Green Options » offsets

The mighty agriculture sector gets their way with Waxman-Markey, but at what cost?

Stephen Boles — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:47:49 +0000

Every several years the power of Big Agriculture is evident when the Farm Bill is renegotiated, promising untold billions to the agriculture sector in the form of subsidies, incentives, research grants, and other programs.

Big Ag wielded its mighty stick again in the weeks leading up to the passage of the Waxman-Markey climate change bill. A number of representatives led by House Agriculture Committee chair Collin Peterson (D-Minn) withheld support of the bill until control of future agricultural offsets for the upcoming cap and trade markets was wrested away from the EPA (the preferred choice of environmentalists) and given to the more farmer-friendly USDA. Also heavily involved in the lobbying for more agriculture-specific provisions in Waxman-Markey were some of Big Ag’s most powerful players, including heavyweights like Monsanto, Syngenta, Bayer, and Dupont.

One of the key areas that the USDA has taken control of in Waxman-Markey is the design and delivery of agriculture-based offset projects. Authorities in both the US and Canada have long recognized the importance of the agriculture sector in meeting national greenhouse gas emission reductions. Understandably, farmers have been eagerly anticipating the additional revenues coming their way from offset projects in cap and trade markets.

There are a number of agricultural project types that are being touted for generating offset credits, including:

• reduced tillage / no-tillage
• afforestation of marginal farmlands
• nitrogen fertilizer management
• improved manure management
• livestock feed management (dairy, swine)
• anaerobic digesters
• biomass energy
• energy efficiency upgrades of facilities

A number of the potential agriculture offset project types are robust, defensible, and easily measured, particularly those involving energy generation (digesters, biomass energy) and energy conservation. But in a classic example of ‘not all offsets are created equal’, there is the potential for a huge quality gap between the robust credits and those that are harder to measure, monitor, and verify.

Conservation tillage practices (reduced till or no-till) are used by farmers to introduce a number of benefits to the soil, including improved fertility and reduced erosion. A number of studies have also shown that conservation tillage increases the sequestration of carbon in the soil. One study conducted at The Ohio State University estimated that U.S. farmers could store 288 million tons of carbon in their soil every year, which represents 17% of American GHG emissions.

The recent actions of Big Ag suggest that it will make every effort necessary to get conservation tillage approved as an allowable offset project – the number of farmers and acres that stand to benefit are simply too great to pass by. Yet a number of contradictory studies have been published in recent years that question the scientific validity of using tillage practices for offset credits.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh state that increased soil carbon storage introduced by conservation tillage could be counterbalanced by increases in nitrous oxide emissions from the soil, a far more potent greenhouse gas than CO2. They state that “the promotion of carbon credits for the no-till system before we have better quantification of its net greenhouse gas balance is naïve.” Meanwhile, a study by the USDA and University of Minnesota concludes that: “though there are other good reasons to use conservation tillage, evidence that it promotes C sequestration is not compelling.”

When you consider that tillage-based offset projects are difficult to accurately measure and routinely monitor (in addition to the contradictory science), it will be very interesting to see how much appeal these credits will have in the emerging cap-and-trade markets.

I am in the business of recommending offset credits to businesses that need to buy them either to meet future regulatory requirements or voluntary programs. In all likelihood I would never recommend a client invest in tillage-based offset credits – there are just too many questions surrounding them. And given the amount of potential acreage that could be signed up to no-till contracts if they are approved as an allowable offset for use in cap and trade, what impact will this risky carbon credit method have on the overall GHG inventory of the nation?

Image: jimmedia at flickr under a CC License

Stephen Boles is co-founder of Kuzuka, a marketplace website that brings a new level of convenience and confidence to carbon offset customers and provide consulting services to organizations that want to assess and reduce their carbon footprint.

