We use carbon as a source of energy for most of our daily activities. But one of the most significant impacts to our carbon footprint comes from traveling.
According to estimates, tourism is responsible for roughly 8% of all the carbon emission in the world. A round trip from San Francisco to Paris produces around 8 tons of carbon emission per person. This is huge.
While we can’t stop flying, we need to offset our carbon footprint through other means.
One of the best ways to offset your carbon footprint is through purchasing carbon offset credits, equivalent to the amount of emissions you were responsible for. There are many organizations around the world working as carbon offset providers that will invest your credits in certified carbon reduction projects.
So how do these organizations utilize your money? Well there are two main ways how these companies work.
First is through investing in forestry projects. These projects conserve and restore ecosystems, which play a vital role in carbon absorption, the natural way.
Second method is to invest in energy projects like wind farms that help produce clean energy, thereby reduce fossil fuel use.
And certainly benefits of such projects go beyond carbon reduction, such as protecting forests and the biodiversity within, or creating opportunities for communities to better their livelihoods and health. The benefits extend to the most vulnerable societies.
The next logical question would be; do these projects actually work?
These organizations have to clear the carbon project quality assurance checks including project validation, project life-cycle verification and documentation for transparency. These are Gold Standard certified projects aligned with the UN's Sustainable Development goals. So yes, they work.
How much does it usually cost to offset our carbon emission?
The price of carbon offset varies according to the projects and organizations; but, they usually cost around $8 per metric ton of carbon offset to around $20 per ton of carbon offset.
Certainly, not a huge price to pay to offset our carbon footprint!
To watch a video on carbon offseting click here
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