Carbon Offsets

Image from businesstravellogue.com

Carbon offsets seem to be all the rage these days. But the business behind them and their impact on environmentalism is disheartening.

Where does the money for your offset go, you ask? Some goes into reforestation but The Sierra Club questions the benefit of that. Often the money goes into the development of renewable energy production but someone else makes money off of that. There is even fraudulent activity where companies just pocket your carbon offset money or double sell carbon offsetting endeavors. Perhaps the answer is investment in green technology ala T. Boone Pickens. Put your money towards energy efficient light bulbs, solar panels or even locally grown produce.

Besides the aforementioned misgivings over carbon offsets, my main concern is that the whole concept behind them is misguided. Carbon offsets allow us to pay our way out of responsibility. The importance of environmental stewardship is ignored. To make any sustained environmental impact we must change our lifestyles, not just our spending habits.