These metro-east, St. Louis neighborhoods have higher than average carbon emissions
Certain neighborhoods near O’Fallon, Mascoutah and Columbia, Ill., likely have much higher average household carbon emissions than other, more urban St. Louis metro areas, according to a recent report from The New York Times.
The disparities align with trends seen globally, according to Serdar Celik, a professor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Celik holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering and is chair of the university’s Climate and Sustainability Advisory Board.
Neighborhood density is a strong predictor of carbon emissions, Celik said, and urban areas tend to be friendlier to the environment due to multi-unit housing, smaller and more energy efficient homes and public transportation.
The NYT’s Dec. 13 report, which maps emissions by neighborhood, uses data from University of California, Berkeley research on consumption-based emissions. The data estimates typical emissions by neighborhood based on electricity use, consumption patterns and other factors. Transportation, housing, services, food and goods were included in estimates.
The neighborhood names have been simplified, and average emissions sometimes vary block to block. Many areas in St. Louis City have lower than average or average emissions, along with East St. Louis and several other metro-east areas.
West St. Louis County suburbs often have higher or much higher emissions than average, especially compared to nearby denser areas such as downtown, midtown and south city, according to the report.
Here’s how greenhouse gas emissions in metro-east and St. Louis area localities compare to the national average, according to the NYT’s map.
Metro-east carbon emissions
East St. Louis: Lower than average emissions overall, roughly average housing emissions.
Belleville: About average overall emissions. Some parts of the city have lower than average food and goods emissions, while some have higher than typical housing emissions.
Fairview Heights: Around average overall emissions, higher than typical for housing.
O’Fallon: Varies by exact location, some neighborhoods have much higher than average emissions in multiple categories, while others are average overall.
Edwardsville: Roughly average overall.
Alton: About average overall, below average for food and goods.
Glen Carbon: Higher than average emissions, much higher than average for housing.
St. Louis, Mo., carbon emissions
Downtown: Lower than average emissions overall, about average in housing.
University City: About average overall emissions, with lower than typical transportation and higher than normal housing.
Ladue: Much higher than average emissions in all categories.
Frontenac: Much higher than average emissions overall.
Webster Groves: Higher than average emissions overall.
Town and Country: Much higher than average emissions overall.
Along with neighborhood density, wealth plays a crucial role in carbon emissions. Wealthy people have more access to sustainable options, such as updated home appliances and energy-efficient cars, Celik said. But if individuals opt for larger homes, more consumption and increased air travel, they could do more harm than good.
Illinois ranked 25th out of the 50 U.S. states for the highest amount of energy consumed per capita in 2020, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Missouri ranked 27th.
The Land of Lincoln is the fifth-largest energy-consuming state overall, the EIA reports, and it is the third-largest ethanol producer at 1.5 billion gallons per year.
Missouri uses almost eight times more energy than it produces, according to the EIA. Coal provided 74% of the state’s electricity net generation in 2021, the second-highest share in the country, behind only West Virginia.
What can government, individuals do to reduce carbon footprints?
One of the reasons cities typically have lower carbon footprints compared to rural areas is buildings may be more energy efficient. But this doesn’t apply to all older construction.
St. Louis is home to a variety of iconic historic buildings, from the Cathedral Basilica, to former manufacturing plants, to the Lemp Mansion. While some legacy buildings are simpler to update than others, old construction can pose an issue when working toward energy efficiency.
When working on older buildings, Celik said it’s important to involve architects and engineers, as well as historians to promote efficiency without sacrificing a construction’s character.
Protecting green spaces is also integral to sustainability, Celik continued, and part of that effort is in investing in public parks. Another idea is to build green roofs, which offer an array of benefits, including natural insulation and reducing airport traffic noise, the urban heat island effect and air conditioning and heating needs, Celik said.
For those who are not policy makers, city planners or architects, there are still steps available to reduce personal carbon emissions. One is to use public transportation, carpool, walk or bike if any of these are options for you.
“Public transportation definitely is a big player in reducing carbon footprints,” Celik said.
Here are a few more options Celik suggested:
If you can, ensure your home is properly insulated and your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system is in working order. (Ameren Illinois offers a program for “low to moderate income” households in St. Clair, Madison and Monroe counties to upgrade or replace HVAC systems.)
Avoid over-consumption and waste.
Reduce, reuse and recycle.
Use an energy efficient or “smart” thermostat. Ameren has $100 rebate programs in Illinois and Missouri to help residents access these.
When evaluating whether you should take a specific action aiming toward sustainability, it’s important to sort out fact from fiction. “Greenwashing” happens when companies advertise products are more sustainable than they actually are, and Celik said this is problematic.
