carbon offsets

In an effort to get delegates coming to Denver this week the DNCC has started the "Green Delegate Challenge" as part of their convention "greening plan". Delegates and delegations are encouraged to purchase offsets from Native Energy Inc. In turn Native Energy will invest in four community-based renewable energy projects.

PetroChina gets green signal from the UN CDM Board to trade its carbon indicators equaling a little less than 1 million tons. The credits, acquired though a nitrous oxide (N2O) CDM project by Liaoyang Petrochemical, are a part of China’s biggest carbon deal.The environmental impact of nitrous oxide is around 310 times more than that of CO2. A representative of Liaoyang said [...]

Al Gore Makes Over $98 from Carbon Carbon Buzz After Leaving Office

IndianOil Considering CDM Projects With Earning Potential of Indian Rs. 240 M

Japan Wants Developing Nations to Commit to Emissions Reductions After 2012

O’Reilly’s Energy Group to Study Irish Sea for Carbon Sequestration Feasibility

Naperville (IL) Residents Willingly Pay Extra Bills to Reduce Emissions

While all the fuss about carbon tax continues in the Canadian media, we also now have Ontario testing some carbon-cutting pilot projects in the agricultural sector. Ontario signed the Western Climate Initiative not long ago, and the province will probably have a cap-and-trade system by 2012, as all members in the Initiative agree on that.

Ontario’s plan now is to initiate three pilot projects to offset emissions. The first one will have farmers utilize nitrogen fertilizers in a more eco-friendly way.

It pays to cut greenhouse gas emissions, literally and members of the National Farmers Union Carbon Credit Program will vouch for that. The program gives agricultural producers the opportunity to earn carbon credits through carbon sequestration, that is, by adopting practices such as no-till farming, growing grass and reforestation that store carbon dioxide [...]

The City of Sydney has become the first government in Australia to attain carbon neutrality, announced the council’s CEO, Monica Barone on Tuesday. This was accomplished by increasing energy efficiency, switching to renewables and using carbon offsets. The government will shell out about USD 2.2 million annually to purchase wind power in order to offset its fuel and electricity usage.

So remember way back when, when Dell made a move off the grid by powering 100 percent of its 2.1 million square-foot global headquarters campus, home to more than 10,000 employees, with 100 percent green power? Well heres the follow up!

The recent update by the Carbon Offset Guide shows nearly 40% increase in the number of carbon offset providers between March and June 2008. According to Victorian Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings, the website currently has 50 offset providers in its directory and 84% of these offer certified offsets, which refers to third-party verification of the product.

The world of computers is sure getting greener by the day. Yesterday Dell announced that its operations were now completely carbon neutral and now PC World is all set to release what’s being touted as the world’s first carbon neutral PC. A little behind schedule - the green PCs were supposed to hit the market a year ago, but now the product “..is currently going through the final stages of testing and we expect to be announcing its arrival shortly”, according to a company spokeswoman.

Dell Goes 100% Carbon Neutral - video w/Dell's Dane Parker

Zion and Zion - a leading marketing/advertising firm based in Phoenix and Atlanta has decided to undertake a comprehensive carbon offsetting initiative in a bid to completely wipe out its carbon footprint. While other firms in the industry have also taken steps towards reducing their emissions, what sets Zion and Zion apart is that it will be the first in the marketing industry to fully offset its carbon emissions.

Working on the computer might seem like a harmless enough activity, but the fact is that computers have a fairly enormous carbon footprint. In fact, a while back it was reported that the global IT industry’s carbon emissions of two per cent of the total, puts it at par with the aviation industry as far as emissions go. Steps such as turning off your PCs , recycling etc. certainly go a long way in conserving energy but new and innovative solutions are also on the way.

It seems that opposition against coal power plants is gaining momentum. We reported earlier that the UK government is under pressure to take strict action against coal-fired plants and now it looks like US coal plants are having a tough time as well.

John Mirsky, Vice President, Technical and Engineering Services, Robert Bosch LLC, is interviewed about the decision by Bosch to join the Chicago Climate Change, the world's first and North America's only voluntary, legally binding carbon exchange.

Amid high fuel prices, the British Prime Minister wants energy companies to pay an additional £500 million through purchase of carbon permits. The permits, which would probably come in £100 million per year for 5 consecutive years, will be to offset the carbon dioxide emissions of the power firms. Gordon Brown plans to use this money to support poor families that are under fire because of escalating fuel prices.

The issue of climate change as it relates to the Olympic Games has been largely overshadowed by Beijing’s poor air quality. Understandably, Olympic organizers have had their hands full in an attempt to decrease local pollution and improve local air quality over the short-term, leaving little resources for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This is unfortunate given the scale of GHG emissions associated with the Olympics.

With the Olympics arriving in Beijing they have brought with them some strong environmental initiatives that will help keep a tradition of minimizing the carbon footprint of the games. According the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) solar power is being used to light the Olympic Village and the National Stadium, along with lawns, courtyards, and streets at several other venues.

Eco-hosting offers a way to have your technology cake and not "heat" it too.

Worldwide, computers are responsible for the same quantity of carbon emissions as the airline industry. It is a serious problem that requires a serious solution. We won't achieve this just by offsetting but by making serious changes to the way we do business.

Everyone has heard that children absorb information, languages, routines, and habits at a very high level. Most adults can attribute a good portion of their lifestyle to their early years and what they were exposed to at that time. By making kids aware of their carbon footprint, and teaching them about green healthy living and biodiversity, we can help raise a generation of environmentally sensitive people.

Mercedes Benz has announced that in seven years they will no longer be selling any petroleum-powered vehicles. This is the first announcement of its kind and a bold statement that I hope will be followed up by most other automobile manufactures at some point. The reduction in their corporate carbon footprint associated with such a change is substantial.

Many of us live a green life at home. Recycling, composting, and conserving energy (turning the lights off, unplugging unused electrical devices) but as soon as we get into our car and leave for the office we tend to let our green tendencies slide. Our carbon footprint just for driving to and from the office for one year can average 5 metric tons of co2 emissions.

One easy way for people to reduce their carbon footprint for their travels is to travel by train. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, traveling by rail produces nearly half the global warming pollution as compared to flying.  In addition, traveling by train takes the traveler through some of the most scenic parts of the countryside.

The Asian Development Bank announced on Tuesday that it has established a new carbon fund to provide financial support to clean technology initiatives in the Asia Pacific region that will continue to generate carbon credits post 2012. The fund- called the Future Carbon Fund will initially be worth...

Interview with President of SustainableWebsites.com on: Do you think companies should use carbon offsets to mitigate their global warming emissions?

Online Tool Allows Architects and Builders to Easily Calculate and Purchase Renewable Energy Credits to Gain Points for Achieving LEED Certification.

This week let ’s consider the question, “Are offsets inspirational?” Here we examine offsets from the 'innovation' side, and highlight the potential for offset opportunities to motivate the development and widespread adoption of new and cleaner technologies.

Having a green wedding is not only good for your carbon footprint, it is also a great way to raise awareness to your guests that they can go “green” and still have a wonderful celebration all around. Here are ten easy tips for making your wedding a greener event.

Remove CO2 from the atmosphere by doing common activities like searching, clicking, and social networking.

Today, there are dozens of companies in the United States, many partnered with bigger businesses and corporations, that will help you calculate your carbon footprint, determine an appropriate carbon offset, and allow you to spend your money to benefit the environment and buy some peace of mind. But, as always, there are plusses, minuses, and questions concerning these companies and the products and services they sell.