I recently had the opportunity to dive deep into the environmental world by completing an emission inventory for Dane County. As we all know, climate change and environmental sustainability are hot topics, and this project gave me a front-row seat to understanding our impact on the planet. Here are some of the lessons I learned.
First things first, what exactly is an emission inventory? Think of it as a detailed health check-up for a specific entity or community. It measures the amount of greenhouse gasses (GHGs) we’re pumping into the atmosphere through our activities. For Dane County, this involved looking at everything from transportation and energy use to agriculture and waste management. I completed an inventory of emissions tied to county operations, such as building and fleet, and a countywide emission inventory, which measures all emissions throughout the county.
Before I describe what I learned through completing an emission inventory, let’s go back to high school English class. It is likely that, at some point in high school, you were tasked with writing a narrative story or research paper; if you loved English, you might have spent hours writing this beautiful essay. Regardless of your time on your essay, right before you turn it in (or hit submit), your English teacher probably asked, "When is an essay considered complete?” FYI, this is a trick question! The answer is that an essay is never complete, as there are always further grammar and vocabulary edits you could have made. Similarly, the Dane County emissions are a snapshot of the significant emission contributors; however, I could have spent more time tracking different data pieces.
One of the most crucial lessons I learned is the importance of consistent data. When conducting emission inventory, it's essential to use consistent methods and metrics over time. This ensures that the data is comparable year to year, making it easier to track progress and identify trends. Part of the 2022 emission inventory included going back to the 2017 emission inventory in Dane County’s Climate Action Plan to make comparisons. In that process, we learned we needed to update the 2017 inventory to compare apples to apples. One major factor Dane County had to update to be consistent between reports is the emission factors, which are data sets used to estimate the amount of greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere from various activities. For consistency in reports now and moving forward, Dane County will use the MRO East region eGRID data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We also decided to adopt an EPA protocol for estimating agricultural emissions. One of my final responsibilities has been to document these protocols so that it will be easy to do the next inventory update.
Doing an inventory is an iterative process, much like writing an essay. As I dug into various data sources, it raised new questions, sometimes prompting me to go back and update parts of the inventory I’d already completed. I used ICLEI’s ClearPath tools to do the county inventories, and it was helpful to leverage the expertise of the ICLEI team throughout this process.
The primary source of emissions is how we heat and power our homes and businesses. As per the graph, more than half of all countywide emissions are associated with buildings. Simple changes, like switching to LED bulbs, upgrading to energy-efficient appliances, and improving insulation, can dramatically reduce our energy consumption. Dane County has already made strides in promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy, but there’s always room for improvement. To see all the entities recognized for their leadership on efficiency in new and existing buildings, visit our Climate Champions!
Our trash has a more significant impact than you might think. Decomposing waste in landfills releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Dane County's focus on recycling and composting programs is crucial. By reducing, reusing, and recycling, we can all help lower the emissions from our waste.
Dane County has a rich agricultural heritage, both a blessing and a challenge. Agriculture contributes to emissions through livestock, soil management, and fertilizer use. Encouraging sustainable farming practices, like crop rotation and reduced tillage, can help mitigate these effects. Supporting local farmers who adopt these methods is a step in the right direction.
Fun Fact: Cows burping produces more emissions than their manure does – that surprised me.
So, what can we, as everyday citizens, do to help? Here are a few actionable tips:
The 2022 emissions inventories suggest that Dane County is making progress relative to some emissions, but more work is needed to reach the County’s 2030 goals. With concerted effort, innovation, and a strong sense of community, we can make Dane County—and the world—a greener, healthier place for future generations.
Sara recently graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in Economics and Environmental Studies. As the Climate Data Assistant, Sara supports the Office by importing county facility energy and water use data into EnergyCAP Software, assisting with tracking fleet and fuel usage, and generating reports to track overall energy production and use.
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