Canadians heading off for summer vacation will have help in making their holidays more environmentally friendly, thanks to a new guide ranking carbon offsets and vendors, recently released by the David Suzuki Foundation and the Pembina Institute.
Purchasing Carbon Offsets, the first guide of its kind in Canada, ranks 14 carbon offset vendors based in Canada, as well as six international vendors, targeting Canadians who want to offset air travel and other activities that generate climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions.
“We can’t solve the problem of climate change without strong government action and leadership, but organizations and individuals can also make an important contribution by reducing their greenhouse gas emissions whenever possible, and then purchasing high quality offsets to compensate for the rest,” says Paul Lingl, climate change campaigner with the David Suzuki Foundation.
“The best approach is to look for carbon offsets that meet a relatively strong, independent offset standard and to buy offsets from renewable energy and energy-efficiency projects, as these are the most likely to result in high quality offsets,” says Matt McCulloch, corporate consulting services director with the Pembina Institute.
While many Canadians are finding ways to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, they are also purchasing carbon offsets to minimize their remaining carbon footprint. Carbon offsets are credits for greenhouse gas emission reductions achieved by a project in another location, such as energy conservation and solar-power projects. These offsets can be purchased to compensate for emissions generated from flying to a summer destination, driving a car, or heating and lighting a home or business. The popularity and supply of carbon offsets have grown dramatically over recent years, but not all carbon offsets are created equal.
“Canadians and businesses regularly ask us which offsets they should buy. The decision can be a confusing one, and only high quality offsets can help address the problem of climate change,” Mr. Lingl adds. “Our guide takes some of the guesswork out of the selection process. It can help consumers take responsibility for their climate impact and show leadership on climate change.”
Purchasing Carbon Offsets: A guide for consumers, businesses and organizations
You can take a look at our response to this survey here:
http://corporate.zerofootprint.net/2009/07/17/a-response-to-the-david-suzuki-foundation-and-pembina-institute/
Graham Takata, Zerofootprint
written by Graham Takata, Zerofootprint , July 21, 2009
written by Ian , July 23, 2009
David Suzuki Foundation & Pembina Institute Carbon Offset Guide Fails Consumers
http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-24-2009/0005065843&EDATE=
written by Carbonfund.org , July 24, 2009
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It's far more robust than any alternatives and avoid tree planting schemes now widely avoided within the industry.
Ben, Director
written by Ben , July 20, 2009