Carbon Offset Information

I recently received a comment on the blog regarding carbon offsets. The reader thought carbon offsets were a joke. Most of their argument revolved around Al Gore which diluted the message. What I think this reader was really expressing is their confusion and skepticism for carbon offsets.

To help alleviate some of the confusion over offsets and to give readers a better understanding of their purpose, I'll try to explain exactly what these things are

• WHAT THEY ARE:


• Carbon offsets are credits you can buy to voluntarily reduce the impact of your carbon creating behaviors. There are many organizations willing to sell carbon offset credits (see some HERE, HERE and HERE). Once you purchase the credit from one of these organizations, they will use your money to do a variety of things which reduce carbon levels.


• Some of the things done by organizations with the credit funds include: Reforestation, development of renewable energy plants, and expansion of energy conservation programs.


• Don't get confused, there is not necessarily a dollar for dollar, carbon emission for carbon emission decrease guaranteed for your credit purchase. You are merely contibuting to the cleaner environment effort.


• Some carbon offsets are used to collect and combust methane produced by farm animals and garbage dumps. Methane is thought to have a global warming potential 23 times that of carbon dioxide.


• Carbon offsets have been controversial because some organizations have not used funds the way they should.


• If you want to buy a carbon offset or contribute to an environmental organization that is working to reduce global warming, check out an organizations' credentials by going to Charity Navigator or read this article.