CLIMATE ACTION PLANNING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CITY OF LARAMIE Abstract The University of Wyoming (UW) plays a large role in the City of Laramie, environmentally, politically, and economically. Because of UW, Laramie has a different population dynamic than the rest of the state. UW brings a younger population to the City, and with that comes different ideas on climate action planning and emissions reduction. Demand for change rose in 2020 when Laramie made the unanimous decision to be carbon neutral by 2050. The City must work with parties within its borders in order to achieve this goal, one of them being UW. In 2009, UW created a three-phase climate action plan through the American College & University President’s Climate Commitment but has since withdrawn. Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs) such as the Campus Sustainability Committee (CSC) still exist and compile greenhouse gas inventories in accordance with the dismissed climate action plan. Both UW and Laramie have infrastructure in place to work on and create climate action plans. In this study, I explore the idea of the City of Laramie and the University of Wyoming working in conjunction with each other to create a joint climate action plan. Using purposive sampling, I interviewed selected participants and discussed this prospect with them. Using this research, I compile a list of recommendations and solutions to creating a joint climate action plan. This project aims to help Laramie and UW realize their potential in working together on climate action planning and how they both can contribute to a sustainable future. This project was completed as a capstone for the University of Wyoming Honors College. Chelsea Taylor Faculty Advisor: Dr. Rachael Budowle - 0 - TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction and Purpose 2 Background 4 Climate Action Planning and the ACUPCC 4 AASSHE STARS and Peer Institutions 5 University of Wyoming Climate Action Planning 7 City of Laramie Climate Action Prospects 9 Project Description 10 Project Context 11 The Interview Process and Methods 12 Summary of Findings 13 UW Students 14 UW Faculty and Staff 16 City of Laramie and Community Staff and Representatives 19 Other University – Community Partnerships 22 Solutions and Recommendations 24 Recommendations 25 Conclusion 28 Appendix A 30 Appendix B 31 Appendix C 34 References 36 - 1 - Introduction and Purpose The University of Wyoming (UW) is the only four-year higher education institution in the state of Wyoming. It has the opportunity to set examples for the rest of the state. UW “includes over seven million square feet of facility space on approximately 750 acres” of land (University of Wyoming, 2009, p. 5). It thus encompasses a large portion of the City of Laramie and accordingly contributes to local greenhouse gas emissions. Laramie has a dynamic that differs from cities in the rest of the state. It is known for its younger, college-aged population and as a result has people from many different backgrounds and cultures. According to the Laramie Boomerang (2019), a Laramie news source, the University of Wyoming contributes to population growth in Laramie and frequently experiences younger population growth from incoming freshman classes. With these classes come a more diverse population in comparison to the rest of Wyoming. According to the United States Census (2020), 89% of people who live in Laramie identify as white, while the rest of the state is 92.5% white. These differences bring different outlooks to Laramie. The University is also a significant part of Laramie and is an important factor in Laramie’s economy (The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, 2011), which is why it is crucial for UW and the City of Laramie to work together to tackle the problem of climate change and planning for it. The purpose of this project is to study the potential for the City of the Laramie and the University of Wyoming to work together on a joint climate action plan. In many places around the country, cities and institutions of higher education are working together to create plans to reduce carbon emissions in their area, some by the year 2050. According to the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance (2020), Boulder, CO is a city that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by - 2 - 80% in 2050 and will switch to 100% renewable energy sources by 2030. Fort Collins is another example of a college town that pledged to become carbon neutral by 2050 by taking advantage of the support it has from other cities like Estes Park, CO and Loveland, CO (Sadasivam, 2015).This kind of collaborative effort requires buy-in at multiple levels of university and city leadership. In comparison with other universities, UW is behind in its efforts to promote sustainability on campus. UW does have some infrastructure in place to get itself and Laramie “on the map” in terms of sustainability and emissions reduction. In 2009, UW created a climate action plan with goals in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on campus (University of Wyoming, 2019, p. 5). Some of the activities aimed to help this cause are still in place. One such activity is greenhouse gas emissions monitoring, which I will discuss in more detail in forthcoming sections of this paper. This project aims to help UW and Laramie realize their potential in working together on climate action planning, sustainability, and emissions reductions. The background section of this paper explores the history of UW’s climate action efforts and status as well as what Laramie has done recently to expedite emissions reduction in the area. Both entities have a significant background in this area that is worthy of discussion. The project description section discusses the background research and the interview process involved in this project and how that information fulfills the purpose of the project. In the summary of findings section, I discuss my findings from various interviews conducted over the course of four months. I address similarities and differences in what participants said regarding climate action planning as well as their suggestions for UW and the City of Laramie. In the solutions and recommendations portion, I lay out my interpretation of both interview findings - 3 - and background information to suggest practical steps both Laramie and UW can take to jointly approach climate action planning and emissions reduction for a more sustainable future. Background: Climate Action Planning and the ACUPCC In 2009, the University of Wyoming became a signatory to what is known as the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). The ACUPCC “provides a framework for colleges and universities to become climate neutral and advance education for sustainability” through the creation of university climate action plans. (American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment [ACUPCC], 2012, p. 5). There are many steps in creating a climate action plan through ACUPCC such as providing tangible action items for the institution to accomplish, conducting a greenhouse gas inventory, and incorporating sustainability into the school curriculum. These activities give faculty, staff and students the opportunity to be involved in the climate action process. It is also important to engage with local communities through the climate action planning process. Cabrillo College for example, joined the Monterey Bay Regional Climate Action Compact, which is a group of “non- governmental organizations who are committed to working collaboratively to address the causes and effects of global climate change through local initiatives” (ACUPCC, 2012, p. 19). Indiana University (IU) signed onto the ACUPCC as well and works in conjunction with the City of Bloomington and other cities in Indiana to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to News at IU (2020), an IU news source, “eleven Indiana cities will develop plans in 2020 to address greenhouse gas emissions as a part of the next phase of Indiana University’s Resilience - 4 - Cohort program.” Local government in Bloomington and in surrounding areas “…will work with IU students and staff to identify actions, policies and programs to reduce emissions” (News at IU, 2020). With support from IU’s signing of the ACUPCC, the Resilience Cohort is a program created by the Environmental Resilience Institute that “…leads Indiana’s city, town, and