University Research Labs Produces Too Much CO2

Hervé Philippe, a Université de Montréal professor of biochemistry, is a committed environmentalist who found that his own research produces 44 tonnes of CO2 per year. The average American citizen produces 20 tonnes.

Hervé Philippe“I did my PhD on nucleotide sequencing in the hope of advancing our knowledge of biodiversity, but I never thought that the research itself could have a negative impact on biodiversity,” he said, during a recent biology department symposium.

He doesn’t believe in one magical solution, but rather in transformations adapted to each area. For universities, he recommends having less frequent international conferences, increasing the use of videoconferences, avoiding research on well explored topics, reducing publications and evaluating the amount of CO2 produced by research projects.

On the web:
About the Université de Montréal: http://www.umontreal.ca/english/index.htm.

. “But environmental problems have gone from bad to worse. In Canada,
for instance, oil consumption is 1.7 times greater despite better
technology.”

I just love this quote. Just tell me if that isn't boneheadedly typical of a Leftist. First they make a claim ("environmental problems have gone from bad to worse"), then to support his claim he doesn't provide effects, damage, examples, studies, or anything that is "worse". All he cites as evidence for "environmental problems going from bad to worse" is that oil consumption is 1.7 times greater despite better technology. ---- So what?

For a professor of biochemistry to accept responsibility
for producing double the average amount of CO2, is at
least, a baby step in a new direction.

Philippe doesn’t believe in the myth that technology is the solution.

Another vague comment. Maybe their website will provide a few
more details.