A Carbon Offset Short Course
Looks like we may need a new line item in our budgets. Let's see, groceries? Check. Clothing? Check. Carbon offsets? Huh? If you haven't heard of carbon offsets, here's how they work. You go to a web site to calculate your household's "carbon footprint." That's how much carbon dioxide or other pollutants you generate. Drive a Hummer? Big footprint. Drive a hybrid? Not so big. Then you can purchase "offsets," with your money going toward projects that remove the same amount of pollutants from the environment as you generate. Offset e-tailers include: Carbon Footprint , TerraPass , Carbonfund.org , and e-BlueHorizons . You can calculate your total footprint or the impact of specific activities like airline travel. For those about to marry, TerraPass will even help you estimate how much carbon dioxide your wedding will generate.
Matt's View
Critics of carbon offsets, according to the New York Times, say they're nothing more than a way for drivers of gas-guzzlers to ease their guilt. Others point out that calculating our carbon footprint is an imprecise science and standards for measuring the impact of the offsets are inconsistent. However, if nothing else, the growth of the carbon offset "industry" is raising awareness of our environmental impact. Maybe it'll change wedding registries as well, with couples adding carbon offsets to their lists of china, crystal, and the like.
This article filed in: Environment
Managing Money by The Book
- "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." - Romans 12:12
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