county governments through the process of measuring, managing, and tracking their greenhouse gas emissions” (IU Environmental Resilience Institute, 2020). In addition to direct university-local government collaborations, local communities and universities work together through local nonprofit and community organizations that have goals aligned with climate action planning. UW became one of nearly 700 institutions across the country to participate in the commitment and the only institution of higher education in the state of Wyoming to do so. AASHE STARS and Peer Institutions There are peer institutions that share similar traits with that of the University of Wyoming and report sustainability efforts through AASHE STARS. Receiving an AASHE STARS ranking (Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum) is an important step in the progression of sustainability efforts on campuses for many reasons. One reason getting a STARS certification is important is that it can “…help the university to gain recognition for sustainability efforts both among the national/international community and among prospective students, therefore leading to higher admission rates” (Richins et. al., 2018, p. 4). Many universities, including UW, are a part of AASHE STARS for this reason. AASHE can also help universities form strategic plans for sustainable practices using resources AASHE provides. This practice helps students, faculty and staff get involved in the process and aids in making sustainability part of campus culture. Being a part of AASHE STARS also helps incorporate sustainability into an institution’s curricula. - 5 - Sustainability curricula and other efforts like climate action planning and greenhouse gas inventories gives institutions a higher STARS ranking. Peer institutions that participate in STARS and share similar traits with UW, such as Utah State University, University of Montana, and New Mexico State University, can provide a benchmark and guide for UW to better achieve its sustainability goals. Specifically, comparing these institution’s climate action plans and goals is crucial for benchmarking UW’s sustainability efforts and identifying sustainability gaps. Figure 1 derived from Richins et. al.’s report entitled AASHE STARS and Climate Action Plan at the University of Wyoming compares UW to universities that are considered “close peers”. Figure 1: Table comparing University of Wyoming to other universities that are considered “close peers”. This table presents AASHE STARS certifications, paid sustainability positions, the existence of a climate plan, and carbon neutrality goals. (Richins et. al., 2018, p. 15) In total, six close peer institutions have climate action plans. Utah State University commits to being carbon neutral by 2050, the University of Montana by 2020, the University of Idaho by 2030, and the University of Rhode Island beyond 2050. Five institutions have an AASHE STARS - 6 - certification, and seven institutions have paid sustainability positions; something that UW does not have. University of Wyoming Climate Action Planning The University of Wyoming published a Climate Action Plan through ACUPCC in 2009 under the jurisdiction of President Thomas Buchanan, with the ultimate goal to reach carbon neutrality on campus by 2050. In 2005, UW made significant progress in sustainability efforts through the creation of the Campus Sustainability Committee and committing to the production of annual greenhouse gas emission inventories. These actions inspired UW leadership and President Buchanan to sign onto ACUPCC in 2007 and to create the 2009 University of Wyoming Climate Action Plan. The goal of the climate action plan was to “develop strategies and action steps to be used as a guide to minimize the institution’s greenhouse gas emissions and climate impact by reducing campus energy consumption, obtaining energy from renewable and sustainable sources, and instituting a sustainable culture among students, faculty and staff” (University of Wyoming, 2009, p. 8). The plan included three phases required by and common to all universities participating in the ACUPCC. The first phase was to reduce carbon emissions to below 2005 levels by the year 2015. The second phase was to reduce overall emissions to 25% below 2005 levels by 2020, and the third phase was to reach campus carbon neutrality by 2050 (University of Wyoming, 2009, p. 8). The University of Wyoming has tracked greenhouse gas emissions through conducting emissions inventories, with fiscal year 2017 being the latest published inventory. The UW Climate Action Plan was dismissed due to fluctuations in university budgets and changes in UW leadership (R. Budowle, personal communication, June 2020). Despite leaving - 7 - the ACUPCC, the Campus Sustainability Committee continues to conduct emissions inventories (UW Campus Sustainability Committee, 2020). UW is also a member of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability (AASHE) and is a part of their Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS). This system is a “transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance” through a variety of criteria (AASHE, 2020). Performance measures include institutional characteristics, academics, campus engagement, operations, planning and administration, and innovation and leadership. Points are earned based on sustainability efforts in each sector. The Campus Sustainability Committee submitted a report to AASHE to receive a STARS report in 2019 (UW Campus Sustainability Committee, 2020). Based on this report, UW achieved the lowest STARS rating of Bronze and a score of 26.1, out of 203 possible points, based on current activities and operations (AASHE, 2020). Pertaining to greenhouse gas emissions, UW received a score of 3.30 out of 10 points. This indicates that a greenhouse gas inventory is being completed but is not complete in all sectors (purchased goods and services, capital goods, and waste generated in operations). The sustainability planning part of the STARS assessment measures if an institution is following a climate action plan or similar. UW received a 0.75 out of 4 points in sustainability planning. UW does not have a published sustainability plan apart from the climate action plan published in 2009 (STARS, 2019). These two scores indicate that UW has made progress in sustainability and climate action planning, there is room for improvement and a need to reinvigorate the climate action plan in order to achieve a higher STARS rating. - 8 - City of Laramie Climate Action Prospects The City of Laramie has recently engaged in numerous climate action planning efforts completely separate from the University of Wyoming. The Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) is a municipal committee “appointed by the city council to advise on environmental issues facing the city and/or brought to attention by the public.” (Camille et. al., 2020, p. 4) The EAC began with members of the Laramie community expressing interest in emission reductions. Since 2018, the EAC drafted an emissions reductions plan to achieve carbon neutrality in city buildings and other municipal operations. In February of 2020, the City of Laramie unanimously adopted the resolution that would create carbon neutrality by 2050 (Camille et. al., 2020, p. 4). Through the EAC, Laramie is also a part of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, or ICLEI. One of the resources ICLEI provides for cities that are in the program is the ClearPath tool, which is a web application that helps monitor municipal emission sources (“ClearPath”, 2020). Two greenhouse gas emission calculators were researched prior to the switch Laramie made to ClearPath in the spring of 2020; the Sustainability Indicator Management and Analysis Platform (SIMAP) and the EPA’s Local Government Operations GHG Calculator. With the EPA established as “…the foremost authority on environmental protection”, Laramie decided to move forward with the EPA tool prior to the switch to ClearPath (Yorke et. al., 2019, p. 7). The Alliance for Renewable Energy (ARE) is a community organization in Laramie that helps influence community decisions. ARE is a grassroots organization associated with the Powder River Basin Resource Council that advocates for the creation of an emissions reductions plan in Laramie, much like the EAC. While ARE does not have a formal role with the City of - 9 - Laramie, it aims to create “partnerships that help to foster