I don't buy any just because I wonder if my money is going to a good cause and personally I have no money to do that anyway. And since I come from a tourism/environment background, I will try to give you a scope.
Just google carbon offsetting, and you'll find more than enough sites for it, which one should you use, I can't answer that one.
As to how expensive it is, it depends on what class you fly and the distance of the flight. Eg. BUF-IAD on UX would be quite high overall when comparing (distance vs. carbon release) because of 1. regional jets and 2. large amounts of fuel needed for takeoff. I believe it worked out to roughly 2000 dollars to offset my 2008 flying which was 75K flyer, 80% F or J, and average for each flight was around 1700 miles.
Hope this helps, but as we know, you are just opening to more question. I suggest you to actually to look to ecological footprint moreso than carbon footprint because that reflects our lifestyle as well our travel patterns.
I'm not sure how many airlines offer this, it seems quite common now, I suspect there is a tax advantage or something. BA do.
I certainly would not pay for a carbon offset, although I'd be happy to pay for one of if the British government made it a condition for scrapping the outrageous Air Passenger Duty ex-UK.
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Carbon offsets are the modern day environmental equivalent of the plenary indulgences of the Catholic Church.
Many of the carbon offsets are ineffective, and can actually do more damage than they are intended to mitigate. There is no regulation of the industry, and because people feel they are neutralizing their carbon footprint, it does nothing to encourage people's behavior to change their energy consumption habits.
It's like penalizing for living your lifestyle for performing the necessary funtions of life. If there is really to be greenhouse gas emission/carbon footprint shrinking, new ways of alternative, cleaner energy must be developed and utlized widespread. Otherwise, all that carbon offsets will minimize is guilt, not emissions.
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whats the point ? the governements in USA and UK cant show you where a single penny has been used to combat green house gases, its all a scam to fund their so called peace keeping efforts which really should be called safe gaurding mineral and oil interests
Carbon offsets are the modern day environmental equivalent of the plenary indulgences of the Catholic Church.
Many of the carbon offsets are ineffective, and can actually do more damage than they are intended to mitigate. There is no regulation of the industry, and because people feel they are neutralizing their carbon footprint, it does nothing to encourage people's behavior to change their energy consumption habits.
Not only that, but the damage they do generally involves creating more carbon than they save!
I diques ford cut down a live/healthy tree on Earth Day, though.
Good for you, hope you hugged it first though. Perhaps we should form a society sworn to chop down a tree on every Earth Day, preferably full of greenies (before they have drawn their social security cheque for the week)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by czarina
Carbon offsets are the modern day environmental equivalent of the plenary indulgences of the Catholic Church.
Exactly. These guys manipulate consumer guilt to make money. I'm sure the people who run carbon offset organizations are all paying themselves healthy salaries before they forward any excess revenue to "good causes," whatever they are.
If you want to encourage wiser carbon policy, buy travel from organizations with the conscience and resources to lead change in technology paradigms. Don't send money to some random, murky outfit on a guilt-based whim.
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