Every Thursday night, like every other householder in our neighborhood, I collect our waste paper, cans, bottles and plastic and put them out on the street outside our house. On Friday morning a local municipal truck comes by and collects it for recycling. I pay for this service through my taxes. Apart from some gripes about the efficiency of the service, few local people complain about it. And only a few extremists who tend to oppose government action in all its forms object to the recycling on principle.

In essence, recycling is a form of offsetting. I am paying someone else to deal with waste products of my lifestyle. Apart from my own conscience and the small chore of actually collecting together the paper, bottles, etc., and putting them on the street, there is little incentive or pressure on me not to accumulate the waste. Sure, there is plenty of encouragement to recycle, but no one harangues me for not cutting down on the newspapers I read, or suggests I should avoid buying my cat food in cans, or demands I should buy beer by the barrel to avoid so many glass bottles.

Much the same goes for our household’s regular garbage or waste water. Apart from occasional urging from environmental groups that I turn the tap off or consume less, or at least convert to products whose waste will end up in the recycling rather than landfill, paying through my taxes for the removal and disposal of our waste is uncontroversial.

This practice of paying others to deal with our waste in some remote place is an integral aspect of our society today. It does not cause moral outrage. No one demands that we should stop using these services, or that overnight we can eliminate the waste from our lifestyles. There is general agreement that a level of waste is inevitable, and that it’s OK to have others deal with it.

Carbon is really just another form of household waste. However, it has several characteristics that make it appear different. It is invisible for a start. Often it is produced off-site – at the power station that is generating our electricity, for example – and not actually in our homes. And its impact is only seen at the end of a long causal chain – global warming that results from the accumulation of human-produced greenhouse gases. But in the end, carbon is simply another waste product of our current lifestyles – although undoubtedly a more dangerous one.

The problem with carbon is that we can’t gather it and put it in a jar on the street for weekly collection. Meanwhile, we are, quite rightly, under increasing pressure to reduce our carbon production by being more energy efficient, buying less carbon-intensive goods, etc. However, for the moment, all but a handful of households can operate without producing some level of carbon waste. But in this case, the idea of paying someone else to remove and deal with it has become highly controversial.

Carbon offsetting amounts to paying someone to manage our carbon waste for us. The process is less direct than our weekly garbage and recycling collection. The offsetter cannot identify the particular cloud of carbon we are responsible for. However, because the impact of greenhouse gases are spread globally, the offsetter can capture or reduce an equivalent amount somewhere else to neutralise our output.

Morally, what is the difference in doing this compared with paying taxes to have our waste water treated, or our cans and bottles collected and recycled? It’s hard to see the distinction, yet carbon offsetting arouses a powerful emotional reaction in many people.

Opponents claim that carbon offsetting simply encourages people to indulge in environmentally unfriendly lifestyles. It does nothing to encourage us to use energy more efficiently round the home, or otherwise reduce our carbon footprint, they say. It allows us to indulge our wasteful lifestyles while salving our consciences.

Yet no one makes this claim for recycling, or waste water treatment. If we were denied these services, we would be forced to make other arrangements. I would probably find another source of cat food than cans, and buy a returnable barrel of beer instead of bottles. I’d be forced to install a system that recycled my waste water.

Over time, we can all work towards these things. It will be easier when the cost of water recycling systems comes down, or when all packaging of goods is recyclable. In the same way, it will be easier to reduce our carbon footprints when the cost of solar or geothermal heating systems comes down, or when our computers require less electricity, or when renewable energy is more widely available.

In the meantime, provided we are as active in attempting to reduce our carbon as we are our general household waste, what’s the difference between paying taxes for garbage and recycling collection and contributing to a carbon offset scheme?

Carbon offsetting – what is it?

Carbon offsetting is the process in which a person reduces Carbon emissions by paying a reputable environmental organization to plant trees in your place, thus reducing YOUR carbon footprint on the world. Businesses and people alike are encouraged to repent their destructive emissions to achieve a carbon neutral status. Offsetting your carbon also allows an individual to tell friends and family that they actually take action against global warming.

Reforestation is most commonly associated with Carbon offsetting, but the promotion of alternative energy also reduces overall CO2 emissions. Everyone contributes Carbon into the atmosphere. Everyday tasks such as boiling a kettle, reading your e-mail, and driving to work all generate Carbon, a major component of global warming. In order to combat a growth in Carbon emissions people are encouraged to offset what they can’t reduce themselves. If this is done, and done properly, environmentalists believe that the dangers global warming can be averted.

