CMC and you are making a difference in the environment. Last year, CMC and its utility partners eliminated a whopping 288,206,997 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through the programs we run. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere contributes to greenhouse gases (GHGs) that warm the planet. Human activities have raised the atmosphere’s carbon dioxide content by 50 percent in less than 200 years.
Our 2022 CO2 reduction is the equivalent of:
- Removing the greenhouse gas emissions from 28,168 cars for a year
- Eliminating 324,494,997 miles driven by passenger cars for a year
- Getting rid of the emissions needed for electricity for 25,436 homes for a year
- Stopping CO2 emissions from the power needed to charge 15,902,160,056 smartphones for a year
“CMC’s vision is to create a more livable, equitable and sustainable planet for all and the CO2 we are able to help reduce will go a long way toward that goal,” said Leila Banihani, vice president, Program Delivery. “Reducing GHGs also improves air quality, particularly in urban environments that can lead to premature deaths caused by asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer.”
For example, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates that outdoor air pollution could cause 6 to 9 million premature deaths a year by 2060 and cost 1 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP)—around $2.6 trillion annually.
“What we are doing today will make a difference for future generations,” said Banihani, who noted that Earth Day is this month and there’s no better way for CMC to celebrate the day than to continue eliminating GHGs. “And, that’s something all of us can be proud about.”
And, speaking of the future, CMC’s CO2 reduction goal—or is it a challenge—for 2023 is 300,000,000 pounds.
“Since we did so well in 2022 and are hitting our stride with the new contracts, CMC set the CO2 savings bar even higher,” Banihani said. “The hazards of global warming are real, but so are the contributions that CMC can make to improve our planet.”