Why we put you in charge.

katy — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 11:07:42 -0700

We believe conservation and offsetting are the most immediate solutions to climate change. You can make a difference by minimizing your carbon emissions, and offsetting what you can't reduce. Offsets can support forests, energy efficiency, and other carbon reducing projects that make up for the carbon footprint created by your lifestyle.

But not all carbon offsets are created equal. Generic or 'blended' offsets lose track of the crucial co-benefits of the projects, can subsidize 'dirty' industries, or lack credible standards.

Is REDD the new green?

davetest — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:29:55 -0700

There are two sides to fighting global warming - emitting less greenhouse gasses, and preserving the earth’s ability to absorb them. Sometimes, we're lucky enough to find projects that do both. A new set of Reduced Emissions from Deforestation in Developing countries (REDD) projects do just that.

Global forests are under intense pressure from agriculture, logging, and other land use. In both South America and Asia, thousands of fires can be seen from space during the ‘burning season’, as land is cleared for planting soy, making palm oil, and raising cattle.

Innovate, Baby, Innovate

davetest — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:06:55 -0800

If car manufacturers were presented with a ten year challenge: to increase fuel efficiency by 20% on every car, do you think they could do it? I think they could...and quite easily I might add. For those with a more laissez-faire attitude, it is worth noting that automobile design is already highly regulated: from seat belts, to brake lights, to bumper design. These rules are all made in the name of safety. Air quality and climate change are massive health issues, so why not set some rules on fuel efficiency as well?

Are we encouraging bad behavior?

davetest — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 13:32:43 -0700

Methane capture from dairy or pig farms is a pretty popular form of carbon offset these days. They sound good in theory - help a family farm capture pollution that we would normally breathe, and combust the gasses for use as fuel. Does it help the environment to capture these gasses? Sure. Is it measurable? Absolutely. But is it a good use of your money? We don't think so. And here's why.

A Flare for the Unusable

davetest — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:49:29 -0700

Landfills create methane, a potent greenhouse gas roughly 20 times more damaging than carbon dioxide. It turns out that capturing this methane is not particularly difficult. Some landfills are starting to either capture and use the gas for power generation, or to simply flare it, which converts the methane to carbon dioxide. Subsidies and carbon finance are chasing projects like these, since methane capture is accurately measurable, and relatively easy to do. Project developers are finding this an easy and lucrative way to create carbon credits.

Take a step. Leave no footprint.

katy — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:45:38 -0800

In honor of Earth Day on April 22nd, give the planet a breath of fresh air. Live a carbon neutral April using our steps below, and see just how empowering and easy it is to reduce your footprint.

Rural agricultural communities and fragile biospheres are already suffering due to our warming planet. You can stand tall and make powerful statement by reducing your own emission impact and challenging others to do the same. There are a variety of ways to minimize your carbon emissions, and you can offset the rest while giving immediate help to threatened rainforests, rural communities, and energy efficiency efforts.

Still Inconvenient?

davetest — Wed, 13 May 2009 14:20:33 -0700

In what is being considered a major reversal of years of government policy, the EPA recently acknowledged the need to regulate greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming.

The EPA concluded that the continued growth in greenhouse gas emissions "endangers the public health and welfare of current and future generations." Two years ago, the Supreme Court ruled the EPA had the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. And now the EPA has the impetus.

Like Cigarettes for the Planet

davetest — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:59:01 -0700

Global giant Deutsche Bank maintains a real-time 70-foot-tall carbon counter in New York City (right outside Madison Square garden at 33rd Street and 7th Avenue), which displays a running total of long-lived greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. You can see the online version here.

This sort of advertising is something that humble NGOs only dream of, and has the real potential to raise awareness and reinforce the need to act.

Kevin Parker, who heads up Deutsche's Asset Management group says that:

Can offsets work?

davetest — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 15:34:15 -0700

In the US, we account for 20% of man made greenhouse gas emissions, with less than 5% of the population. What if the other 95% all lived like we do? Footprint reduction through conservation and smarter consumer choices is critical, but most of us will still be far above a level that is sustainable for the planet.

Without using offsets, there is no way to close this gap. When done right, offsetting your footprint supports global solutions and real change. The catch is that not all offsets do that.

Is the Senate Climate Bill Right for You?

davetest — Sun, 16 May 2010 18:55:06 -0700

Handy Quiz: Is the climate bill right for you?

Is the recently released senate climate bill right for you? Take the quiz below to assess where you stand on the recently announced Kerry-Lieberman climate bill, AKA "The American Power Act." The bill's intent is "To secure the energy future of the United States, to provide incentives for the domestic production of clean energy technology, to achieve meaningful pollution reductions, to create jobs, and for other purposes." It sounds like there's something for everyone, right? At almost a thousand pages, there should be! But opinions vary. In trying to placate enough constituents to get a viable bill, a lot of trade-offs have been made. Can you accept them?