Yale is working to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from all sources. However, certain emissions are inevitable. For example, air travel for research and networking purposes is essential to the work of a research university, as is convening, and GHGs are an unavoidable consequence of flying. Carbon offsets provide a way to balance out such activities by funding programs that reduce emissions elsewhere. Renewable energy generation, energy efficiency upgrades, and tree planting are just a few examples of carbon offset projects.
The Yale Community Carbon Fund (YCCF) allows Yale community members to counterbalance the carbon impact associated with travel and events by supporting sustainability in New Haven. All funds raised through YCCF currently go to the Urban Resources Initiative (URI). URI is a Yale-affiliated not-for-profit organization that plants trees in New Haven through GreenSkills, which provides paid training to high school students and adults with employment barriers. While this is not a one-to-one offset program, it has the added benefit of supporting community and enhancing greenspaces in New Haven.