Carbon offset question

[Critters2]

Hi!

I've been trying to be more green in my everyday life, and have been looking into supporting carbon offsetting. There are several orgs, and sites, that offer this, so I thought I'd ask my DU comrades for help. Which organizations are doing this work the best? Whom do you know about and trust?

Any info you could give would be much appreciated!!

Critters
doing what she can

[rawtribe]

1. I purchased mine form TerraPass

http://www.terrapass.com/projects/index.html

Your purchase of a TerraPass supports energy projects that balance out your car's climate impact and moves us all ahead on the road to a future of clean, renewable energy.

TerraPass is audited by the non-profit Center for Resource Solutions, creator of the Green-e program and the country's leading authority on renewable energy certification. These audits verify our purchases and help to ensure transparency and accountability.

TerraPass channels its resources to get the maximum environmental benefit from every dollar. We fund three types of leading-edge projects: clean energy such as wind and biodiesel; biomass such as dairy farm methane; and industrial efficiency.

[Critters2]

5. Thanks. That's one that I've been looking at. nt

[wtmusic]

2. IMO it's a complete scam

If you want to make a difference set goals for yourself and meet them.

[Critters2]

3. Hmmm...I have set goals, and pretty good about meeting them

I walk a lot, take the city bus, carpool, and drive a car that gets about 30 mpg. I also buy locally whenever I can, belong to a CSA, and never knowingly buy anything from China, for a number of reasons, including China's environmental issues. I'm vegan (so is my dog), I recycle, I use cfls. Really, I'm doing pretty well. Not perfect. I live in a big ol' drafty house that's more than I need--but it's a benefit of my job (that is, I don't own it), and I am trying to get those responsible to work on improvements.

So, I'm doing what you ask. I would NOT use carbon offset payments to ease my conscience in such a way that I'd not make other changes.

But my question for you is, apart from the fact that people use them to feel as if they've done something when they haven't...do they have any redeeming qualities in your opinion?

Thanks!

[wtmusic]

4. Like any charity

you never know for sure. There will be good ones, and bad ones.

My beef comes with the idea of offsets. Too many people use them (and I'm not accusing you) as a shoddy excuse for polluting 10x more than they're actually contributing, so I'd prefer to not even support them to begin with. Why not just donate some money to a few of the top rated environmental charities?

http://www.charitywatch.org/toprated.html#enviro

[XemaSab]

9. Or why not donate money to local conservation orgs?

They need the money more than the Sierra Club, and you'll be able to see where it's going. :shrug:

[philb]

11. This looks like disinformation- from someone with special interest

but it has a point and may be from enviro direction pointing that people need to think about lifestyle choices.

but one does need to do their homework, and think about the big picture.
Some of the organizations into carbon offsets are legitimate and trying to do something important.
But its possible for such to not be effective if they don't understand the real impacts, results.

And there are some who are in offsets just as a means to make money. Without much concern for effectiveness, and some as deliberate scam, as in any area of commerce. Some big CO2 emitters are looking for cheap "offsets" to avoid doing something serious.


Some have opportunity to create offsets on their own property, by planting more trees, plants that they plan to maintain over time. And supporting such efforts in their community- arbreday, greenways, etc.

[razzleberry]

6. there are better places. for your money.

a genuine conservation organization, perhaps.

Or, buy CFLs and use them yourself,
or give them to friends.

BTW, non-profit. does mean much.
your money goes to the founders
as bonus, instead of dividends.

[Critters2]

7. Ummm...I work for a non-profit

and I am not getting rich at it.

But thanks for your thoughts.

[razzleberry]

8. some non-profits are legit, some not

what am I suppose to think about some
place that claims.............

"for every ten bucks you give us,
we give away a CFL, to a person in a
country that is short on electricity"

.....legit or not? ..........

there is no way to know.

[skids]

10. Invest directly in an alt energy stock.

It's risky (but then carbon offsets are 100% risky since they are giving money away), but as long as you do some basic research to ensure the company is not an outright fraud, at least you'll know that the money is being used to further technical and market progress.