Overview
The Nitrogen Working Group first developed the Integrated Environmental Footprint Tool (IEFT) to estimate the carbon, nitrogen, water, and phosphorus footprints and the costs of the damage associated with them. It was developed as part of UVA's plans to reduce reactive nitrogen, potable water consumption and waste 30% below 2010 levels. The tool uses inventory data collected by the NWG and Office for Sustainability from UVA schools and groups including weight of food purchased, gallons of fuel used, and kilowatt hours of electricity to determine UVA's footprints.
IEFT Projects: Previous projects involving the IEFT have focused on the UVA Dine and Health System food services mainly to reduce the serving of beef and to include more vegetarian options, since meat has the highest nitrogen footprint out of all of the food groups. For example, a proposed scenario is for each dining hall to have a "vegetarian day" once a week where no meat is served. Other scenarios have already been implemented by UVA Dine including a vegetarian station at all dining halls. In addition to the UVA 2030 Action Plan, the IEFT has been utilized to determine the GHG, N and P footprints across community boundaries between Charlottesville City, Albemarle County, and the University that would also contribute to their respective climate action plans.
Overall, the IEFT has been an integral part at helping the NWG and the University as a whole calculate footprints in service of fulfilling the University's ambitious sustainability goals.
For more information on the IEFT, feel free to contact IEFT Team Lead Emma Vorathiankul at ev3pj@virginia.edu