a just transition to renewable energy and an energy efficient structure” (We ARE Laramie, 2020). ARE partnered with Laramie to “…assess baseline municipal emissions, which will inform the pursuit of resolutions for Laramie City Council to pass” (Yorke et. al., 2019, p. 3). Project Description Both the University of Wyoming and the City of Laramie have made progress toward more sustainable practices. UW has infrastructure in place to reinstate its climate action plan. The Campus Sustainability Committee has goals in place to help this infrastructure come to life. These include “improving UW operations by funding sustainability projects, support passionate students interested in sustainability, and ensure UW compliance with the ACUPCC by completing an annual greenhouse gas inventory” (UW Campus Sustainability Committee, 2020). The City of Laramie aims to be municipally carbon-neutral by 2050 and has committees in place to help attain that goal (Camille et. al., 2020, p. 4). This project explores opportunities for both entities to collaborate on climate action planning and emissions reduction by using resources already available to both parties and incorporating new ideas inspired by other university-city partnerships. Additionally, it examines specific opportunities for how partnerships may help reinvigorate UW’s currently defunct climate and emissions reductions commitments and planning processes. This section describes the steps and process involved in creating this project including: the context of this project, identifying interview participants based on their involvement with UW, the City of Laramie, and other institutions around the country, creating an IRB consent form and interview protocol, and the interview process. - 10 - Project Context This project aims to provide relevance for the future of the University of Wyoming and the City of Laramie emissions reduction and climate planning processes. One purpose in completing this project is to make a lasting impact on the community. I reached out to Dr. Rachael Budowle, an assistant professor at the UW Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, to discuss relevant projects ideas for my UW Honors Project in the Spring of 2020. She brought to my attention that UW previously had a climate action plan with a goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. Additionally, she indicated that despite UW dissolving its climate commitment and plan, the City of Laramie was currently in the midst of a new emissions reduction plan and commitment. This, however, could be taken a step further through creating a plan that involved the City of Laramie as well. Since Laramie has a plan in place to be carbon- neutral by 2050, it would make sense to have UW involved with this as well considering the large role it plays in the community. The City’s recent progress with climate action planning could aid in UW’s efforts to do the same. They could work together on greenhouse gas inventories and leverage and combine emissions reduction efforts. The first step in this project involved researching UW’s peer institutions and steps they have taken in the sustainability process, as described in the background section above. I also researched universities and cities that are currently working together to address climate action planning, or already have a joint climate action plan in place. A university-city partnership that I found was the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) and Cedar Falls, IA. Cedar Falls and UNI have similar demographics to UW and Laramie, and I found them to be useful in the research - 11 - process. Cedar Falls, for example, has a population of 39,260, making it similar in size to Laramie. Similar to Laramie, Cedar Falls does not have a staff person dedicated to sustainability, “efforts to develop a climate action plan may lead the city to hire a consultant and add a new planning position” (Wind, 2019). UNI works with Cedar Falls and other governments in Iowa to help them develop climate action plans. They also work with ICLEI to “localize the Paris Agreement”, which “…intends to help local governments go beyond pledges and move toward action on implementing the Paris Agreement (Roberts, 2017). Finally, I conducted several interviews using a purposive list of potential candidates, which Dr. Budowle and I complied together. The Interview Process and Methods I explored climate action planning at the University and City level by conducting interviews using purposive sampling. Purposive sampling is a type of nonprobability sample in which researchers use their best judgement to select a sample logically assumed to be a representation of a population (Lavarkas, 2008). For participants to qualify for an interview, they must currently be involved in or previously had involvement with sustainability efforts at UW, the City of Laramie, or at another university or city engaged in a climate action planning partnership. Participants included past and current students, UW faculty and staff, City of Laramie employees, and other employees from different universities across the country. Eleven individuals from different backgrounds and involvement participated in interviews for this study. I invited each participant via email (see Appendix A) and sent a consent form in accordance with IRB protocol (see Appendix B). Once the participant signed the consent form and selected an interview date, each interviewee participated in a semi-structured discussion - 12 - over the Zoom web-conferencing platform. I asked each interviewee a series of questions after a brief introduction and discussion pertaining to the topic of the interview (see Appendix C for interview protocol). I transcribed each interview verbatim using the Transcribe Wreally software. To do this, I recorded each interview at the consent of the participant. I uploaded each transcript onto the software and created a “raw transcript” to edit based off of the recording. Starting from the beginning of the recording, I edited the raw transcript and corrected for repetition, mispronunciation, and clarified abbreviations for ease of data analysis. Once editing was complete, I uploaded both the raw and “clean” transcripts to a secure DropBox folder Dr. Budowle and I shared. During the transcript analysis process, I looked for similarities and differences in what participants shared about their backgrounds, involvement with their city or university, projects completed with their respective entity, and aspirations for future sustainability initiatives. I noted how each interviewee responded to similar questions and observed various levels of enthusiasm and/or skepticism in their responses. As the interview process continued, I added supplemental questions to the conversation to gather more information about topics discussed in previous interviews. This process helped me narrow down areas for further research and recommendations for future City of Laramie and UW climate action planning strategies. Summary of Findings I sampled four participant groups for this project: UW students, UW faculty and staff, City of Laramie and Community employees, and other university faculty and staff. Below are the general findings from each sample group. - 13 - UW Students I selected three University of Wyoming students for the research portion of this project. Selected participants were enrolled in the course entitled “Campus Sustainability”, which is a class that enables students to work with “…not just partners on the UW campus, staff, and other faculty and students, but Alliance for Renewable Energy and city employees.” These students created sustainability projects and worked in conjunction with the City of Laramie and ARE on topics like emissions reduction and climate action planning. One participant said: “I was assigned to a group where we created a municipal zero-emissions reduction plan for the City of Laramie. We created a reduction plan for implementation items and action items the City of Laramie can do. We were given the task to make municipal emissions net zero by the year 2050, which was the goal.” This participant helped to create plans and action items for the City of Laramie and regarding emissions reduction and sustainability. They also created timelines and an outline for Laramie to follow. This work will help ensure Laramie reaches its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Another student completed a project pertaining to the EPA