Although the efficiency of Carbon offsetting has been debated, it is clear that reputable organizations working in an honest fashion can make a difference. It is impossible to immediately transition from a fossil fuel dependent society to a cleaner ethanol based society over night, thus it is important to promote the use of cleaner energy.

Environmental organizations such as CO2Debt.com work closely with other ecologically conscience groups to steer away from the use of unclean fossil fuels.

We all are constantly aware and alarmed by the fatal consequences of global warming. This has resulted in air and water to become warmer and warmer and faster melting of glaciers by each passing minute. This normally reflects the sunlight back into space which in turn compounds the global warming problem. We knowingly or unknowingly aggravate the ever growing problem. We use electricity, vehicle and plastics everyday which are the main carbon producers that households contribute to global warming.

Global warming is a burning issue globally. Today new car, used cars and trucks equally burn gasoline to get on with their regular work and gasoline burning is a major resource of carbon dioxide emissions everywhere. Carbon Dioxide is thus emitted into the environment. Carbon Dioxide has been scientifically linked to global climate change and warming. Therefore, complete awareness among people is required to combat this disastrous issue. People must be motivated and enthusiastic about reduction of this gas through whatever ways possible to maintain equilibrium in the eco system.

Everyday while driving a car, lighting your residence and office, transporting goods and also using a computer, we use energy and produce greenhouse gas emissions like carbon dioxide that have a major consequence on the climate change. You will inevitably have to pay hugely for your emissions; thus by employing carbon offsets, you can make an equivalent greenhouse gas saving. By taking a few things into consideration too, you can control carbon dioxide emission. You must switch off the light when not in use, must start a habit of walking or cycling which will in turn reduce the use of automobiles.

There are various kinds of project that will help to reduce carbon emissions. The projects include renewable Energy, Hydro Power, solar power, agricultural residues and wind power etc. Each project is very helpful and plays a vital role in reductions of CO2 that would not have happened otherwise. If you are engaged in a business that transmits CO2, you should start by reducing your consumption and your carbon footprint now. Your small steps can make a huge difference. Business carbon offsetting is making a positive and real statement to your employees, customers and shareholders. Just like you they all are also affected by climate change and will be more attracted, and devoted to businesses that are committed towards caring for the environment. Green companies are more efficient and more beneficial than their rivals. Many of the most successful ones are now familiar with the clear business benefits of addressing environmental issues.

Global warming is more than a hot-button issue these days as the quality of our air continues to decrease. As carbon dioxide (CO2) is a normal part of the air, but it’s also one of the major greenhouse gases. At normal levels, CO2 traps some heat in the earth’s atmosphere and lets some escape. (This process is known as the greenhouse effect.) But high levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gases trap too much heat in the earth’s atmosphere, causing global warming. Scientific investigations over many decades point to human activity as the primary cause of global warming because humans need energy for just about any type of function they perform. Burning fossil fuels as a natural energy resource leads to the emission of vast quantities of carbon dioxide gas (CO2), which is considered a major cause of global warming.

As we all are responsible for global warming and each of us contributes to climate change with our daily activities; businesses cause more carbon footprints by using a great deal of energy. Total amount of greenhouse gases produced to support a business, includes those caused by direct and indirect emissions. Direct emissions are emissions from sources that a company owns or controls such as vehicle fleets or natural-gas fired boilers. Indirect emissions are a consequence of actions at a business, but occur at sources owned or operated by another company such as emissions associated with electricity, heat and/or steam use. The challenge of dealing with the impact of carbon emissions is an area that has been long overlooked by the global community.

Because businesses play an important role in climate change, they should be aware about their carbon footprints.  A starting point for addressing the carbon footprint of business operations is to assess current carbon emissions. It is important to measure your business’s carbon footprint because if you cannot measure it, you cannot change it!  By reducing your company’s consumption of electricity, fuel and resources like paper; you can reduce your greenhouse gas emissions. Another option to address the carbon footprint of business operations without making any of the changes your resources is to purchase carbon offset credits. These credits are an investment in environmentally friendly projects, such as tree planting projects, and are a form of compensation to the environment for the harm caused by business operations.

