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What is offsetting?
A carbon footprint
Offsetting programs
Where do your offset dollars end up?
Climate control is in our hands
More information
What is offsetting?
Everybody is responsible for an amount of greenhouse emissions from their day to day living. Offsetting refers to compensating for these emissions by purchasing 'carbon credits' . In other words, it is investing in projects that lead to the reduction of carbon emissions. Carbon neutral refers to offsetting all your emissions. There are things you can do to reduce your emissions and many of these will save you money. Reducing consumption, reusing and recycling, using energy efficient appliances and using public transport are all good places to start. However, a lot of our emissions are hidden in the manufacturing process. Reducing direct emissions doesn't account for these aspects of every day life. And this is where offsetting comes in.
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A carbon footprint
A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse emissions that result from our lifestyle. We can take simple measures to lighten our carbon footprints. If we purchase locally produced food, for example, we can cut back on emissions from transporting goods. The first step to reduce your footprint is to do a self audit to determine your yearly emissions, taking into account such things as energy use and transportation. You can do this using a 'carbon calculator'. You can find these on the websites of carbon offsetting providers.
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Offsetting programs
When you attend big festivals such as the Big Day Out or the Falls Festival, see if you can purchase 'green tickets'. Often little more than 50c is added to the price of the ticket and this extra money is invested in renewable projects approved by the Australian Government. Air travel is a huge contributor to carbon emissions. Many airlines such as Virgin Blue, Qantas and Jetstar have recently set up programs to cut back emissions. Some carriers allow you the choice to offset your carbon emissions by paying a fraction more on your ticket. For example a one-way flight to Sydney costs a mere 86c to offset your emission.
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Where do your offset dollars end up?
Money from offsetting is invested in programs such as tree planting, renewable energy projects and the development of more energy efficient technologies. Often you cannot choose where your offset money goes. Tree planting is a common choice, however the benefits can take some time to be realised. Investment in projects such as wind and solar energy can be more costly but have more immediate effects. Abatement programs are approved by the Australian Greenhouse Office and undergo ongoing assessment to ensure all guidelines are met.
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Climate control is in our hands
Climate control may seem overwhelming, but is a case of everyone being able to do their bit. We can start by reducing our direct and indirect emissions and then thinking about offsetting those we can't do anything about. Offsetting should not be used a bandaid measure to compensate for simple lifestyle changes to reduce your emissions. We can all take responsibility for the choices we make, and support companies that do the same.
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More information
Australian Greenhouse Office (external link)
Greening Australia (external link)
Climate Friendly (external link)
Green Fleet (external link)
Sustainable Living Tasmania (external link)
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