calculator Laramie used to calculate greenhouse gas emission inventories, specifically municipal emissions, with the final deliverable being a report. This participant described municipal emissions as: “…all emissions generated by municipal operations, including solid waste, landfill management, all vehicle emissions related to municipal operations, police vehicles, fire department vehicles, parks and recreation vehicles, etc.” This student believes that the implementation of a greenhouse gas inventory could jumpstart a plethora of sustainable projects in Laramie that UW could potentially help with and take part in implementing. They also created a manual for city employees and volunteers to use in future emissions inventories. - 14 - One challenge these interviewees observed during their work with sustainability at UW and in Laramie it the fear of uncertainty. Uncertainty and the prospect of goals being too “out- of-reach” can hinder progress, specifically in the realm of sustainability. All students interviewed noted that this can be overcome through the enthusiasm of students and other participants. One interviewee mentioned the differences in attendance at City Council meetings pertaining to sustainability efforts. They noted a significant increase in participation at these meetings than at other ones. Participants suggested this increased attendance may have contributed to the unanimous vote to achieve carbon neutrality in Laramie by 2050. All students involved in these projects were optimistic about a partnership between the University of Wyoming and the City of Laramie regarding climate action planning. One student mentioned: “I know the university has been doing emissions calculations and tracking their emissions for several years now, and I know the City is just now starting. So, I think that the University and the [Campus Sustainability Coalition] would be a really great resources for the City to use.” A lot of students and faculty are passionate about the environmental and sustainability work they are involved in. One hurdle is that students seem to be seen as transient and temporary members of the Laramie community. Students feel as though they cannot have a say in the future of the city when they are expected to leave after completing their education. Because of this, some students think their relationship with the city is uncertain and vague. This is why it is important for students to attend City Council meetings and public events around Laramie that pertain to sustainability. One student mentioned that if this information was more accessible to the public, students would be able to get more involved in the decision-making process at the city level. The student mentioned: - 15 - “I think it would be interesting if, from a university sense or even from different RSOs [recognized student organizations], if there was a push for students to get active in those areas, a push for accessibility to that information. I think for a lot of public offices or public officials, their websites are very dated…If there was a more innovative and streamlined way they provided that information, I think that would be helpful.” All student interviews suggested that if Laramie is to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, students need to be more involved in the process. UW Faculty and Staff Four faculty and staff members from the University of Wyoming participated in this study. For some participants, their interest in campus and city sustainability began with their involvement in activities and classes on campus and with the City of Laramie. For others, they have grown up with the idea that sustainability is a crucial aspect of life and should percolate itself in decision-making processes. They all recognized the difficulty of the energy transition and how that would play into the implementation of sustainable practices. One participant mentioned that Laramie is different from the rest of the state in that it does not rely as heavily on fossil fuels economically. They specifically mentioned: “Being in a very fossil fuel dominant state, there seems to be a politicized view of renewable energy. It is seen as an enemy of coal, natural gas, basically the things that pay the bills at the state and often times local levels here. Laramie is a little different. We are the poorest county in the state, but we are not fossil fuel dependent like a lot of other counties.” Laramie is also more “left-of-center” politically in comparison to the rest of the state, but there are many political boundaries that exist within the university and the city. Economics is a subject that cannot be avoided when it comes to implementing change at both the university and city level. Many participants mentioned this in their discussions. Changes made have to be attractive economically, not just environmentally. Improving the economics of sustainable - 16 - changes at the university has to involve buy-in from university leadership. One participant mentioned the difficulty of starting a project from the ground up, especially when it comes to sustainability. “It has to be a priority for the people in Old Main and the trustees. For it to really get some movement, it’d have to be a pretty high up there, independent university goal for the leadership to reach out to the City and say, ‘can we work together on this?’” The concept of low hanging and high hanging “fruit” is an illustration many interviewees used when describing challenges regarding the topic of climate action planning at both the City and University levels. Low hanging “fruit” is defined as easy to achieve goals and those that do not require much sacrifice. These could be seen as small, manageable changes. High hanging “fruit” are objectives that require more sacrifice, finances, community support and resources to achieve. One interviewee expressed concern that both the City and the University will halt sustainability efforts once the low hanging “fruit” or goals have been met. Another challenge is finding a balance between demanding too much and being too neutral or complacent. Finding the fine line between the two, and walking it, can be a difference between enacting change or not. Another challenge comes from the City economics. One participant mentioned, “the City’s biggest concern through everything that we talked about was that there’s not enough money.” Politics play a large role in making changes within the University and according to one participant, is one of the reasons why UW dismantled the climate action plan. There has to be agreement between City and University leadership in order to work together on something like climate action planning. The participant summarized the issue as follows: “You know, as people come and go hopefully there is some effort to work together between the leadership of the city and the leadership here at the University. Just in the past couple of months, there’s been some pretty high charged issues that really are - 17 - bringing about some pretty heavy confrontation…the University’s got some pretty entrenched positions.” While economic and political hurdles exist between UW and Laramie, UW faculty and staff agree that it is possible for climate action planning to happen between the City of Laramie and the University. UW has a significant amount of influence in Laramie. As one participant said: “We’re the only university in the state, the only four-year institution. We’re the flagship land grant university. So, we’re a huge part of this community. It doesn’t really make a ton of sense to look at the City of Laramie without also looking at reductions and inventorying at whatever level as well.” They mentioned the work students have done with the city through the course “Campus Sustainability” are good springboards for initiatives like joint climate action planning. A significant amount of change can come from students. If they are passionate about an issue involving the university, leadership is more likely to listen as opposed to the idea coming from faculty and staff. It is important to let administration know that sustainability is a priority in order for change to happen. One participant said: “Probably a starting point would be just to lobby. Let the administrators know that [sustainability and climate action planning] is a priority that students want to see addressed…just communicate that it is important and it’s something that you want looked at…I think if it came from a student organization