A green gift in carbon offsets
Giving away carbon offsets for the holidays isn't exactly glamorous, but it does help the environment. Joellen Easton reports on how the market for offsetting greenhouse gas emissions is doing this holiday season.
An organic cotton reusable shopping bag sold on the NativeEnergy.com website. (NativeEnergy.com)
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TEXT OF STORY
TESS VIGELAND: Believe it or not this holiday season there are some travel bargains to be had. Airfares are down. And gas, of course, is far more affordable than it was during the summer travel season. But fewer people are driving or flying. The Air Transport Association says airline travel is down 9 percent from last year. And the Department of Transportation says Americans drove 100 billion fewer miles this year than last.
Still, if you are planning that holiday jaunt, you may want to think of ways to be more charitable to the environment.
Marketplace's Joellen Easton reports on some options.
JOELLEN EASTON: I like to give meaningful Christmas gifts that don't break my piggybank. This year I'm thinking about giving carbon offsets. That's where I invest in off-setting my friends' and family's greenhouse gas emissions. My investment goes into things like building new wind power, or planting trees.
But I can't quite commit. Maybe people won't appreciate it. Can I afford it right now? Is it just me, or are others holding back, too?PETE DAVIES: You know, I don't think anyone is having a fun time retailing on the holidays at the moment.
That's Pete Davies, general manager of Terrapass, a website that sells offsets. He says he gets that people are feeling squeezed, and offsets aren't exactly a necessity.
And the number of people and businesses who feel that responsibility is growing. In 2006 the voluntary carbon offset market in the U.S. was $97 million. In 2007 the offset market tripled.DAVIES: They're undoubtedly a discretionary purchase. But I think for plenty of people they see a responsibility in doing their best to minimize their impact on the planet.
Eric Carlson heads Carbonfund.org, a nonprofit that sells carbon offsets.
Eric Carlson: The industry is clearly growing. And awareness about climate change is growing. People want to do something about it and this is a priority for them.
But 2008 is a recession year. And despite getting more customers, Carlson is seeing the size of individual purchases decrease.
So are purchases by businesses. Those make up a much larger portion of the overall market. Some of Carbonfund.org's business partners are now getting their customers to buy offsets while they make their purchase online. That way customers help businesses offset their emissions instead of having businesses do it all themselves.
Carbonfund.org's Carlson says individual purchases normally spike in December. But this year he's watching the numbers closely. Sales dropped off in the fall when the stock market crashed. So companies like his are offering new options for holiday shoppers.
Here's Pete Davies from Terrapass:
DAVIES: Of all the gifts that we sell, the best selling thing so far this holiday -- a smart strip. It's like . . . it's, it's really the most unglamorous present that you can possibly think of.
This power strip turns off related appliances when you turn off the main appliance. So, for example, it cuts the power to your DVD player when you turn off the television.
And the hottest selling item on Carbonfund.org right now is a similarly unglamorous $10, 1 ton offset gift card. That's almost enough to offset a single roundtrip direct flight from Phoenix to Atlanta.
Now, I have three family members flying into Los Angeles for Christmas. What if I offset the carbon generated by their flights? Taken all together, that's 16,000 miles, which is 8 tons of carbon, for a grand total of 80 bucks.
Hmm. That's still a little more than I wanted to spend. But I bet those $10, 1 ton offset cards would make great stocking stuffers.
I'm Joellen Easton for Marketplace.
Comments
Comment | Refresh
From OH, 12/23/2008
Go get all the carbon offsets you want for free! I did, and I feel much better.
From Libertyville, IL, 12/21/2008
A carbon offset gift is like getting a certificate of a star in your name. One plane ride to visit friends and family blows your conservation saving ways out the window.
From Augusta, ME, 12/18/2008
This is a nice reminder that carbon offsets exist. I don't see much about them in the news. Tho we have opted for the Green" option with the power company, I'd like to understand better exactly where the money goes and how it moves to help fund alternative energy sources. I haven't found any web sources that explain it well. Mostly hype about how worthwhile it is to purchase these.
Forgive me if I'm cynical but there are far too many people out there in the financial world making big bucks for themselves rather than doing good deeds as promised. How do we know who to buy from and who to trust?
From Pasadena, CA, 12/18/2008
Carbon offsets? I'd rather receive a lump of coal than something so controversial and of of questionable effectiveness. The entire industry is basically a scam that takes advantage of our guilt.
That said, I'll be starting my own carbon offset business soon. Seems like a good business decision.
From Lake In The Hills, IL, 12/17/2008
Am I the only one that thinks this is an incredibly ostentatious gift? The whole concept of carbon offsets is about "personal responsibility". How does this encourage that person to take responsibility for their own actions? If they don't share your values, this would be the last thing to do to encourage them to follow your lead. Why don't you buy the offsets for yourself as an example to others, but don't use this one opportunity you have each year to show your appreciation to someone you love by giving them nothing and doing something that makes you feel better. Over-reaching actions like this are the very thing that keep the conservation movement from catching on in this country.
From Madison, WI, 12/17/2008
Carbon offsets are a really great green gift. I'm part of an initiative that allows people to promote the fact that they choose to live a sustainable life. Check it out:
http://www.poweredgreen.com
From Boulder, CO, 12/17/2008
Thanks, Joellen and all for this great overview and inclusion of carbon offsets for the holidays! We're excited that people all over are taking more responsibility for their environmental impact and we can certainly attest to their growing popularity. Bravo to you for shining the light on these great gifts that make a difference!
Heather Philipp
Renewable Choice Energy
http://www.renewablechoice.com
From Madison, WI, 12/16/2008
Thanks for showcasing carbon offsets, and especially for reminding people that they could offset their holiday travel.
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