Circular economy, methane capture, and climate education in US HEIs

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the involvement of US colleges and universities in methane capture projects in the waste sector and their related educational initiatives aiming to build circular economies and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Design/methodology/approach: The authors compiled a subset of 22 “early adopting” institutions – those that received media attention for solid or liquid waste methane capture projects from 1999 to the present. The authors included all cases found within a reasonable number of queries. The institutions fell into two groups: (1) schools directly involved in gas capture projects, and (2) schools that purchased third-party offsets tied to landfill gas (LFG) projects. The authors assessed transparency and accountability, which the authors determined as fundamental to GHG mitigation and climate education. The authors expanded on five innovative cases from our subset to illustrate pathways to improve equity and circularity in waste flows. Findings: US higher education institutions (HEIs) can measure and educate more transparently about waste streams. While institutions using LFG offsets range in size, curriculum and geography, there were few methane capture projects supplying energy directly to campuses. Although HEIs generally rely on third-party providers for waste management, cases demonstrate how universities can play a role in methane use, and be incubators for climate action and related employment. Practical implications: Illustrative cases demonstrate the educational and institutional benefits from methane use. Social implications: HEIs can generate pathways of a “just” transition to a fossil-free circular economy. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first comparative studies examining waste sector methane capture and the potential for high-impact educational practices and sustainability training in US HEIs.