that would carry more weight. The administration tends to listen to the students.” The EAC uses municipal emissions as a baseline for carbon neutrality, and these emissions do not include those coming from the University. According to an interviewee, the City may be open to a partnership with UW, but this idea would have to come from the university itself. - 18 - City of Laramie and Community Staff and Representatives Three participants in this study are City of Laramie employees and community members. Some interviewees are members of the Environmental Advisory Committee, the Alliance for Renewable Energy, and the Powder River Basin Resources Council (PRBRC). The City of Laramie began its climate action planning and emissions reduction endeavors through grassroots work and UW student participation. This is different from other cities, and according to one participant: “A lot of cities will pay thousands of dollars for a consultant to come in and do the emission inventories. However, we’ve done it super grassroots and super scrappy.” Both City employees and UW students helped put together the municipal greenhouse gas emissions inventory and used the free EPA calculator tool to do so. City employees served as mentors in this regard. There is a natural resources manager position within the City that takes care of anything natural resources related that “…doesn’t really fit into an existing department”. This position is not a part of a department within the City of Laramie, but this person is necessarily given the task of making sure Laramie reached their 2050 goal of carbon neutrality. This individual also works with the EAC to advise the City on environmental issues, specifically those pertaining to climate action planning and emissions reduction. The natural resources manager serves as one official avenue for enacting environmental change in Laramie. Other participants rallied for Laramie to become an ICLEI city. One participant said: “I attended a conference in Park City, Utah called Mountain Towns 2030…while I was there, there was this group called ICLEI…they also go by International Governments for Sustainability. They were providing free community-wide baseline inventories to a couple communities, and I lobbied really hard for Laramie. They actually led to Laramie signing - 19 - up to be a member of ICLEI where we can continue to use their emissions tracking software as well as help with climate action planning and have their review and expertise on this stuff.” The City of Laramie creates environmental plans through a series of recommendations from the community, the EAC, and the natural resources manager. Through work done with the “Campus Sustainability” course at UW, the City looks at what other cities are doing as far as climate action planning and takes that into consideration when making plans. City employees take many steps to make sure these plans work and are able to come to fruition. One participant listed specific steps Laramie has taken in the planning process: “The first thing you need to do is have an accurate [emissions] inventory to see where it is all coming from and where you have room to make improvements. Those are maybe the ‘low-hanging fruit’. You do those first and work your way up. The key thing is you come up with the two plans: the community plan and the municipal plan. You look at other models out there. You look at what your community needs. You do an inventory every one or two years to see what your actions have done so that you can provide feedback as to whether you are doing something well or not. Then you keep revising you plan.” A significant challenge that was mentioned during these interviews was the concept of buy-in. There needs to be buy-in in order to take initial steps toward making progress. Some of these initial steps include: “Morality, interest in the topic, those are ways to get buy-in, but also make it seem like a no-brainer cost-benefit analysis and that it’s a good return on investment. We framed it in a way a lot of cities are doing this, too. Suddenly people are like ‘wait a second’. So not only is it a good thing for us to do in general, but we’re also going to save money.” It is very hard to make progressive steps without buy-in from those in leadership. Finding a “champion” to spearhead these prospects is equally important. This person should be someone in a higher leadership position who has complete buy-in with the idea of sustainability and climate action planning. Another challenge that both Laramie and UW face is money. The lack - 20 - of funding for sustainability-related projects inhibits the City’s and the University’s ability to make significant change. In terms of re-enacting a climate action plan at UW in conjunction with the Laramie, one participant suggested creating a cost-benefit analysis. They said: “If you do a cost-benefit analysis, I’m guessing it’ll show that it will end up paying back in the long run. So, I think it needs to be a part of it. I think you can frame it as a value- oriented initiative, but I think it’s a harder sell. You try and sell it from as many perspectives as you can, and the University is facing some fiscally difficult times. So, they have to have the fiscal component.” Approaching the climate action plan issue from multiple angles is crucial in making any progress in this area. Many participants believe that the City could be open to the idea of partnering with UW to create a joint climate action plan. Right now, UW partners with staff and students on sustainability projects. There is a “land-swap” project going on with the University and the City in which the City works with the University at a foundational level that benefits both parties. At times, collaboration at the Administration level of the University may be difficult. Despite this conflict, participants also said that if a joint climate action plan is to come to fruition, it has to come from higher-level University staff. This is difficult considering the political and economic climate of UW. One participant said: “I would think that a climate action plan is probably going to have to come from the top- down at the University. I understand their reluctance, too. It’s a university that’s really funded by oil and gas and coal. They’ve got to be careful with what they do and the budget picture for the state is horrible.” Another way for change to occur is simply to keep momentum going at both the City and University levels. Collaboration between the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources should continue. This keeps fresh ideas from students feeding into the City. Even though students tend to stay in Laramie for around four years, the collaboration brings “…really - 21 - amazing young folks into our awareness that we didn’t know were there that have done some amazing things.” Collaboration is key in making progress, whether that be with UW or with the EAC and ARE. Other University-Community Partnerships One participant in this study is an employee at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) located in the City of Cedar Falls. At UNI, there is a specific outreach center that is used to spearhead environmental and sustainability projects both on campus and in Cedar Falls called the Center for Energy and Environmental Education (CEEE). CEEE works with local governments in the State of Iowa to help them develop things like greenhouse gas emission inventories and climate action plans. The CEEE: “Organizes and facilitates various programs that connect our students and faculty at UNI with community partners to do a variety of different environmental projects that both benefit those community partners and also give our students really great real-world experience in environmental areas.” Similar to Laramie, UNI is a school that partners with ICLEI to complete climate action plans not just in conjunction with Cedar Falls, but around the State of Iowa. Dubuque, IA inspired this member of the CEEE to have UNI join ICLEI. The idea behind this is to reduce the number of steps cities in Iowa have to take toward becoming more climate oriented. The participant mentioned the value in doing this: “It kind of streamlines things. Anytime I can find a new community that’s interested in doing this work, they don’t have to go through the process of joining ICLEI, they can just start with us through our ICLEI membership. Through that, we can get going more quickly.” Community and city engagement are