Newly Released House Energy and Climate Legislation Contains More Aggressive Measures than Obama Plan

Elizabeth Balkan — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:38:52 +0000

Senior US Representatives Henry Waxman (D-Calif) and Ed Markey (D-Mass) today released draft cap-and-trade legislation that would reshape US energy and climate policy through drastic cuts in emissions in the next 20 years and significant increases in renewables by 2025.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES), intended to “create jobs, help end our dangerous dependence on foreign oil, and combat global warming” according to the official announcement of the House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, centers around four titles:

A clean energy title that promotes renewable sources of energy, carbon capture and sequestration technologies, low-carbon fuels, clean electric vehicles, and the smart grid and electricity transmission;
An energy efficiency title that increases energy efficiency across all sectors of the economy, including buildings, appliances, transportation, and industry;
A global warming title that places limits on emissions of heat-trapping pollutants; and
A transitioning title that protects U.S. consumers and industry and promotes green jobs during the transition to a clean energy economy.

The bill seeks emissions reductions greater than those proposed by the president: calling for a 20 percent cut in emissions from 2005 by 2020 instead of the 14 percent included in Obama’s Feburary budget. It also calls for utilities to produce one-quarter of US electricity from renewables sources by 2025, and includes a federal low carbon fuel standard modeled on California legislation.

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UN Climate Change Conference Creates 13000 Tons Of Carbon

mcmilker — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:42:13 +0000

The UN Climate Conference in Poznan, Poland, starting today is raising hopes and fears across the green spectrum. As reported in the Christian Science Monitor.

A year-long push to devise a new global climate-change treaty – one that picks up where the Kyoto Protocol leaves off – gets under way Monday in Poland, with delegates from more than 190 nations set to resume grappling with the thorny issues of how much more to cut greenhouse-gas emissions and who will pay.

The talks, in their first round, are focused on reducing human influence on climate from occurring, according to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). More or less, this means keeping global warming to about 2 degrees Celsius above pre industrial levels by the end of the century. Expectations however are low for this meeting.

President-Elect Obama’s pledge to reduce greenhouse gases to pre 1990 levels in the next 12 years notwithstanding, this group has a lot of challenges ahead. This first round of talks is primarily to develop working groups to tackle the various issues surrounding climate change in both developed and developing countries. But, with the global economic crisis on everyone’s mind, it will be hard to keep the conversation on track and work toward lower carbon emissions.

And while they are working to devise ways to reduce carbon emissions, they’ll create quite a few. AFP reports:

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GreenBacks #1

Andy Lubershane — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:15:33 +0000

Ever since I was a child learning about history through the cartoonist Larry Gonick’s “Cartoon Guide…” series, I have believed that cartoons are an incredible medium for explaning complex ideas in an entertaining way. I think the sometimes awkward, always humorous intersection of business and environmentalism makes for a great setting for a cartoon world. I’ll let the comics take it from here - for the best view, click on the image to enlarge it:

Making Carbon Offsets Actually Work. Affordably.

Paul Smith — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:57:34 +0000

Carbon offsets are a great idea, in theory. Buy an offset, which goes to renewable energy or carbon absorbing projects, and increase the health of the planet, right?

Not so clear cut, unfortunately. The path from offset purchase to impact made has been muddied by lack of transparency on how much of your money paid goes to purchasing actual offsets versus to the company you bought them from, does it actually help further already happening projects, and might it actually be going towards an offset that’s already been purchased by someone else, or is expired?

It’s this smoke and mirrors that’s both made people distrustful of these schemes, and in the process missed out on more actual impact being made. Village Green, a company that previously had declined to start an offset program for just these reasons, is now launching one of their own, tomorrow, with complete transparency and at a much more affordable price.

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Denver Launches Online Carbon Calculator

Kelli Best-Oliver — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:46:39 +0000

Just in time for thousands of delegates, press, politicians, staffers, and protesters descending on the city, Denver’s Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau (DMCVB) last week launched an online carbon calculator to help those coming to the Mile-High City figure out just what the environmental impact of their visit might be. The Carbon Calculator and Offset Program allows travelers, tourists, and event planners an easy way to calculate the tons of CO² emissions their trip will produce, determines the amount of carbon credits necessary to offset their trip, and directs users to a website where they can purchase the recommended amount of offsets.

