Through a unique local partnership with the city of Arcata, the University purchased 428 verified carbon credits from the Arcata Community Forest, neutralizing emissions from 100% of directly financed air travel, 100% of reimbursed personal vehicle use for University business, and 20% of study abroad air travel in the 2024–25 fiscal year.
Carbon offsets are certificates representing the removal of one metric ton of CO2e, verified through independent standards such as the Climate Action Reserve, a carbon credit registry. The City of Arcata is able to generate credits by managing 2,350 acres of sustainably managed redwood forest in ways that increase carbon sequestration, including extended harvest rotations, adding forest acreage, and protecting reserves from development.
“We are proud to be supporting a local project that is transparent, verified, and deeply connected to our community,” says Morgan King, Cal Poly Humboldt’s Climate Action Analyst. “The Arcata Community Forest doesn’t just sequester carbon—it offers invaluable research and recreational opportunities for our campus. This is a win-win-win for climate action, local conservation, and community benefit.”
Reducing emissions from air travel is a challenge for universities nationwide. While Humboldt can encourage lower-carbon travel choices, it cannot control the efficiency or fuel type of commercial aircraft. Purchasing carbon offsets offers a way to neutralize those emissions while still supporting valuable educational, research, and administrative opportunities that travel provides.
The partnership also aligns with Cal Poly Humboldt’s Climate Action Plan 2.0. The plan was introduced in 2023, which lays out 35 strategies to reach carbon neutrality by 2045. Purchasing local offsets is one of those strategies, ensuring the University’s investments not only help the climate but also benefit the surrounding community.
In November, the business travel carbon offset project received a Best Practices Award from California State University Capital Planning, Design & Construction at the CSU Facilities Management Conference. The award recognizes its innovative approach to reducing university emissions while investing in local natural resources.
“This effort shows what’s possible when we think creatively about climate solutions,” says King. “We’re tackling a hard-to-reduce emissions category while supporting a forest that’s part of our campus identity. It’s a tangible, measurable step toward our carbon neutrality goal—and we’re doing it in our own backyard.”