very important in this process, and CEEE does a significant amount of work in this area. They help Cedar Falls create greenhouse gas inventories through - 22 - UNI students. This process is similar to the greenhouse gas inventory work that students at the University of Wyoming are supporting for the City of Laramie. One challenge that UNI and the CEEE face in promoting sustainable practices and climate action planning on campus is the structure of the university. There is the business operations side of UNI that includes financing, facilities, grounds, and other operations. This is different from Academic Affairs. Academic Affairs include the Provost, Deans of various colleges, department chairs, and professors. At UNI, these divisions are very separate. CEEE falls under the Academic Affairs side. This organization is effective in influencing students, faculty and staff involved in Academic Affairs. The challenge comes with discussing sustainability practices with business operations. The participant said that “influencing even our own university’s operations hasn’t really happened yet.” Similar to UW, UNI is very dependent on fossil fuels for its energy. The interviewee mentioned that putting a price tag on how much it would it would cost to make some changes in the energy sector may be a way to make progress in this area. This proves to be a difficult task for UNI. The interviewee said: “I don’t know what it is going to cost because there’s been so much reluctance to even do the math because of the fear that it’s going to essentially make the university have to close its doors because they can’t afford to do anything operationally.” University politics also come into the picture when discussing switching energy sources. It is a problem that seems overwhelming to many people in leadership positions, and therefore not a whole lot is accomplished. Similar to what faculty and staff from UW have said in interviews, the challenge is finding balance in approaching the issue. - 23 - The interviewee mentioned a practical solution or starting point in cities and universities to become more sustainable. It is crucial to dedicate at least one staff person, either within the City or at the University (or both), to sustainability measures. The participant noted: “…that is one of the key elements in making this kind of work happen and continuing to move forward is whether or not the city government has a dedicated staff person who does sustainability work in the city government. Cities who take that step and budget for a staff person are the ones that are really going to move this kind of work forward.” Not only is it important to have a dedicated staff member, but it is equally important to have student involvement. Creating internships for students is one way to get them involved as well as providing mentorship for them during the experience. A part of the CEEE’s mission is to get students engaged with the sustainability and climate action planning process. The participant wants students to get engaged with the community to gain real-world experience. This will encourage them to take what they learn back to their respective communities. Solutions and Recommendations Current collaboration between the City of Laramie and the University of Wyoming regarding climate action planning and emissions reductions is minimal. Students support City of Laramie efforts through the “Campus Sustainability” course, but UW and the City are not engaging in a formal way to partner together on their respective emissions reduction efforts. However, opportunity exists for UW and the City of Laramie to collaborate on a climate action plan based on the findings in this study. Laramie seems to be open to idea of climate action planning with the University of Wyoming. If the City is to move beyond municipal emission inventories and into comprehensive, ongoing community-wide inventories, it must collaborate with UW in some way to obtain accurate and encompassing data. The political and economic - 24 - climate of UW and the City of Laramie also requires consideration. Both have been very reliant on mineral resources for tax revenue. According to the 2012-2013 UW Campus Sustainability report, UW enjoys the financial benefits of energy resources such as natural gas, oil, and coal (2014). Moving towards a renewable resources-based climate may put UW in a tight economic bind. UNI faces this same economic challenge, as mentioned in the previous section. An important part of any emission reduction or climate action, both at the university and city level, is outreach and education. As mentioned in the “Summary and Findings” section of this paper, people are interested and want to be engaged and involved with the sustainability process. Sometimes, it is a matter of not having the time and resources to do the research. If the City of Laramie and UW worked together on a climate action plan, information would need to be presented in a digestible way that people would understand. Community meetings could be put in place to give students and members of the Laramie community the chance to learn more about the project and give them a sense of what a transition like this would mean for the community. Outreach and education are an underrepresented part of the public realm of this issue that would need to be addressed if this plan were to move forward. Recommendations Below is a list of recommendations that would be beneficial in creating a joint climate action plan between the City of Laramie and the University of Wyoming based directly on information gleaned from these interviews. While this is not an exhaustive list, it provides insight as to how the two parties can work together on a plan using the resources already at their disposal. This list also includes new resources that could potentially prove to be beneficial. - 25 - 1. Creation of a Cost-Benefit Analysis Creating a cost-benefit analysis would be beneficial in this transition to joint climate planning and action. The analysis would include how UW would benefit economically, politically and socially from emissions reductions and switching to carbon-neutral sources. This analysis could be presented to the Campus Sustainability Committee, UW Administration, and the UW Board of Trustees. Not only would a cost-benefit analysis be beneficial for the University’s transition back into a climate action plan, but it would be necessary if UW were to engage in planning and emissions reduction in conjunction with the City of Laramie. The analysis could also include how working with UW would help Laramie achieve its current goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. The same cost- benefit analysis could be presented to and benefit the City, including the EAC and ARE. Examples of existing climate action partnerships between institutions and their respective cities, such as the partnership between UNI and Cedar Falls, provide evidence of how a project like this would work in a community similar to that of UW and Laramie. 2. Obtain Leadership Buy-In and Find a “Champion” Creating a cost-benefit analysis could lay the groundwork for more buy-in at the UW leadership level. Buy-in at multiple levels is important. While some change is made using a “bottom-up” approach, other change is required from the top-down with leadership approving projects and significant changes. Resolutions are made from this kind of buy- in. From these resolutions come action items. Referencing the “Summary of Findings” - 26 - section of this paper, there are many ways to obtain buy-in in addition to economic savings. Morality and interest in the topic will also help gain buy-in. 3. Create a Sustainability Coordinator Position at UW In addition to the creation of a cost-benefit analysis for the City of Laramie and University of Wyoming and leadership to work together on climate action plan, new positions at UW would support climate planning efforts. One of these positions would be a staff member solely dedicated to campus sustainability. Having this position would likely increase the chance of buy-in at the university leadership level. This individual could also be a liaison between the city and the university regarding collaboration with a climate action plan. Having a designated position within the university dedicated to sustainability is one of the ways University of Northern Iowa became successful in its endeavors to create a joint climate action plan. 4. Create and Support Opportunities