Posted on 08/26/2007 10:12:07 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
Feeling guilty about the amount of deadly greenhouse gases you emit by driving that big SUV or using your air conditioner during the summer?
Well, don't count on an easy fix.
While celebrities like Al Gore and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger burnish their green credentials by buying so-called carbon offsets that fund projects like wind farms to make up for their energy excesses, environmental advocates nationwide criticize the effectiveness of the programs.
Their concern: The carbon offset market, which is largely unregulated, lacks the standards or the oversight needed to make sure that the projects consumers send money to are actually helping clean the air.
"Right now the status is buyer beware," said Julia Bovey, spokeswoman with the Natural Resources Defense Council. "There are a lot of companies out there . . . but there are concerns that have to do with whether the money is going to where they say it is going."
Since the industry is not monitored, it's difficult to say how many people are buying offsets, called that because they are supposed to "offset" the buyer's carbon emissions. But it's clear demand is rising.
Since 2002 the number of organizations selling carbon credits has grown by 200 percent, with online retailers expanding even faster, according to a report released last month by research firm EcoSystem Marketplace.
Popular online travel sites like Travelocity and Expedia let customers offset carbon emissions from air travel by paying extra for a ticket. Last year, Al Gore's "Inconvenient Truth" struck a nerve with audiences, raising interest in fighting global warming. And big companies like Google have announced plans to become "carbon neutral" and buy offsets.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
No. But thanks for asking.
“The carbon offset market, which is largely unregulated, lacks the standards or the oversight needed to make sure that the projects consumers send money to are actually helping clean the air.”
No problem, they’ll just create a Government Agency to regulate it and charge a tax to run the new department. That will fix everything! What’s the matter with you people?!
Yes, I see what you are saying.
Another layer or two of bureaucracy and it will work. uh huh. ;-)
I offered to sell some carbon offset credits to a few liberal friends....no takers. I think even they know it is a scam.
An easy fix doesn't exist for a politician.
A future of doom and gloom does exist for the sake of their future in politics however.
Tsk Tsk.. FRiends don’t sell FRiends carbon offset credits. lol (.. and good for them, btw)
That’s right, Global Warming solved!
Next faux crisis to gouge the American tax payer please. Let’s keep ‘em coming!
The Corporations doing the most to develop green alternatives are Big Oil.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Yea, we need more bureaucracy to mask the present debacle of bureaucracy that we are strapped with.
What the hay, it's only hard earned labor..../s
Gosh, really?
I guess whatever it takes to divest one of their finances and make them feel good about it at the same time....
P.T. Barnum will be considered the next coming hopeful.
When buying carbon credits.....what are you really buying? Absolutely NOTHING. You are just giving your money to Al Gore and his company.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
I wonder when the first “My uncle died suddenly and left 12,000,000 carbon offsets in the bank and I need help...” e-mail will arrive from Nigeria.
Its pretty easy to find how to BUY these things, I want to SELL them. I'm wondering if in some areas where land is still cheap, the payments you can get per acre would offset the payments on the land?
I understand Al is heavily invested in the organization that exchanges or banks the so called “carbon credits.” So when he buys them to offset his impact, the money comes back to him through his investment. He is laughing all the way to the bank.
And my electric utility says that I can opt to pay a higher rate for electricity, assuring me that if I do, my electricity will come from "green sources".
Suuuuure...
True, for with P.T. Barnum's promotion it was still just an individual decision to be idiotic enough to accept it and support it.
... and here I thought Ponzi schemes were illegal. I guess for some maybe.. ;-)
There used to be a custom in the Olden Days of buying, there's a word for it I don't remember, something from the Catholic Church that would offset the sins of the payer, sort of like buying extra forgiveness. A sin offset, if you will. Now, if you pay a carbon offset, you can drive the car down to the corner instead of walking, and have absolutely no guilt whatsoever, and no need to feel guilt either. Feeling guilt which is the worst thing, worse than having guilt.
>>”Right now the status is buyer beware,” said Julia Bovey, spokeswoman with the Natural Resources Defense Council. “There are a lot of companies out there . . . but there are concerns that have to do with whether the money is going to where they say it is going.”
Since the industry is not monitored, it’s difficult to say how many people are buying offsets<<
How long before somebody in authority suggests the carbon offset market should be regulated?
Your buying "feel good".
It could be the new war on drugs promotion. ; )
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
First, you have to clear cut your property and burn whatever woody waste you cannot sell to the lumber industries. Use only gas powered chainsaws and nothing smaller than a D-9 to clear the saleable stock to the marshalling yard where your fleet of poorly maintained 18 wheelers stand belching black smoke from incompletely combusted deisel.
Next...Plow the cleared land so you can plant seedlings that the carbon offsets pay for. Use old tractors and make plenty of passes over the land, pine seedlings really like finely tilled soil. You may want to install some deisel pumps to suck all the water you can from the auquifier in case it doesn't rain much. Leave them running all day and night, just in case.
Lastly...laugh all the way to the bank.
I’ve got a printer. I can get the presses rolling pretty quickly.
No need to buy land. I’ve got a camera we can use. We’ll just go out and take a bunch of photos in the National Parks.
Of course, we will use only recycled paper for our certificates.
You’ve put some serious thought into this haven’t you!
(Gotta admire a guy who has a complete business plan.)
This is a great con. You can keep doing what you’re doing as long as you give money to the leftwing kooks! People who fall for this scam are total morons. LOL!
We’ve got an old Suburban which we drive about 2,000 miles a year. I think someone who drives a Prius 50,000 miles a year should be buying carbon credits from me.
I’m serious. I think you can get paid for not cutting your trees. I looked at the TVA website, and its easy to find how to pay extra, but not how to profit.
There was a guy on Ebay or Craigslist a while back who was holding some Christmas trees hostage. He published a photo of 10 trees, each numbered, and said he would kill one if he didn't get at least $20. He didn't get it, and posted a pic of nine trees and a stump, and repeated the threat. Don't know if he ever got anything.
To quote Pete Townsend:
“I don’t care about pollution,
I’m an Air-conditioned Gypsy,
That’s my solution,
Watch the police and tax man miss me,
I’m mobile!”
From “Going Mobile” Who’s Next
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.