Comments on: Much Ado About Carbon Offsets http://copybrighter.com/blog/much-ado-about-carbon-offsets Sat, 06 Sep 2008 06:10:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Anonymous http://copybrighter.com/blog/much-ado-about-carbon-offsets#comment-3054 Anonymous Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:01:15 +0000 http://www.copybrighter.com/blog/much-ado-about-carbon-offsets#comment-3054 <strong>...</strong> ” If you work hard on your job, you could make a living. If you work hard on yourself, you could make a fortune. Your income is primarily determined by your philosophy, not the economy. Success is something you attract by becoming an attractive perso... …

” If you work hard on your job, you could make a living. If you work hard on yourself, you could make a fortune. Your income is primarily determined by your philosophy, not the economy. Success is something you attract by becoming an attractive perso…

]]> By: James Cameron http://copybrighter.com/blog/much-ado-about-carbon-offsets#comment-385 James Cameron Thu, 01 Nov 2007 20:54:07 +0000 http://www.copybrighter.com/blog/much-ado-about-carbon-offsets#comment-385 <p>Its called additionality. For a project to generate carbon offsets it has to be additional. If not, then you aren't offsetting anything. Also, RECs are not offsets! Sorry Renewable Choice, you are selling RECs that are from business as usual projects. Would have happened anyway. 1 REC equals 1 MWh of renewable electricity. 1 carbon offset equals 1 metric tonne of carbon. Unfortunately 1 MWh does not offset 1 metric tonne of carbon. These offset companies know this, but it is easier to sell RECs and the margins are bigger. The American public wont pay the prices that come with robust, additional offsets. Offsets work when they are offsets.</p> Its called additionality. For a project to generate carbon offsets it has to be additional. If not, then you aren’t offsetting anything. Also, RECs are not offsets! Sorry Renewable Choice, you are selling RECs that are from business as usual projects. Would have happened anyway. 1 REC equals 1 MWh of renewable electricity. 1 carbon offset equals 1 metric tonne of carbon. Unfortunately 1 MWh does not offset 1 metric tonne of carbon. These offset companies know this, but it is easier to sell RECs and the margins are bigger. The American public wont pay the prices that come with robust, additional offsets. Offsets work when they are offsets.

]]> By: Chriswaterguy http://copybrighter.com/blog/much-ado-about-carbon-offsets#comment-384 Chriswaterguy Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:53:34 +0000 http://www.copybrighter.com/blog/much-ado-about-carbon-offsets#comment-384 <p>I'd really like to know concrete details about this. On <a href="http://www.appropedia.org/" rel="nofollow">Appropedia</a> (the sustainability wiki, which I work on a lot) I've wanted to start a (wiki) page on carbon offset, because of exactly this concern - so people could know whether they're paying for effective offset, and what the alternatives are. </p> <p>If you have info, please add it to <a href="http://www.appropedia.org/Carbon_offset" rel="nofollow">Carbon offset</a> - many thanks.</p> I’d really like to know concrete details about this. On Appropedia (the sustainability wiki, which I work on a lot) I’ve wanted to start a (wiki) page on carbon offset, because of exactly this concern - so people could know whether they’re paying for effective offset, and what the alternatives are.

If you have info, please add it to Carbon offset - many thanks.

]]> By: Chris http://copybrighter.com/blog/much-ado-about-carbon-offsets#comment-380 Chris Thu, 01 Nov 2007 03:51:45 +0000 http://www.copybrighter.com/blog/much-ado-about-carbon-offsets#comment-380 <p>Man, die and planet saved. Everything else is pure bullshit.</p> <p>Green this and Green that. Who are you fooling?</p> Man, die and planet saved. Everything else is pure bullshit.

Green this and Green that. Who are you fooling?