for Outreach and Education through Student Projects Students create change in both the City of Laramie and at the University. They are the ones spearheading multiple projects that help both parties become more sustainable. Students complete greenhouse gas inventories for UW, a student helped Laramie use an EPA tool to calculate municipal emissions, others supported community-wide inventories using ClearPath software, and others have helped to outline Laramie’s municipal emissions reduction plan. They show up for and support sustainability and emissions reduction activities and meetings in Laramie and are a large source of income - 27 - for the local economy. According to one participant in this study, “…in concert with students who have been leading the way on this already, now is really a good time to explore what the University could do.” Students can have a significant amount of say in what happens at UW. They have the potential to create lasting change, even if they are only in Laramie for four to five years at a time. Conclusion The purpose of this study is to inspire both the University of Wyoming and the City of Laramie to work together on a climate action plan that benefits both parties. UW and Laramie already have some infrastructure in place to make this happen. Laramie is an ICLEI city and uses the ClearPath tool to measure community-wide and municipal emissions. They have a goal to be municipally carbon-neutral by 2050 and want to eventually move into community emissions. UW was previously a signatory to the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment but removed itself with changing leadership. UW has a climate action plan that has been dismissed, but students are still collecting greenhouse gas inventories through the Campus Sustainability Committee. UW is already registered with AASHE STARS and has resources to move from a “Bronze” rank to a “Silver” rank. The Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources provides a means for students to get involved with the sustainability process and has provided a bridge for students to collaborate with the City of Laramie on their emissions reduction process. It may also provide an avenue for the creation/reinvigoration of a UW climate action plan and commitment. According to participants in this study, the City of Laramie seems willing to partner with UW on climate action planning and emissions reduction. - 28 - Using action items presented in this paper, such as gaining buy-in from the University and increasing outreach and education opportunities, both the University of Wyoming and Laramie have an opportunity to work together to create a sustainable future. - 29 - Appendix A: Interview participant email invitation Dear [insert name], I am reaching out to see if you would be willing to participate in an interview on emissions reduction in Laramie and at the University of Wyoming and/or university climate and sustainability planning, based on your past and/or current engagement with these issues. This interview is part of a research study I am conducting with Drs. Rachael Budowle and Eric Krszjzaniek, and your participation is completely voluntary. Please see the attached informed consent form, which we would review together, and I would ask you to digitally complete prior to the interview. The interview will last approximately up to one hour, and it will take place over Zoom (or phone call at your preference). Please let me know if you are interested in participating, and if so, a convenient day and time for us to chat. I can then send you a Zoom invitation. I will be leading the interview and, if permitted, will audio record your responses for use in this study. Thank you for your consideration, Chelsea - 30 - Appendix B: Informed Consent Form Consent to Participate in a University of Wyoming Research Study TITLE OF STUDY: Documenting community and university climate and sustainability planning and transitions PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Rachael Budowle, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor, Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources | rbudowle@uwyo.edu | 307.766.6461 WHY AM I BEING INVITED TO TAKE PART IN THIS RESEARCH? Participants include stakeholders who have in some way been involved in implementing or maintaining climate action/emissions reduction plans and sustainability initiatives in the City of Laramie, University of Wyoming, and other U.S. communities and universities. WHO IS DOING THE STUDY? Dr. Rachael Budowle, Dr. Eric Krzyjzaniek, and undergraduate student, Chelsea Taylor, are conducting this research. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY? This research will document the rapid development of the City of Laramie’s climate planning/emissions reduction process. Broadly, it aims to explore the role of universities in regional sustainability transitions, particularly how students can contribute to those transitions. WHERE IS THE STUDY GOING TO TAKE PLACE AND HOW LONG WILL IT LAST? Due to COVID-19 and public health considerations as well as for participants not located in Laramie, interviews will take place via a video conferencing platform or phone, at the individual participant’s convenience. The interview will last up to one hour. WHAT WILL I BE ASKED TO DO? We will ask you to participate in a one-on-one interview to discuss the following broad topics: 1) your role in your specific community or university; 2) your past and current involvement with climate action planning/emissions reduction and sustainability within your respective community or university; and 3) your concerns and hopes for future climate action planning/emissions reduction in your community or university. We would like to audio record the interview. Only the research team will have access to the audio recording, which we will securely store and transcribe. ARE THERE REASONS WHY I SHOULD NOT TAKE PART IN THIS STUDY? You should only participate in the interview if you are associated in some way with climate action planning/emissions reduction and/or sustainability efforts in your community or university. WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS? - 31 - The risks involved in participating in this research are minimal and not greater than those involved with daily activities involving addressing climate action planning/emissions reduction in communities and universities. It is not possible to identify all potential risks in research procedures, but the researcher(s) have taken reasonable safeguards to minimize any known and potential, but unknown, risks. ARE THERE ANY BENEFITS FROM TAKING PART IN THIS STUDY? There are no direct benefits to participation, other than contributing to this research. We hope that by sharing various perspectives on climate action planning/emissions reduction, participants may have an opportunity to reflect on their own experiences and future work with these efforts. DO I HAVE TO TAKE PART IN THE STUDY? Your participation in this research is voluntary. If you decide to participate in the study, you may withdraw your consent and stop participating at any time without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. WHO WILL SEE THE INFORMATION THAT I GIVE? We will keep private all research records that identify you, to the extent allowed by law. For this study, we will de identify your interview so that the only place your name will appear in our records is on the consent and in our data spreadsheet which links you to your data. Only the research team will have access to the link between you and your data. The only exceptions to this are if we are asked to share the research files for audit purposes with the University of Wyoming Institutional Review Board ethics committee, if necessary. When we write about the data for our case study, we will write about the combined information we have gathered. You will not be identified in these written materials. We may publish the results of this study; however, we will keep your name and other identifying information private. WHAT IF I HAVE QUESTIONS? If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Rachael Budowle at rbudowle@uwyo.edu or 307.766.6461. If you have any questions about your rights as a volunteer in this research, contact the University of Wyoming IRB at: IRB@uwyo.edu. - 32 - WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW? Your signature acknowledges that you have read this information and willingly sign this