Today, virtually everything we do, buy, and eat consumes energy and produces carbon emissions in one way or another. There are the obvious culprits: the fossil fuels used for transportation, airplane flights, and when we use electric light in our homes.
The products we buy are not saved, they also come with their own carbon footprints that grow as their production is traced back to their origins and in the production of their raw materials.
So while we can buy an electric car, take the train, and warm ourselves at home in a sweater, you’re still contributing to CO2 emissions with the use of that car, the energy to run the train, and even washing that cozy jacket.
But luckily, there is a great way for environmentally conscious consumers to mitigate the (carbon) CO2 released by their lifestyles. This concept is called carbon offsets.
What is a carbon offset?
A carbon offset is defined as a product or a project that any person or company can pay to offset the carbon or greenhouse gas emissions for which it is responsible, in the execution of its daily activities.
The easiest way to understand this project is that you can buy a kind of negative carbon credit that offsets the carbon you emit on a day-to-day basis. This effectively reduces the total CO2 released globally when net carbon released into the atmosphere is considered. Then CO2 of your carbon offset is subtracted from your individual carbon footprint, as you can see it is a very simple formula to apply.
The concept of carbon offset has expanded globally and has become a key point in reducing global carbon emissions, and it is the only way one can really achieve the long-awaited “ carbon neutrality ”.
Nowadays many companies have adopted a program of carbon offset to demonstrate that your company is adopting a responsible and conscious approach to climate change and protecting the planet’s ecosystems, in addition, this helps attract investors who love caring for the environment.
Who offers carbon offsets?
In this decade, many companies have been created that offer carbon offsets, however, not all of them are of quality since there are times when they try to take advantage of this scheme, so we recommend following some recommendations to know that those companies comply with standards and are verified:
- Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS)
- Green-e Weather
- Climate Action Reserve
- International Conservation
- the gold standard
The listed standards are widely accepted as responsible for the valid carbon offsets, so you get quality assurance and can be sure that your certified offsets actually affect total global emissions.
How do carbon offsets work?
To understand the concept you could think of a carbon offset as a form of trading. For example, if you feel you can’t reduce your carbon emissions any further, then you could fund a project that is working to reduce carbon elsewhere, thereby reducing the total amount of CO2 released.
The concept may not convince you, but it is scientifically supported. Unlike other contaminants, greenhouse gases they quickly mix with the atmosphere and spread across the planet. As such, it doesn’t really matter if the actual reduction comes specifically from your home or business, what really matters is that there are fewer carbon emissions into the atmosphere overall.
With companies that are accredited to the standards we mentioned above, you can be sure that you are getting an accurate figure for compensation and how much you are helping to reduce CO2 emissions, don’t forget that one of the first steps to take is to calculate the carbon footprint you generate.
Types and Examples of Carbon Offset Programs
Before choosing a carbon offset program, it is ideal that you first know exactly your carbon footprint. Once you know the greenhouse gas emissions that you theoretically emit, then you can find a carbon offset project that suits your taste and budget and meets your ideals.
It is not surprising that many carbon offset programs they have been formed in developing countries where the impact at the grassroots level is easier to implement and the initiatives have an even greater socioeconomic impact. The advantages and benefits of these projects also positively affect the generation of employment, the quality of life, the education and health care in the region.
Some examples of carbon offset programs
- Zánbal Agroforestry : Certified Gold Standard, this reforestation project is currently run in conjunction with 31 Malian farmers, with more than 400 set to join in the next few years. Each farmer receives €100 [around $125 USD] a year to plant and grow trees that capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
- Solar power project in Rajasthan : The purpose of this project is to generate electricity using clean solar energy. You can buy carbon credits generated from clean, renewable energy. Located in Rajasthan, the focus is on reducing reliance on fossil fuels burned in connected power plants to the NWENE network. Current estimates suggest that this project will reduce the consumption of fuels that lead to the emission of 34,261 tons of CO2 each year.
- Katingan Peatlands Conservation and Restoration Project : Verified by the VCS, the purpose of this project is to restore 149,800 hectares of peatland ecosystems in the Katingan region of Indonesia. The project also provides a source of income for the local population, covering one of the largest intact swamp forests in the world. They remain in Indonesia.
How do carbon offsets help the climate and ecosystems?
Today we know that carbon dioxide is the most frequently released greenhouse gas in most activities, for example, in the transportation and refining of raw materials.
When sunlight enters the atmosphere, it passes through clouds and is absorbed or radiated back into space as infrared heat, however, greenhouse gases prevent this heat from escaping, causing it to radiate back to the planet and contribute to the effect of global warming. Basically CO2 prevents those rays of sunlight from leaving the planet.
As its name suggests, the greenhouse gases they act like a greenhouse, trapping heat and raising the overall temperature of the planet. Over time, these gases break down, yet we currently emit more greenhouse gases than we break down.
With carbon offsets we reduce the total amount of carbon we produce, and therefore, we will be able to reduce greenhouse gases to lower levels, thus reducing their effect on the planet’s temperature.
Don’t forget to reduce your carbon footprint
It is clear that we can reduce our carbon footprint through carbon offsets, however, the ideal is also to reduce energy consumption as much as possible in all the activities we carry out, for example, disconnecting electrical appliances that are not necessary, using saving light bulbs, replacing old electronics, etc. This way we will help the planet in both ways.