Do you buy carbon offsets?

[shirlden]

I have my carbon footprint down to 4.9 and am running out of ways to reduce it more. I do keep trying. The next step is to buy offsets, but I am confused as to the best company or org to do this with. Would appreciate any good advice from Duers.


:hi:

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. Is there a way to calculate carbon footprint?

My reduction comes from not owning a car and either walking (most common), taking a bus (in Seattle, buses are either electric or bio-diesle) or borrow a car from the FlexCar co-op. I also try to keep my electrical useage down.

[durrrty libby]

4. That flex-car co-op is very cool, I'd love to live in an area where

a car was rarely needed

I've always combined trips and do pick-ups for neighbors. but that is

because I hate shopping and don't like wasting fuel

[GliderGuider]

2. I'm skeptical about many carbon offset schemes.

It's always seemed to me that the best way to reduce your CO2 output was to actually reduce your own output, not pay someone else to do it for you, thereby possibly triggering more economic growth.

That said, my favorite offsets are green electricity suppliers. You stay connected to the grid, but you pay a green supplier for your electricity instead of your local electric utility. The supplier invests your money (you pay a premium for this) in green electricity generators, usually micro-hydro installations and wind farms. The producers feed their electricity into the grid. Everybody gets to use that green electricity, but at least your share of the grid supply is carbon free.

[shirlden]

3. I live in Ohio

We have very little choice for "green" power. The good ole boys network here keeps the coal burning.
I do have a natural gas co-op so I am not paying into the CEO pocket book, but have no green supplier choices.
This is why I want to buy carbon offsets.

Just not sure where the money would do the most good.

I would not use buying these as an excuse to not do more to reduce my own footprint.

[kestrel91316]

6. Native Energy has some good alternative energy projects

in the US to support - biogas on farms in the midwest, wind turbines on reservations in SD................ so if you invest there, you help Americans. I am a fan of spending locally wherever possible.

[jpak]

5. Because my local utility does not have a Green Energy program option

I buy Renewable Energy Certificates (Green Tags) to cover my annual electricity consumption (< 1500 kwh per year).

Costs me $40...

http://www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/markets/certificates.shtml?page=2&companyid=63

http://www.meipl.org/Pages/Products/Supply.html