Sep. 8--Editor's note: How can we reduce our carbon footprint?

As the federal government shapes legislation, regulation and infrastructure changes, state governments are taking their own steps to stay ahead of the curve. And no entities within state governments are making bigger strides in leading the green revolution than universities.

In the second installment of a three-part series, The Chapel Hill Herald continues looking at what UNC Chapel Hill is doing to transition to green energy and practices -- in the past, present and future.

CHAPEL HILL -- UNC Chapel Hill is just more than 18 months into its pursuit of carbon neutrality by 2050, a goal set in January 2007, when then-Chancellor James Moeser signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment.

In the upcoming weeks, the university will complete and publish its greenhouse gas emissions inventory. But the lack of a comprehensive inventory until now has not prevented the university from assertively taking actions already aimed at reducing its carbon footprint.

UNC's current sustainability projects range from small to big changes and from infrastructural to behavioral changes.

In one of its most important steps to implement sustainability, UNC has changed its purchasing practices.

It has phased out incandescent light bulbs -- inefficient because only a tiny portion of the electricity they consume actually goes toward light; much of it is lost in heat waste. Those lights have been replaced with energy-efficient fluorescent and compact-fluorescent lights, which are about 75 percent more efficient.

All appliances -- from vending machines to coffeemakers -- purchased by the university now must be Energy Star-certified, meaning the federal government says they are especially energy-efficient.

University vehicles are an especially visible example of purchasing changes. The grounds, facility services, housing and ITS departments are beginning to use some electric vehicles for on-campus activities. Adopting a "zone" maintenance system has allowed workers to remain on campus without commuting to off-campus headquarters. No longer is a gas-guzzling Ford F-150 or F-250 truck the only option for facility and maintenance crews.

While coal is burned to produce the electricity that powers electric vehicles, there are both financial and carbon savings of more than 90 percent. The initial capital cost of the vehicles, of which a variety of makers are being tested (including Club Car and Global Electric Motor, a division of Chrysler) is less, too.