What is Carbon offsetting?
Each time we heat our homes, take a flight or drive the car, CO2 is added into the atmosphere. CO2 is a greenhouse gas that is released when fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal are burnt.
Offsetting means paying someone to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere by the same amount that your activities add. In this way you can 'neutralise' or 'balance' the CO2 added by your activities.
Offsetting enables you to repair the damage done by your emissions by funding sustainable energy projects that reduce C02.
You can offset easily, check at the link below to find out just how much C02 you will emit. Next time you book a flight go to this website to build a carbon profile that you may choose to Offset.
Why offset?
Every hour we fly, each of us produces about 0.1 tonnes of C02. For example, on a return trip to Pisa from London you will fly for four hours - your CO2 emissions are .27 tonnes at a cost of 2.06 GBP
that's the same as:
Leaving the hairdryer on for two weeks, or
Boiling the kettle non-stop for 13 days, or
Running the TV & games console for six months, or
Leaving the TV on standby for 18 years, or
Running the car for 5 days, or
Where would the money go?
Your money would go to Climate Care, an organisation dedicated to reducing global warming. They fund projects that cut greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries, benefiting local communities.
How much does it cost to offset?
Every time you book a flight the calculator at http://www.climatecare.org/ will tell you how much C02 you emit and how much it costs to offset. The cost ranges from 0.50 to 0.90 GPB for every hour in the air. For example, to offset a direct return flight costs:
London to Pisa: 1.03 GBP
Manchester to Rome: 1.40 GBP
Dublin to Venice: 1.35 GBP
Consider Carbon Offsetting every time you fly.
