rates could result in decreased agricultural output, increased catastrophic weather events such as forest fires, drought and floods, and the displacement of entire populations due to rising sea levels¹.

The local climate will change dramatically as freezing levels rise, and therefore snowpack and water supply lessen as runoff begins earlier and the summer months become even drier.  

To counteract this, Spokane has agreed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions as a part of Governor Christine Gregoire's Washington Climate Change Challenge:

The state goal is to reduce 2020 emission levels to what they were in 1990, a reduction of 10 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (MTCO2e) below 2004 levels². 

Former Mayor Dennis Hession agreed in 2007 to the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, which committed Spokane to meet or exceed Kyoto Protocol emissions targets. This would be an even bigger effort of 7% reduction in emissions below 1990 levels by 2012³. Therefore, measuring Spokane's greenhouse gas emissions will help show whether we are moving towards these goals and becoming more environmentally sustainable, to ensure a bright and healthy future.

What will be measured and how? 

Greenhouse gases are measured in tons of gas emitted into the atmosphere. The most prevalent greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide, which accounts for about 2/3 of all greenhouse gases, and stays in the atmosphere for more than 100 years⁴.  Other greenhouse gases include methane, nitrous oxide, and flourinated gases.

Carbon Dioxide enters the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas and coal), solid waste, trees and wood products, and also as a result of other chemical reactions (e.g. manufacture of cement)⁵. 

Measuring a unit of CO2 can estimate the amount of other gases in the atmosphere, because there is "a relative contribution of a unit emission of each gas, relative to the effect of a unit emission of carbon dioxide"⁶. Therefore, this will be the best way to measure our greenhouse gases. This will be noted as CO2e (equivalent).

The City of Spokane will conduct a periodic Greenhouse Gas Inventory to track CO2 emissions⁷. This will measure two parts: government emissions and community emissions. "The inventory of the community emission explores all sources within the City of Spokane city limits... The community-wide inventory is the total, and the government category is a specific subset of that total"⁸. The data is gathered based on type of emissions, and include transportation; residential, commercial and industrial buildings; waste; and "other".  For more information, see the Spokane Greenhouse Gas Inventory 2009 or or visit www.greenspokane.org.

Where are we now?

In 2005 Spokane emitted 3,229,308 metric tons of CO2e, most of which came from the transportation sector, followed by residential, commercial/industrial, waste, and other. For comparison, in 1990, the total emissions were 2,974,835 tons of carbon⁹.  For example, see Spokane Air Quality June 2009.

         Figure 1.  Spokane Community 2005 Greenhouse Gas Emissions. ¹⁰

         Figure 2. City Government 2005 Greenhouse Gas Emissions. ¹⁰

This can be broken down more comprehensively:

• Transportation: "The average resident of the City of Spokane emitted an estimated 6.21 metric tons of CO2e  while traveling via automobile or mass transit in 2005. On a per-capita basis, assuming travel in a full-sized, gasoline-powered automobile, the average resident of the City of Spokane travels 10,040 miles per year or 193 miles per week. This equates to 400,334 gallons of fuel combusted annually for resident's transportation, or 12 gallons per week per resident".
• Home heating: "Emissions associated with home heating account for 1.79 metric tons of CO2e per capita (per year). Fuel types used for home heating include electricity, natural gas, fuel, oil and wood".
• Lighting, appliances, and cooling: "Per capita, emissions associated with electricity used in lighting, appliances and cooling resulted in an estimated 1.63 metric tons of CO2e emissions. Of this total, lighting represents 14 percent, refrigerator use 21 percent, and all other appliances 65 percent".
• Water heating: "Emission associated with water heating accounted for 0.63 metric tons of CO2e emissions for the average City of Spokane residents in 2005".
• Waste: "The average City of Spokane resident was responsible for 1,620 pounds of waste, resulting in 0.33 metric tons of CO2e in 2005. The typical makeup of waste for a resident in the City of Spokane consists of 31.1 percent paper, 21.3 percent food, 5 percent plant matter, 8.1 percent wood matter, and 34.5 percent other materials. In regard to recycling, the average resident recycled 91.6 pounds of material in 2005".
• Sewage: "The average City of Spokane resident was responsible for 51,743 gallons of sewage (wastewater) in 2005, resulting in the emission of 0.06 metric tons of CO2e". 
• Water: "The average resident's use on an annual basis resulted in 0.018 metric tons of CO2e emissions. Due to the non-CO2e emitting nature of hydroelectric power from Upriver Dam, the City of Spokane essentially receives its water emissions-free for much of the year. However, during the summer and early fall when water use is high and river flows are low, significant amount of purchased power are used. An important fact to consider is the amount of energy required to pump and distribute City's water. Hypothetically speaking, if the non-CO2e emitting electricity was replaced with typical grid-based electricity, the emissions associated with pumping and distributing the City of Spokane's water needs would equal 16,203 metric tons of CO2e"¹².  

What can I do? 

When you must take part in polluting activities, such as creating waste, using electricity, driving or taking a flight etc, you are contributing to adding carbon and other pollutants in the air. This amount is your "carbon footprint". There are so many easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint! Here are just a few:

• Walk or Ride a Bike
• Rideshare
• Use Spokane Transit
• Become an "Eco Driver" by subtly changing your driving habits and adjusting your maintenance. See Eco Driving for more details
• Use biodiesel/ethanol
• Reduce, reuse, recycle
• Limit water use (see section 1)
• Weather-proof your home
• Plant a tree Replace incandescent lights with compact flourescent bulbs
• Clean or replace your heater air filters
• Clean refrigerator/freezer coils
• Purchase "green power"
• Buy "Energy Star" appliances when replacing washers, dryers, dishwashers, etc.
• Turn thermostats down in winter, up in summer
• Buy "water sense" fixtures
• Participate in employers Commute Trip Reduction Program
• Compost Yard Waste and Use on Garden
• Utilize Carbon Offsets. It is not always possible to completely eliminate your contribution to air pollution. Reduce as much as you can, first, and for what you cannot reduce, support offsets which reduce carbon and other pollutants, to achieve carbon neutrality. This can be planting a tree or plant! 
  • If you can't plant a tree, you can support other carbon-reducing efforts, by purchasing carbon offsets through non profit organizations. When you contribute money, it will be used towards projects such as alternative energy, reforesting, or preventing pollution. You can choose directly where your money goes through some organizations, or simply donate and the organization will allocate your funds. Calculate your carbon footprint, and then view some organizations that you can donate to, to offset this footprint. 
  • A note of caution: Since carbon offset donations are based on trust, fraud can occur, so make sure you are donating to an organization that you trust!   There are some regulatory agencies, such as the "Voluntary Carbon Standard" that can help you find a good place to donate.