consent form to participate in this research. Your signature also acknowledges that you have been offered, on the date signed, a copy of this consent information. ______________________________________________________________________________ Signature of person agreeing to take part in the study Date Printed name of person agreeing to take part in the study Date ______________________________________________________________________________ Name of person providing information to participant Date ______________________________________________________________________________ Signature of Research Staff Date - 33 - Appendix C: Climate Action Plan Interview Protocol Preparation: • Email consent form to participant with invitation to participate in interview. If participant agrees to interview, ask them to sign and complete the consent form and email (or mail, as necessary) the consent form back prior to the scheduled interview. • Review interview protocol in advance of conducting the interview. • Set up and test all recording equipment and have extra batteries on hand for digital voice recorders, charger for phone recording systems. For zoom, select recording settings in advance of sending invitation. • Print out/pull up electronic copy of interview protocol and consent form. Introduction to Interview: • Introduce yourself and thank the participant for time and participation in the interview. • Purpose of the interview is to understand your experiences with sustainability, emissions reductions, and climate planning [in Laramie/at the University of Wyoming/in another university/community context] to help create a case study. • Confidentiality statement – review consent process with participant again. Note, especially: o Participation is voluntary; can withdraw without penalty at any time. o Any presentations, reports, etc. from this interview and your stories will include only anonymized direct quotes and aggregated information from what you say here. Due to the close-knit nature of the university and community, however, it is not possible to fully guarantee complete anonymity in final publications. • Ask to audio-record; audio files and full transcribed interviews will never be shared outside of the research team. Recording allows researchers to devote full attention to the interview and refer to the recording/transcription later. Protocol/Questions: [Start the recording and state your name, date, and participant’s name] 1. Please introduce yourself and describe your role within [insert university, city/community, organization]. 2. Why are you interested in sustainability and climate action/emission reduction, broadly? 3. Tell me about your past and current involvement with sustainability efforts at [insert university, city/community, organization]. Prompts: - 34 - o When and how were these plans created? o How do the city and the university work with each other on climate action/emissions, or not? o What challenges have you faced in the climate action planning/emissions reduction process, and how have you handled them? o [For university/community participants in other locations] If applicable, when and how did the city/municipality [or university, if speaking with the city partners] become involved with the plan? 4. In particular, please tell me about the climate action/emissions reductions plans you have helped to implement or maintain at [insert university, city/community, organization]. Prompts: o When and how were these plans created? o How do the city and the university work with each other on climate action/emissions, or not? o What challenges have you faces in the climate action planning/emission reduction process, and how have you handled them? o [For university/community participants in other locations] If applicable, when and how did the city/municipality [or university, if speaking with city partners] become involved with the plan? 5. Please describe the role of students in the climate action planning/emissions reduction process. 6. What are your needs, concerns, and/or hopes for climate action planning/emissions reduction and sustainability at [insert university, city/community, organization]? Prompt: o What potential do you see for UW to reinvigorate a climate action commitment and plan given the City of Laramie’s recent emissions reduction achievements, either its own or jointly with the community? 7. Anything else you’d like to add? Thank you for participating and sharing your time and perspective about climate action planning/emissions reduction and sustainability with us. - 35 - References: About STARS. (2018, November 08). Retrieved November 15, 2020, from https://stars.aashe.org/about-stars/ ACHS, J. (2019, May 29). Laramie sees minor population growth in 2018, most other cities see decreases. Retrieved November 28, 2020, from https://www.laramieboomerang.com/news/local_news/laramie-sees-minor-population- growth-in-2018-most-other-cities-see-decreases/article_f9905819-7ae1-51a0-ba35- 10e10e7742f1.html Boulder, Colorado, USA. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2020, from https://carbonneutralcities.org/cities/boulder/ Budowle, R. (2019, April 29). University of Wyoming PA-2: Sustainability Planning. Retrieved November 16, 2020, from https://reports.aashe.org/institutions/university-of-wyoming- wy/report/2019-04-29/PA/coordination-planning/PA-2/ Camille, N., Garcia, J., Muren, C., & Saunders, J. (2020, May 7). The City of Laramie Emissions Reduction Management Outline. Retrieved November 14, 2020, from https://cityoflaramie.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/8586?fileID=11254 Campus Sustainability Committee (CSC) Progress Report: January 2012-December 2013. (2014). Retrieved November 28, 2020, from http://www.uwyo.edu/sustainability/_files/documents/2012-2013-campus-sustainability- progress-report-final.pdf - 36 - Campus Sustainability Committee. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2020, from http://www.uwyo.edu/sustainability/ Dautremont-Smith, J., Cortese, A. D., Dyer, G., & Walton, J. (2012). American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment Implementation Guide. Retrieved November 14, 2020, from http://secondnature.org/wp- content/uploads/ACUPCCImplementationGuide_V2.1_.pdf Hines, J. (2020, March 09). IU helps 11 Indiana cities develop climate action plans. Retrieved November 28, 2020, from https://news.iu.edu/stories/2020/03/iu/releases/09-indiana- cities-reduce-greenhouse-gases-resilience-cohort.html Lavrakas, P. (2008). Purposive Sample [Abstract]. Encyclopedia of Survey Research Methods. doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412963947.n419 Local Governments for Sustainability: Clear Path. (2020, July 16). Retrieved November 16, 2020, from https://icleiusa.org/clearpath/ Richins, S., Sheaffer, S., & Von Buettner, A. (2018). AASHE STARS and Climate Action Plan at the University of Wyoming (pp. 2-15, Rep.). Laramie, WY: Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources. Roberts, K. (2017, November 13). Localizing the Paris Agreement: A Guide for Local Government Action in Support of the U.S. Nationally Determine Contribution. Retrieved December 2, 2020, from https://icleiusa.org/localizing-the-paris-agreement/ - 37 - Sadasivam, N. (2015, March 31). Fort Collins, Colo., Pledges to Be Carbon Neutral. Retrieved November 28, 2020, from https://www.governing.com/topics/transportation- infrastructure/fort-collins-colopledges-to-be-carbon-neutral.html Tikkanen, A. (n.d.). Laramie. Retrieved November 28, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Laramie U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Wyoming. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2020, from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/WY University of Wyoming Climate Action Plan. (2009, September 15). Retrieved November 15, 2020, from www.uwyo.edu/sustainability/_files/documents/climate_action_plan_09152009%20final. pdf. Wind, A. (2019, November 22). Developing Cedar Falls climate action plan may lead to a new city staff position. Retrieved December 2, 2020, from https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/developing-cedar-falls-climate-plan- may-lead-to-new-city-staff-position/article_501bd876-e0ea-5721-8c14- f54f344d797d.html Yorke, X., Nichols, K., Francis, A., & Holmes, C. (2018). Laramie Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory (pp. 3-10, Rep.). Laramie, WY: Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources. - 38 -