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Enterprise Rent-a-Car Moves Towards a Greener Business Model: Part 2

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:58:18 +0000

Last week, I began to take a look at some of the environmental initiatives underway at St. Louis-based Enterprise Rent-a-Car (which also own National and Alamo). While my discussion with VP of Corporate Responsibility and Communications Pat Farrell, and VP of Public Relations Christine Conrad, involved all five of the current “planks” in the company’s environmental platform, we were there to focus on its most recent announcement: customers could now purchase carbon offsets when reserving a vehicle by phone, or through the company’s web site.

The offset program with Terrapass started just over a month ago, with the company officially announcing it on January 15th. To its surprise, the program gained popularity before the official announcement: after the soft launch on January 1st, an average of 1000 customers a day were buying the $1.25 offset option. I did ask Pat about the controversy surrounding offsets: was this simply a way to make drivers feel better about doing the things they always do? Are they simply green “indulgences?” He told me,

That’s why the offset program is the fifth of the five planks in our platform. I often equate offsets with ‘marking time’ or ‘marching in place’: you’re doing something, but not necessarily moving forward. So, if that’s all you’re doing, that would make me uncomfortable. If you’re using them in combination with other solutions, though, that makes sense.
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Enterprise Rent-a-Car Moves Towards a Greener Business Model: Part 1

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 16:52:07 +0000

Last September, when discussing a new tool for vehicle fleet managers to determine the environmental impact of purchases, I made a quick reference to efforts by the rental car industry to “green” their fleets. At the time, I’d seen a number of press releases touting these efforts, particularly commitments to purchasing vehicles that produced lower levels of emissions. I remember thinking that I should reach out to St. Louis-based Enterprise Rent-a-Car to find out more about their efforts; unfortunately, thinking was as far as I got.

I got the chance to rectify that situation when I met with Pat Farrell, Enterprise’s VP of Corporate Responsibility and Communications, and Christine Conrad, VP of Public Relations, two weeks ago over lunch. While the focus of our discussion was the company’s new offering of carbon offsets (in partnership with Terrapass) to customers renting by phone or through the company’s website, Pat and Christine also wanted to discuss the range of environmental initiatives Enterprise had taken in recent years. These have included:

Greening its fleet: The company (which also includes National and Alamo) now owns 73,000 flex-fuel vehicles, and 4000 hybrids. Over 237,000 of its 1.1 million vehicles average at least 32 miles per gallon, and 264,000 have earned EPA Smartway certification.

Contributing to Biofuels Research: Last year, the Taylor Family, which owns the company, donated $25 million to create the Institute for Renewable Fuels at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.

Conservation Efforts: Enterprise’s charitable foundation has committed to plant 50 million trees over the next fifty years in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation (though will not use these trees for offset credits)

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The VJD Daily Tip: Good Travels

Vital Juice Daily — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 14:51:51 +0000

Editor’s note: Looking for a travel experience a bit more exotic (and meaningful) than the traditional trip to the beach or lakeside resort? Our friends at email tip service Vital Juice Daily have some suggestions today.

If you’re jealous of Angelina Jolie’s exotic globetrotting to save the world, you might consider a volunteer vacation (Brad Pitt not included) … help yourself while helping others! What could be better than that (besides Brad Pitt)?

1. Make it count

With Global Volunteers, you can teach conversational English in Italy; paint, build, and repair buildings in Costa Rica; care for at-risk children in Romania; revitalize communities in small American towns; and much more. Global Volunteers’ goal is to “wage peace by facilitating mutual international understanding,” and that sounds pretty good to us!