Reducing emissions can benefit your business in many ways, including reducing costs, boosting your market positioning and branding, and improving efficiency and competitiveness. Your efforts to reduce your organization’s carbon emissions will also demonstrate a real commitment to environmental responsibility. Business has the power to change the world – and you have the power to change business. As an employer it’s your responsibility to estimate Carbon Footprint of your business to reduce CO2 emissions and ensure healthy future for your employees and coming generations. You should take your step towards carbon offsetting as quickly as possible to avert the most damage.Business carbon offsets gives you the power to reduce your carbon emissions by making your business “carbon neutral”.

“A new study by NASA scientists finds that the world’s temperature is reaching a level that has not been seen in thousands of years.”

Climate change is the biggest problems facing the Earth today. Earth is getting warmer and all this is occurring because of human activity, such as the burning of fossil fuels. When we burn fossil fuels, we contribute to the emissions of some green house gases, mainly carbon dioxide and methane in the Earth’s atmosphere. This increase in greenhouse gases caused by human activity is often cited as one of the major causes of global warming as Greenhouse gases trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and warm the surface. Whilst the average global temperature is increasing, on a day-to-day level the climate is changing in unpredictable ways (from floods and hurricanes to heat waves and droughts).

Fossil fuels are energy sources and produce energy upon burning which we use in our daily life to cater different need. From keeping warm in our house, to fuelling our cars, to growing our food, to manufacturing our MP3 players, energy is used. Because of our heavy use of fossil fuels, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been increasing since the industrial revolution. The total carbon which we as individuals are responsible for is called our carbon footprint. A carbon footprint is simply a measurement how much carbon is produced from various activities such as driving or heating your home. The measurement units generally are given as metric tons of Carbon Dioxide produced per year.

Climate change is very likely having an impact now on our planet and its life but the good news is that there are plenty of things that we can do to reduce our carbon footprint. For which, we need to re-think our approach to energy. To try and reduce the risk of ever more extreme weather, we need to reduce how much fossil fuel we are burning but this isn’t easy in today’s fast pace life.A carbon offset is designed as a simplest way to reduce or eliminate our carbon footprint. The goal of buying and selling carbon offsets is to get everyone’s carbon footprint to zero. Carbon offsets operate on the idea that any reduction in any area is worthwhile because the positive effect on the environment will be the same throughout the world.

We can greatly lessen our impact on climate change by using the carbon offsets.Carbon offsetting helps us to take personal responsibility for the environmental consequences of our activities and is cheaper and more convenient alternative to reduce our own fossil-fuel consumption.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the major greenhouse gas that results from human activities and is responsible for global warming and climate change. The concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are increasing at an accelerating rate from decade to decade due to the burning of the fossil fuels in our day-to-day life. Each of our everyday actions consumes energy and produces carbon dioxide emissions e.g. taking holiday flights, driving our cars, working with computers, heating or cooling our homes and offices etc.

Fossil fuels like crude oil, coal and natural gas, being made up of hydrocarbons release carbon dioxide when burned. The carbon dioxide which is released to the atmosphere remains there for 100 to 200 years. This leads to an increasing concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, which in turn causes the average temperature on Earth to rise. Studies show that climate change that takes place due to increases in carbon dioxide concentration is largely irreversible for 1,000 years even after emissions stop. That’s why it is absolutely necessary to take steps now in order to save the Green Planet.

In General, Carbon footprint is the term that we use to define our environmental impact in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) that we release into the atmosphere. We leave our carbon footprints both directly and indirectly, and the total of our environmental impact is the sum of all these contributions. The main contributors to our carbon footprint are: household electricity and heat, transport, food and clothing. All of these can be translated into a number of tonnes of CO2 per annum released into the atmosphere. All the goods that we consume are either transported in freight vehicles, shipped around the world in containers, or both. This also contributes to our carbon footprint.

As we all are responsible for climate change, it is our responsibility to save the planet by taking active part in the mission to save the planet by reducing the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. By making small changes in our daily habits we can make a big difference. In addition to this we can also take help of carbon offsetting to completely balance out our carbon footprint. Carbon offsetting gives us the full control over our carbon footprints. We can use carbon offsets to reduce, eliminate or compensate for CO2 emissions by funding an equivalent carbon dioxide saving somewhere else. Carbon offsets are measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e). One carbon offset represents the reduction of one metric ton of carbon dioxide, or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases.

Carbon offsets.help us to take personal responsibility for the environmental consequences of our activities. Individuals as well as many businesses are now responding positively to climate change as they consider it a smart choice to ensure a better future for all of us.