Offsetting Your Carbon Footprint |
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Scientists agree that global warming and climate change are very real issues that can only be addressed if each and every one of us takes responsible steps to reduce their CO2 emissions. But for businesses, complete avoidance of all CO2 emissions is almost impossible - but there is an answer to this dilemma : Carbon Offsetting.
So what exactly do we mean by ‘Carbon Offsetting’? In the course of our everyday lives, we all do things that consume energy and produce carbon dioxide emissions – we take holiday flights, we drive our cars, we heat our homes and so on. Carbon Offsetting is a way of compensating for the emissions we produce with an equivalent carbon dioxide saving. The process of Carbon Offsetting involves two steps: a calculation of your carbon footprint followed by the purchase of ‘carbon offset’ credits from emission reduction projects. http://www.carbonfootprint.com/ is the place to visit to calculate your carbon footprint figure. On the carbon footprint website you will find a real-time calculator which works out the carbon emissions for the activity you’re contemplating. You can then ensure you sponsor an environmentally sound project which will replenish the resources used. The projects you sponsor will prevent or remove an equivalent amount of CO2 elsewhere in the World, and as carbon emissions are distributed Worldwide, it doesn’t matter whether your contribution takes place in Manchester or Mumbai. Either way the positive effect on the environment will be the same. The projects you might sponsor are far-reaching and may include international energy-saving projects (for example, supply of low energy lighting to developing countries) or tree planting to encourage long-term sustainable eco-environments. The tree planting option is popular as it also provides natural habitat for wild-life and encourages biodiversity, beautifying landscapes.
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