tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15585808.post3106790498124553939..comments2024-03-28T03:55:46.577-07:00Comments on Have Fun • Do Good: What Do You Think of Carbon Offsets?Britt Bravohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02134123127272499735noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15585808.post-27059092961138116792008-04-13T21:52:00.000-07:002008-04-13T21:52:00.000-07:00I'm considering erecting a windmill on my property...I'm considering erecting a windmill on my property to generate electricity for my home. It will cost about $15,000 but will generate about half of our annual electricity use. If I were willing to let others buy into my project, to satisfy their craving for carbon offsets, would anyone be interested?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15585808.post-74938384732647798092007-06-11T07:27:00.000-07:002007-06-11T07:27:00.000-07:00The scepticism about rouge used carbon salesmen is...The scepticism about rouge used carbon salesmen is appropriate. However, it is clear that quality carbon offsets can be beneficial to the planet particularly if the offsets are for greenhouse emissions that have no optional greenhouse reduction strategy. A case in point is air travel. If you do travel by air then it is appropriate to offset the emissions. For this reason Uncook carbon offset have been designed as a quality product with highly additional projects administered through the respected Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme. See www.uncook.com for more information.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15585808.post-37353425611257803312007-04-15T04:11:00.000-07:002007-04-15T04:11:00.000-07:00Hi Britt- I am the guy who was mentioned in the co...Hi Britt- I am the guy who was mentioned in the coop america article about offsetting. Here is a copy of the letter I just sent them.<BR/><BR/>I find it outrageous that they manipulated the facts to claim that I use offsets. In reality, I believe offsetting is a dangerous and deceptive practice. Instead, I have pledged never to own a car or fly again, and believe that my life will be much better for it.<BR/><BR/>You can read about my plane free trip to Britain here:<BR/><BR/>http://web.mac.com/joshuahart<BR/><BR/>Cheers,<BR/><BR/>Josh<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>Dear Coop America Editor,<BR/><BR/>While I appreciate the publicity about my plane free journey across the Atlantic in your article about the high carbon emissions from air travel, I am not happy that you used my story to promote carbon offsetting.<BR/><BR/>I consider the selling of carbon offsets as deceptive, if not more so than the selling of indulgences by the church. Carbon offset projects do not undo the damage that flying and driving cause. A ton of carbon saved now is far more important to climate stability than one saved in the future. In addition, many trees planted to "offset" carbon will die in their lifetimes because of the effects of climate change. <BR/><BR/>Carbon offsetting, though often conducted by well-meaning individuals, is a deceptive practice and counterproductive to the urgent necessity to immediately and drastically cut our fossil fuel burning. To pretend otherwise simply allows destructive and unnecessary travel behaviour to continue by giving the false impression that you can be "carbon neutral" and pollute at the same time. This is simply not the case.<BR/><BR/>We need to do all we can to immediately cut our carbon emissions at the source- that means driving and flying a whole lot less. Period. That means cycling and walking for shorter journeys, taking the train or the bus instead of flying, and avoiding long-distance travel wherever possible in favor of local getaways. It also means buying locally grown or produced goods wherever possible.<BR/><BR/>Here in the UK, carbon offsetting has largely been discredited, through such social critics as George Monbiot, who writes a column for the Guardian. <BR/><BR/>See http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2006/10/19/selling-indulgences/<BR/><BR/>In addition, websites such as http://cheatneutral.com/ have brought attention to the absurdity of carbon offsetting by declaring that you can "offset" your infidelities by paying someone else to stay faithful.<BR/><BR/>I urge you to cease your support for carbon offset programs, and instead focus your publicity on energy efficiency, and encouraging behavior change that results in less fossil fuels being burned. <BR/><BR/>Not much money to be made from that though is there?