1. Important Facts about Carbon Offsets
You may have heard a lot regarding carbon offsets alias carbon credits, in the recent past.
They have become mandatory for organizations and individuals who intend to combat climate
change and reveal their green credentials. Everybody from banks such as HSBC to the rock
bands such as Rolling Stones is buying the carbon credits for their emissions. But what is a
carbon offset anyway? And does it really help in solving the issue of global warming?
As already known, the greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from burning of fossil fuels such as
oil, coal and gas result to heat-trapping gases within the atmosphere and the atmosphere can
be thought of as being the electric blanket of the Earth. These additional gases result to the
thermostat of the atmosphere to go haywire, a concept commonly called global warming.
If we are to avoid the serious effects of global warming then humankind has to reduce our
cumulative emission of greenhouse gases. To achieve this, we need to use energy in an
efficient manner and start using renewable sources like solar power and wind.
This change will require some effort and time from the global political leaders, citizens and
organizations. However, each of us can make a remarkable change by taking practical steps to
enhance the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In our changing to lower emissions, some
of us engage in inevitable activities that lead to these emissions such as flying. Carbon offsets
form one of the instruments available to assist us in compensating for our emissions through
creation of reductions elsewhere.
A carbon offset can be said to be a credit for reducing greenhouse gas emissions produced
by one project like a wind farm, which can be used in balancing the emissions from a different
source like a plane trip. Since the green house gases do not know boundaries, it matters little,
where the reduction occurs.
For example, one can travel through air which emits green house gases. However, for the flights
the person cannot avoid, he calculates the emissions by using the online calculator and then
buy carbon credits. There are many offsets but it is wise to choose them well. This is because
the market for the carbon offsets is new and often unregulated. When buying these offsets,
look out for the marks of quality such as the Gold Standard. Those offsets with the label of the
Gold Standard are regarded to be of the best quality globally and aid to fund new projects in
renewable energy.