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samedi 19 décembre 2009

Carbon Offset - An Effective Method To Improve The Environment

By Melody Carter

Carbon offset is a huge help to save the world from the catastrophic effects of ecological degradation and global warming by its mission to decrease carbon emissions in big industries and manufacturing entities, as well as at an individual level.

The unregulated emission of harmful greenhouse gases is controlled by the carbon offset idea, which does so by giving incentive for use of alternative and green energy, reforestation projects etc.. The carbon credits scheme of the 2005 Kyoto Protocol, an international environmental treaty ratified by 170 countries in 2005 decides the emission limits for countries, which further determines allowable emissions by industrial entities.

According to the Protocol, firms releasing thousands of kilos of carbon dioxide have to either reduce on their emissions to the allotted levels, purchase carbon credits certificates, which can be traded on the bourses, or otherwise end up paying a carbon tax in order to be compliant with the prescribed reduction. One carbon credit, which is an older method than carbon offset, authorizes the credit's buyer to discharge 1000 kilograms of carbon dioxide into the air, and this method is the most cost effective method of buying an allowance to release extra greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Both multinational and local companies, to make their operations carbon neutral and improve their image before clients and investors, are increasingly buying carbon credits.

Ambitious ecological projects throughout the world that are working towards the overall reduction of CO2's harmful effects on the environment are now also being helped by the carbon offset system, which funds several of these projects. It greatly helps in promoting renewable and green energy options like tidal energy and wind energy, and in financing projects on nature protection and reforestation.

Even individuals are more and more using the carbon offset scheme to decrease their carbon footprint and are propagating this method to others as well. Carbon offsets are available for buying online through many providers, but it must be checked that the provider is actually putting money into impactful carbon reduction initiatives.

However, we should remember that buying carbon offset does not take away our responsibilities, and that all of us can perform a vital role in decreasing our carbon footprints by bringing minor modifications to our everyday lives. What we can do additionally from our side to safeguard the environment is to take up small steps like using renewable fuels such as biodiesel, and buying LED lights instead of high-energy bulbs, and consume only as much energy as we need.

Carbon offset is still not a popular word for a layman. Awareness of the same in the form of proper education on the subject is the way forward towards a healthy and sustainable environment.

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