]]> By: brett http://copybrighter.com/blog/much-ado-about-carbon-offsets#comment-374 brett Wed, 31 Oct 2007 04:33:29 +0000 http://www.copybrighter.com/blog/much-ado-about-carbon-offsets#comment-374 <p>Carolyn,</p> <p>I think a lot of progress is being made in the renewable energy industry... serious quantum leaps are being made with biofuels, solar, electric batteries, etc. And blogs and social media are spreading the word.</p> <hr /> <p>Matt,</p> <p>Glad to hear there is a move towards some kind of standards. I never said offsetting was "bad" (well, okay... maybe I insinuated it) but after studying more about the industry I don't get the warm fuzzy feeling from that picture of a wind turbine of my carton of soy milk any more... I wonder what it's all about.. and it does appear that making money out of thin air and appeasing corporate guilt are an inseparable part of the current offset industry...</p> <hr /> <p>Curtis, </p> <p>I'm all for organics and don't find the industry to be nearly as questionable as offsets (again...not "bad".. but questionable as in... there are a few questions that need to be asked).</p> <p>While some consumers may not appreciate the subtle difference of organic produce, I think it's more about the process than the end product. Organics don't use gallons of pesticides and chemical fertilizers that go into the earth and water supply. That's a mostly undisputed fact, and I can feel good about supporting that.</p> Carolyn,

I think a lot of progress is being made in the renewable energy industry… serious quantum leaps are being made with biofuels, solar, electric batteries, etc. And blogs and social media are spreading the word.

Matt,

Glad to hear there is a move towards some kind of standards. I never said offsetting was “bad” (well, okay… maybe I insinuated it) but after studying more about the industry I don’t get the warm fuzzy feeling from that picture of a wind turbine of my carton of soy milk any more… I wonder what it’s all about.. and it does appear that making money out of thin air and appeasing corporate guilt are an inseparable part of the current offset industry…

Curtis,

I’m all for organics and don’t find the industry to be nearly as questionable as offsets (again…not “bad”.. but questionable as in… there are a few questions that need to be asked).

While some consumers may not appreciate the subtle difference of organic produce, I think it’s more about the process than the end product. Organics don’t use gallons of pesticides and chemical fertilizers that go into the earth and water supply. That’s a mostly undisputed fact, and I can feel good about supporting that.

]]> By: Curtis http://copybrighter.com/blog/much-ado-about-carbon-offsets#comment-372 Curtis Tue, 30 Oct 2007 22:37:19 +0000 http://www.copybrighter.com/blog/much-ado-about-carbon-offsets#comment-372 <p>Carbon offsets, along with the golden word "Organic" are, in my opinion, more geared towards "producing a warm fuzzy feeling in the consumer" thereby prompting the consumer to "feel good" about spending whatever price is necessary to "help save the world" more than the real, tangible effects...</p> Carbon offsets, along with the golden word “Organic” are, in my opinion, more geared towards “producing a warm fuzzy feeling in the consumer” thereby prompting the consumer to “feel good” about spending whatever price is necessary to “help save the world” more than the real, tangible effects…

]]> By: matt http://copybrighter.com/blog/much-ado-about-carbon-offsets#comment-366 matt Mon, 29 Oct 2007 20:31:10 +0000 http://www.copybrighter.com/blog/much-ado-about-carbon-offsets#comment-366 <p>Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Yes, there are some companies that have less then questionable offset projects. Yes, planting a tree is not the best offset project either. Carbon offsetting itself is not bad. You must first reduce, then reduce again, after that you offset the carbon you create. Outside regulation is going to happen to the offset market, there are several bills working their way through congress addressing this issue. One of the major tenets of carbon offsetting is that the offset would not have been created without the money. There does need to be some regulation for projects that would happen regardless of the money you give.</p> Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. Yes, there are some companies that have less then questionable offset projects. Yes, planting a tree is not the best offset project either. Carbon offsetting itself is not bad. You must first reduce, then reduce again, after that you offset the carbon you create. Outside regulation is going to happen to the offset market, there are several bills working their way through congress addressing this issue.
One of the major tenets of carbon offsetting is that the offset would not have been created without the money. There does need to be some regulation for projects that would happen regardless of the money you give.

]]> By: Carolyn http://copybrighter.com/blog/much-ado-about-carbon-offsets#comment-359 Carolyn Mon, 29 Oct 2007 06:21:29 +0000 http://www.copybrighter.com/blog/much-ado-about-carbon-offsets#comment-359 <p>I enjoyed reading this article. I learned a lot from it. It's hard not to get cynical about this stuff when so many people are clearly working an angle. I hope you find lots of instances of progress too. It needs to happen and I need to hear about it.</p> I enjoyed reading this article. I learned a lot from it. It’s hard not to get cynical about this stuff when so many people are clearly working an angle. I hope you find lots of instances of progress too. It needs to happen and I need to hear about it.

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