Terrapass
by on 02. 3.05
TerraPass members have reduced CO2 emissions by 2,684,000 lbs (1.2M kg). How did they do it? In a similar manner to Greenfleet, Future Forest and Trees for Travel, who we’ve mentioned before. But in this case, forests are not created, rather the funds you pay to offset road travel are pooled. These $$$ are then invested in energy reduction programs within industry and by assisting in the establishment of renewable energy plants, like windpower. If you drive a hybrid, like a Prius, your CO2 emissions are factored at 6,000lb per annum and a Terrapass worth $30 will offset your polluting. On the other hand, a ...
... ‘Utility’ vehicle is said to create about 20,000lb, so has an appropriately rated Terrapass at $80. ‘Efficient’ and ‘Standard’ cars fall between these two. Air travel and household offsets are on the way too. So if your government (like mine) is too ostrich-like with its head-in-the-sand, and refuses to sign up to the Kyoto Protocol, you at least can. Well, in your own personal way, anyhow. Via The Green Life. ::Terrapass[by WM]
'tis an interesting idea. I wonder why they aren't a non-profit tax-deductible organization?
they need a for-profit company's access to bankers in order to fund their energy ventures.
http://www.terrapass.com/faq.html#nonprofit
this does make sense.
i also have more trust in the relative transparency of nonprofits. however, terrapass does disclose a lot about their operations on their website.
See also Climate Care (www.climatecare.co.uk) and Blue Sky Energy (www.blueskyenergy.us) for other carbon offset organizations. The former is based out of the UK but uses most of its funds to sponser energy efficiency/conservation, renewable energy projects and reforestation projects in developing countries which has the added benefit of aiding development in these nations. The later is a US based company that uses funds to set up landfill methane gas collection facilities htat collect methane gas produced by decomposition of landfill materials and burning it to produce energy (converting the extremely potent green-house gas, methane, into co2, reducing the greenhouse gas effect drastically).