On my Google homepage, I have a gadget for How to of the Day. Today's "How To" is How to Buy a Carbon Offset. This is something I had heard of large corporations doing, but I had never thought about individuals do it.
Here's an interesting factoid:
Expedia and airlines like British Airways now offer the opportunity to purchase an offset when you buy your flight tickets.Has anyone ever looked into this? It seems like an interesting idea.
Labels: activism
posted by Shannon Smith @ 4/19/2007
4 Comments
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4 Comments:
hmmm... this sounds like it could either be a rip off or have a huge impact on conserving the earth.
I guess some research would be in order.
We recently talked about fasting in our Home Group... I wonder how long I could go if I fasted from producing carbon.
Man, that's a long walk to Durham though.
yeah, i'd like to know where my offset money was actually going, how much overhead am I paying, or is this money making a difference.
if i am paying overhead of a people breaking wind, i would rather help orphans or something
let me know if you find out any specifics about this
So, I hope it's OK if I play devil's advocate here, but I just recently read an article in TIME that details a very good argument against buying carbon offsets, or credits. :) I found it online for you:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1599714,00.html
A choice quote from the article:
"What is wrong with this scam? First, purchasing carbon credits is an incentive to burn even more fossil fuels, since now it is done under the illusion that it's really cost-free to the atmosphere.
Second, it is a way for the rich to export the real costs and sacrifices of pollution control to the poorer segments of humanity in the Third World. (Apparently, Hollywood's plan is to make up for that by adopting every last one of their children.) For example, GreenSeat, a Dutch carbon-trading outfit, buys offsets from a foundation that plants trees in Uganda's Mount Elgon National Park to soak up the carbon emissions of its rich Western patrons. Small problem: expanding the park encroaches on land traditionally used by local farmers. As a result, reports the New York Times, "villagers living along the boundary of the park have been beaten and shot at, and their livestock has been confiscated by armed park rangers." All this so that swimming pools can be heated and Maseratis driven with a clear conscience in the fattest parts of the world."
See Shannon, I told you I would comment eventually! (Don't be mad!)
Erin Lavin
Erin, I never knew you were so cynical. I kind of like it.
I wouldn't say that you are playing devils' advocate. It seems like you are in line with everyone else that has commented. Maybe a bit more informed, but pretty much on the same side.
Someone told me recently that this is how Al Gore rationalizes his incredibly high power bill. He buys off-sets.
I agree that reducing our usage of fossil fuels is a better alternative. Maybe, if there were a way to make this happen without further oppressing the oppressed, and without giving folks a cop out for their lives of excess, and a way to know that your money is not being wasted, then this would be a more viable idea.
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