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Community Action

Carbon Offsetting

Even if you make eco-vehicle choices and implement eco-driving strategies to reduce the transportation component of your carbon footprint, chances are your daily activities will still produce a sizeable amount of greenhouse gas. So what can you do?

Buying carbon offsets is one option. These offsets represent a reduction in greenhouse gas achieved through investment in renewable energy projects like solar panels, hydro-electricity, tree planting and others. One carbon offset means that one less tonne of carbon dioxide will be released into the atmosphere than there otherwise would have been.

Here's an example of how carbon offsets work:

  • You drive 15kms per day to work. Over the course of a year, that amounts to about one tonne of carbon dioxide emissions.
  • You purchase one carbon offset, and the money is used to plant 5 trees that will absorb one tonne of carbon dioxide over the course of their lives.1
  • Currently, one carbon offset costs about $20 to $30 and can be purchased through a number of international brokers, online retailers and trading platforms. To ensure that the amount of offsets you buy translates into the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide reduction, a robust program of standards, verification processes and registries have been put in place.
  • Carbon offsetting alone will not stop climate change. But it is one thing you can do to start and make a difference.

1 http://www.carbonify.com/carbon-calculator.htm.



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