2. "Swank"y travel

Last summer, Hilary Swank volunteered at an orphanage in North India with United Planet, an organization that creates international volunteer programs. They offer trips lasting from 1-52 weeks in 50 countries worldwide. Check out their new initiative to help battered women and their children at a shelter in Guatemala.

3. Volunteer as a family

Cross Cultural Solutions offers weeklong Insight Abroad trips to take as a family. This unique program exposes children to a different culture and provides an incomparable opportunity for them to learn the value of hands-on volunteerism. Trips are offered in Brazil, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Peru and Russia … perfect fodder for the inevitable “What did you do during your summer vacation?”

4. Make it green

Starting to worry about how all that international air travel will impact the environment? Through Climate Friendly™ you can buy energy credits to offset the emissions from your flight. A simple emissions calculator lets you figure out exactly how to offset the carbon trail of your travel (and make Al Gore proud!).

Ecotality: Carbon Sequestration Could be $8B Business for Agriculture

Ecotality Life — Fri, 25 May 2007 15:55:09 +0000

By Ecotality writer Bill Hobbs. Originally published May 22, 2007.

It’s not going to be the most scintillating beachside reading this summer, but a new guide coming out in June from Duke University Press could help prevent rising seas from obliterating your favorite beach.

It’s called Harnessing Farms and Forests in the Low-Carbon Economy: How to Create and Verify Greenhouse Gas Offsets, and is described as “the first how-to manual for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the United States through changes in land use and farming practices, and turning those reductions into verifiable credits for trading in carbon markets, is about to hit bookshelves.”

John Grisham it ain’t, but the book may help bring some rationality and credibility to the whole “carbon offsets” business. The book is a technical guide for farmers, foresters, traders and investors. You can see a preview of the guide here. According to the Duke University press release, the book explains how farmers and foresters can convert their land’s carbon dioxide storage capacity, and reduce emissions of potent greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide, into revenue-generating “offsets” that can be bought and sold in future carbon markets.

Duke’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions developed the guide in collaboration with the nonprofit advocacy group Environmental Defense, with input from scientists at Texas A&M, Colorado State, Rice, Princeton, Kansas State and Brown universities.

Chicago Greenfest Dispatch: Green Options Offsets Over 73,000 Pounds of CO2

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 01:38:59 +0000

David did an awfully good job of keeping you guys posted while we met and greeted visitors to our booth at the Chicago Greenfest. While we all took time out to see speakers and meet with other green business people, a major part of our time over the weekend involved asking people to use the carbon calculator we had available to figure up the CO2 emissions they created by traveling to the event.

Why would people do that? So we could offset those emissions, of course.

Turns out that offering free offsets (specifically wind energy credits provided by Renewable Choice Energy, a company Shea helped found) worked pretty well as a draw: we had hundreds of people visit, and their emissions tallied up to almost 74,000 pounds. As we told people visiting the booth, their travel was the biggest source of CO2 emissions for the event — GreenFest itself offset the electricity used at Chicago's McCormick Center, and that came in at over 17,000 pounds. Needless to say, we were happy to help neutralize some of the carbon footprint of Greenfest…

We also got some great photos. Super-intern Liam handled most of the photo duties for us, and we'll get some of those posted. In the meantime, here's one that appeared on Treehugger yesterday: the cute woman on the left is Leonora Oppenheim, one of my compadres at Treehugger. The guy who looks like a well-fed English professor with thinning hair… OK, that's me… We're standing in the festival's Fair Trade Pavilion, right in front of the Kallari Association's booth. The Fair Trade chocolate they were promoting was incredible — David got a whole bag of it…

Needless to say, we had a great time — we hope those of you who attended will share your stories.

Rock Stars Green Up Touring Footprint

Kelli Best-Oliver — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 14:03:06 +0000

I was at a Guster concert a few weeks ago, when the lead singer/guitarist, Adam Gardner, encouraged concertgoers to offset their travel to the show by buying carbon offsets, in the form of wind tags at the merch booth. It turns out that in 2004 Gardner, and his wife, Lauren Sullivan, founded Reverb, a non-profit that seeks to educate music fans about environmentalism by greening up touring and concerts.

