DOI: 10.1002/tqem.21578 RESEARCH ARTICLE Carbon footprint of transportation habits in a Brazilian university Murillo Vetroni Barros 1 Barbara Pavão Apolinário da Silva 2 Cassiano Moro Piekarski 1 Leila Mendes da Luz 1 Rui Tadashi Yoshino 2 Daniel Poletto Tesser 1 1 Sustainable Production Systems Laboratory (LESP), Federal University of Technology - Paraná (UTFPR), Ponta Grossa, Brazil 2 Department of Production Engineering, Federal University of Technology - Paraná (UTFPR), Ponta Grossa, Brazil Correspondence Murillo Vetroni Barros, Sustainable Production Systems Laboratory (LESP), Federal University of Technology - Paraná (UTFPR), Av. Monteiro Lobato, Km 04 - Ponta Grossa, PR 84016–210, Brazil. Email: murillo.vetroni@gmail.com Abstract Currently, atmospheric emissions coming from industry and means of transportation are expand- ing at a fast pace across the globe. This study aims to measure the carbon footprint of the Federal University of Technology – Paraná (UTFPR) Ponta Grossa Campus, in terms of the means of trans- portation used by instructors and students on their commutes between their homes and the uni- versity. A survey was applied within the academic community to obtain transportation data. Data were generated using the Umberto NXT Universal software, along with a life-cycle assessment analysis, using the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards ISO 14040, 14044, and the Ecoinvent 3 database. The results show that 90.67% of instructors travel to the university in their cars, which contributes to a high carbon footprint potential; that is, an emission of 51.91 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (kg CO 2equiv. ) per month per instructor. For stu- dents, the emission is 6.97 kg CO 2equiv. into the atmosphere per month per individual for those students who use the bus, as 63.32% of the university's students use public transportation to get around. In this way, the study provides a lesson regarding the environmental impact of the aca- demic community, and it generates knowledge and aims at a more sustainable future by reducing environmental impacts through the means of transport that people choose to use. KEYWORDS Brazil, carbon offset, CO 2 emissions, life-cycle assessment, sustainable transport, sustainable university 1 INTRODUCTION Since the Stockholm Conference in 1972, atmospheric emissions have been discussed in the global scenario. This matter has led to ongoing debates between government and industry due to pressures imposed by society and environmentalists to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To Strohbach, Arnold, and Haase (2012), cities are impor- tant elements in the global carbon cycle, as they produce large amounts of emissions. On the other hand, national policies around the world aim to reduce carbon emissions (Kouloumpis, Stamford, & Azapagic, 2015). Smart cities focus on the betterment of their infrastructures, such as those involved in handling energy, waste, and transportation (Khan, 2018). Rashidi, Stadelmann, and Patt (2017) claim that in the transport sector, GHG emissions and air pollution derive from a common source that also causes congestion, accidents, and noise. Industrial activities and motor vehicles (e.g., automobiles, trucks) are now the main contributors to atmospheric emissions in the urban environment. Emissions from fixed points or sources, such as factories, can account for a large share of the contribution, especially those that do not have pollution control equipment that regulates direct emis- sions to the environment. However, trucks and buses, especially the older ones that run on diesel fuel, contribute to the growth of emissions from mobile sources. The studies of Gomi, Shimada, and Matsuoka (2010), indicate that to avoid the great risk of climate change, the planet must radically reduce the GHG emissions during this century. Means of transport are considered sources of atmospheric pollu- tant emissions. Their primary and most harmful gaseous emissions are carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), which are considered GHGs and contribute to global warming, harming not only human life, but the forests and animals of the planet. In this context, Cruz, Barata, Ferreira, and Freire (2017) and Elhedhli and Merrick (2012) point out that a strategy to reduce CO 2 emissions from urban transport management systems is to balance the use of private automobiles with public transportation. The adoption of such strategies can play a significant role in reducing the future carbon footprint. Environ Qual Manage. 2018;1–10. c  2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 1 wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/tqem