Carbon Offsets and the Tropical Rainforest
Mar 5th 2008admincarbon footprint & carbon neutral & carbon offsets & rainforest & reforestation & sustainable & zero carbon
The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide which potentially endangers the future balance of our planet. By reducing your dependence on fossil fuel consumption you can eliminate this problem. By offsetting what you are unable to reduce you can become carbon neutral and have a zero carbon status. Leave no carbon footprints.
Our first project is an F.S.C. certified reforestation project, planting a bio diverse range of trees in Panama, enabling re-growth of rainforests, funding by ourselves and by your donations enables us to invest in projects that reduce or offset carbon emissions.
Welcome to http://zerocarbonproject.com we are an organisation doing our best to help reduce the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that is contributing to global warming. We do not believe that an individual can simply plant a few trees and this will allow him or her to continue with an eased conscience in their fossil fuel burning present lifestyle, to do so would be naive. We do however believe in reforestation as an end in itself. Indigenous people can be shown a way to make a living from their local environment without having to migrate to urban centres in search for work. They can do this by working with our partners to plant and maintain forests in areas where previously the land has been eroded through deforestation.
The worlds rainforests have been depleted by poverty stricken populations using slash and burn farming techniques in many parts of the world. We have chosen Panama as a safe country with a government encouraging reforestation projects. We purchase land and use the services of our award winning reforesting partners in Panama who, under contract, plant and maintain new rainforest using a bio diverse range of species of trees. By doing this over a period of 25 years, the land slowly returns to a rainforest, bringing with it new plant species and an environment within which all manner of flora and fauna can flourish. Contributing towards our work in Panama helps contribute toward the reduction of the greenhouse effect and global warming, the problem however, is not so easily solved…
We are aware that we could offer a branded service so individuals and businesses can call themselves “carbon neutral” or “zero carbon” by analysing the amount of carbon dioxide they emit per year and planting trees that are measured as reducing carbon dioxide by a certain amount that offsets the amount of carbon dioxide released by their present lifestyles. Perhaps a feeling of guilt or a desire to appeal to customers as being a “green” company is behind such motivations. We are however particularly wary of high polluting “green washing” companies, furthermore we are sceptical of the calculations involved behind such attempts to be “carbon neutral” by their very nature of measuring a trees ability to absorb co2 they are prone to inaccuracies. We want to encourage genuine action by individuals, business and influence our societies attitude in general. It is a very positive thing if an individual or business genuinely wants to behave in an ecologically responsible manner. THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY.
Ultimately a combination of actions are going to create a sustainable industrial society within which plant and animal life can live and flourish. Perhaps cycling to work, using less electricity or using renewable energy to power our homes and business can have some impact. We need to encourage lifestyle change to meet this goal. Our reforestation efforts may also help, but we are keen to be perceived as encouraging a realistic change, we don’t want to be a band-aid to solve a problem which is far more complicated to solve than just planting a few trees.
A few affluent individuals who are able to “offset” their frequent transatlantic flights, do not even nearly compare with the reality of the quantities of carbon dioxide being released by countries worldwide, estimated to be around 30 billion tonnes a year, the amount of trees we would need to plant to counteract the emissions of the rapidly industrialising world would be vast. In short, there just isn’t enough land to reforest. Furthermore, we know that ecologically minded consumers will pay more or will choose to consume with companies that they believe are doing something for the environment. This in turn has led to companies wishing to maximise their profits to invest in “zero carbon” marketing activities. We very much doubt the motives and sincerity of many of these companies in actually wishing to promote the reduction in greenhouse gases. There are, however, good companies out there and it is important for consumers to know who they are and be able to differentiate them from companies that are on the “green” band wagon for the profit potential only. Companies demonstrating compliance with ISO 14064 in analysing their carbon emissions can apply for zero carbon status after offsetting these emissions.
As an organisation, we can offer our services, we can plant trees and reforest areas of depleted land, if you wish to donate to our cause you can say that you have done something toward the grand effort required. There are many changes in lifestyle and attitudes required in order to combat the problem of our industrialised societies on the environment. In conjunction with reducing your use of fossil fuels, reforestation can and will help. Please contribute toward our work. Thank you.
Zero Carbon Project
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1 Comment »
Tree Planteron 29 Jun 2008 at 11:48 pm 1Great article… and don’t forget the benefits that planting a tree will have on the environment. Each one will soak up 20kgs of CO2 every year and put enough Oxygen back in the atmosphere to support 2 people.