Because of the high environmental costs of touring, artists like The Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson, O.A.R, Alanis Morissette, Bonnie Raitt, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are now fueling tour busses with biodiesel, setting up recycling at shows, and powering concerts with renewable energy, in conjunction with Green Highway. Reverb also connects bands with environmental organizations to create interactive eco-villages at venues. Reverb sponsors the Campus Consciousness Tour, bringing expanded eco-villages to college campuses along with shows, to encourage environmental consciousness among college students and college communities.

Guster and friends aren't the only musicians trying to lighten their eco-footprint. Willie Nelson's tour bus runs on biodiesel, and many popular summer festivals, including Bonnaroo and Wakarusa, have booths where concertgoers can offset their travel. At Wakarusa, all cups, utensils, and other food packaging is either compostable, biodegradable, or recyclable, and they provide on-site facilities to do all three. In fact, when you arrive at Wakarusa to camp, you are given bags to encourage you to recycle aluminum, cardboard, glass, plastic, and steel.

If you are planning on attending a summer tour, stop by and purchase a carbon offset in the vendors area. Think of it this way: drink one less overpriced beer, buy an offset, and feel even better about your concert choices.

Greening the Web

Megan Prusynski — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 13:56:04 +0000

As a graphic and web designer who cares about the environment, I am constantly trying to find ways to help my clients use fewer natural resources and become more sustainable.

One way I do this is to encourage clients to use the web as a marketing tool instead of creating printed marketing materials. Paper products constitute the largest portion of our waste stream (about 35%), not to mention the toxic pollutants used in printing inks. I certainly don't want any trees cut down for my design projects, so using web marketing instead can certainly reduce resource usage and pollution. But I often wonder if the web is really more sustainable…

Web sites certainly don't require paper, but the site files have to be stored somewhere. This is where web hosts come in: they store web site files on their servers so they can be accessed all over the world via the internet. Servers reside in data centers, which are secure facilities that store large servers and other equipment. Data centers are often climate-controlled and hooked up to backup power sources in order to protect the sensitive equipment and data they contain. As you can imagine, this adds up to a lot of energy usage, and most energy in the grid does not come from renewable sources.

Thankfully, there are quite a few web hosting companies that use renewable energy sources to power their data centers or offset their energy usage by investing in renewable sources of energy. These companies are helping to "green the web" by offering sustainable hosting solutions. Here are just a few companies that I found:

I host my personal sites with Sustainable Websites, who purchase 100% of their power usage equivalent for servers and office equipment in wind-powered Renewable Energy Certificates.
Acorn Host also purchases Green Certificates to offset 100% of their server and office equipment energy usage. They offer a discount on hosting for non-profit organizations that benefit the community.
AISO actually produces their own solar power for their office and data center, and they even used green building techniques for their data server building.
Sustainable Hosting purchases 11,552 kilowatt hours worth of Green-e certified renewable energy certificates yearly to offset the energy used by their web servers and office.
ecoSky relies on renewable energy credits for their server's power, and they generate solar energy on-site to power their administrative office.
Elfon purchases wind power through Utah's Blue Sky program to offset their server and office energy usage (as well as the home energy usage of their founders), and offers discounts for customers who also buy renewable energy.
ThinkHost offsets 100% of their server and office energy usage with solar and wind power credits. They also offer discounts or free hosting to non-profit and activist organizations.

These are just a few of the many companies offering sustainable web hosting. Many of them are committed to reducing their environmental impact in other ways as well, such as allowing staff to tele-commute, implementing office recycling programs, or using energy-efficient electronics in their offices. I encourage you to do your own research on sustainable web hosting companies as well.

Now I can offer my clients even more sustainable design solutions, and invest in alternative energy at the same time! Green life is good.

More Links: TreeHugger's list of green web hosts, Green Server's list of green web hosts