<BR/><BR/>Sincerely,<BR/><BR/>Joshua HartAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15585808.post-43362103218868596462007-04-10T07:48:00.000-07:002007-04-10T07:48:00.000-07:00The thing that worries me - is my money going towa...The thing that worries me - is my money going toward a new renewable energy project, or just toward some methane project on a landfill that has been there for years, making that company some extra cash? I don't care what motivation a company has for doing something green, as long as it's doing good. NativeEnergy offsets only go towards investments in NEW renewable projects so i offset with them.Caitlin Cantyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04650492605784844245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15585808.post-64017297494774611712007-04-09T19:16:00.000-07:002007-04-09T19:16:00.000-07:00You're right, Ru. There is nothing bad about plan...You're right, Ru. There is nothing bad about planting trees, for sure!Britt Bravohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02134123127272499735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15585808.post-3535811558688137122007-04-07T05:59:00.000-07:002007-04-07T05:59:00.000-07:00Thanks for your post. I agree with decreasing our...Thanks for your post. I agree with decreasing our own impact first...after I recently pondered the mysteries of carbon offsets, I heard from Kevin Smith of Carbon Trade Watch. He seeks to debunk currently marketed carbon offsets, and I tend to agree. Quite difficult to understand how each specific impact is actually being offset. I feel <BR/>much better, for now, about my own small and personal actions. When I do something like shut off my computer/printer at the power strip each night, I have an "in the moment" awareness of my impact.Anne Libbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08952349765247178891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15585808.post-9377914997933986942007-04-04T02:41:00.000-07:002007-04-04T02:41:00.000-07:00Not all tree-based offsets are a bad thing. Please...Not all tree-based offsets are a bad thing. Please check us out at Treeflights.com where you will see we are trying hard to do this in an honest and transparent way.<BR/>At a time when we have dangerously high levels of CO2 in the atmosphere it would be madness for us to forego the immense absorptive capabilities that trees provide.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15585808.post-21591789147671826022007-04-01T08:01:00.000-07:002007-04-01T08:01:00.000-07:00Britt - excellent explanation. I view the Terra Pa...Britt - excellent explanation. I view the Terra Pass and other carbon offsets as bandaids and awareness generators for the real issue - getting rid of the CO2 at the source. The best way to do that is through market pressure and standards(politics is too slow and too limited by country lines). <BR/><BR/>Market pressure is already making companies become CO2 free and socially responsible. Note that it is happening inbetween elections and happening fast. You can't be "green" enough, but greenwashed marketing is everywhere. <BR/><BR/>Standards elminate greenwash and level the corporate playing field and give the machines specs to match. (you can find explanations of on http://mts.sustainableproducts.com)<BR/><BR/>Hopefully in 5-10 years, these standards will do the heavy lifting needed to bring corporations into line and the consumer will be left with only green choices and therefore no need for a Terra Pass. <BR/><BR/>Until then, VISA has a "Greencard" that automatically calculates and buys the COs offsets you'll need for any purchase. Guilt-free and calculation-free buying will help speed the transition.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15585808.post-66646837721567703722007-03-31T20:57:00.000-07:002007-03-31T20:57:00.000-07:00Britt,Congrats on taking the initiative to walk (f...Britt,<BR/>Congrats on taking the initiative to walk (fly in this case) the talk. I did some research recently on offsets and realized that there are some very lucrative business models that are profiteering on the practice. I am in Canada and chose to 'purchase' units from the Pembina Institute, a nonprofit doing stellar research and projects in the environmental sphere. www.pembina.orgBob McInnishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01143178653188722155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15585808.post-66524476018508590812007-03-31T17:56:00.000-07:002007-03-31T17:56:00.000-07:00pondered alternative phrases...carbon requitementc...pondered alternative phrases...<BR/><BR/>carbon requitement<BR/>carbon redress<BR/>carbon balancing<BR/>carbon compensation<BR/>carbon correctionNikolaus Federmannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03623096463803372737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15585808.post-77204857150475987432007-03-31T16:26:00.000-07:002007-03-31T16:26:00.000-07:00I've always thought they were very mysterious myse...I've always thought they were very mysterious myself. I think it is the name, "carbon offset." Makes it sound very complicated and scientific.Britt Bravohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02134123127272499735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15585808.post-13247368954566958122007-03-31T16:18:00.000-07:002007-03-31T16:18:00.000-07:00Thanks for this post. I've been looking for someo...Thanks for this post. I've been looking for someone to just explain in plain English what these "carbon offsets" were all about!lornadoonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00615544984512992281noreply@blogger.com