Pollute all you want and repent with carbon offsets

Well, maybe not so much

By Trevor Doré, Opinions Editor

ecent awareness of the
potential effects of climate
change has spurred numerous

calls to overhaul our lavish North
American lifestyles. Get rid of our
single occupancy vehicles, start
eating locally grown organic produce,
stop eating meat and start planting
and hugging more trees. While
many are buying into the ideology
of leading a simpler life that leaves
a smaller carbon footprint, many
are having a hard time bucking old
habits.

Part of the problem is
that much of our everyday North
American life is built around
convenience and comfort. Our
standards of living are so comfortable
and the effects of climate change are
often unperceivable on a daily basis,
which can make one wonder, is it

really necessary to overhaul our entire

way of living or is there a way where
we can continue to live comfortably
without the guilt that we might be
leaving a polluted planet for future
generations

One answer to this question
may lie in carbon offsets. Although
by no means a new innovation, the
complex ideology of carbon offsetting
does beg the question, are they really
effective? Can we continue to live
our comfortable lifestyles full of
“ecological sin” and simply repent
after the fact with carbon offsets?

For those who don’t know,
when you buy offsets, the funds are
directed towards projects that reduce
greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).
The nice thing about them is that
they do get people thinking about
the impact of their actions. Money is
something that everyone is familiar
with, something tangible that can be
observed on a daily basis. Ideally, the
money invested in carbon offsets goes
to finance renewable energy systems
and to reduce GHGs - all of which are
positive things that the world needs
more of. They allow individuals as
well as companies to reduce their
carbon footprint where they otherwise
might not be able.

Many different organizations
offer carbon offsets. Some put the

   

funds towards planting trees, others
help fund massive renewable energy
projects. The unfortunate thing is
that there doesn’t seem to be any
sort of standard for classification
or evaluation. Can a monetary
investment really make a difference
or perhaps the money spent on offsets
might be better spent elsewhere. With
sO many options out there, it is hard
to know where to invest.

The most important thing
to establish when purchasing carbon
offsets is to consider where the

money is going. For example, if the
funds are going towards planting
trees that in 20 years are going to be
cut down and used as fire wood, you
might as well crumple your dollar
bills up and use them to start a fire
for yourself. Some carbon offset
programs also fund projects that
have other benefits, projects that not
only help the environment, but also
help the people and the places in
which the projects are implemented.
Conversely, some projects can have
unforeseen negative effects.

Aon

 

So with so many options
and so much to think about, what
is the best method? Carbon offsets
are a convenient idea that fits nicely
with our culture of convenience and
comfort. They provide the potential
to be able to continue living a lavish
lifestyle and pay for it after the fact,
not physically but financially. So, for
those with money to spend, maybe
this is the way to go.

On the flip side, perhaps a
more realistic solution is to make
small, everyday lifestyle changes.

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