Psst… Wanna Buy Some Carbon Offsets
photo credit: thingermejig
Had a good chuckle over Stephane Dion’s buying of carbon offsets to cover his use of fuel to campaign. Better idea – skip the travel – it probably is hopeless at this point. You’re moving into Layton territory.
The buying of the offsets beg the question.
Where the hell does the money go when you buy an offset?
Nobody seems to know for sure. Which makes me just a bit suspicious. Is this really a way to dupe the naive into paying taxes for feeling good? Or is this a UN plan to create a world tax?
Just who are these “sellers” of credits and what do they do with the money?
The entrepreneurs redistribute the money mainly to projects such as wind farms, biodeisel plants, dairy farm methane projects, and reforestation projects. Some of these companies claim to be audited and verified by various authorities and non-profit organizations to assure transparency and accountability.
None are probably anywhere close to being cost efficient, which in itself defeats the purpose.
Just try to find any financial information, or shareholder lists of these organizations and companies. Most are for profit companies.
One good example of this charade – the Academy Awards gave every presenter and performer a year of carbon neutral living – a glass sculpture and 100,000 lbs. of CO2 reductions from TerraPass.
Terrapass seems like an Amazon of Carbon offsets – very suspicious.
This “award” allows recipients to justify their carbon use and appear to be doing something good. It’s great advertising for both for the carbon credit salesmen and the celebrity promoters.
Someone’s getting very wealthy off this dubious cause. And I’d really like to find a way into this game to get my share.
P.S. Got a real kick out of ths site on Dione’s Tax plan… great design work.
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September 13th, 2008 at 6:03 am
yeah right like I’m going to trust liberals with money.
just like they were trusted with the sponsorship money.
like they can even balance there own books them selves.
September 13th, 2008 at 6:20 am
I am going to be starting a “carbon credit” business. Just send me your money and I will plant some trees and shrubs in my yard. I will put a plaque up beside each one with the name of the carbon creditee and will send a lovely certificate that you can frame and hang on your wall.
You can start sending your money right now!!
September 13th, 2008 at 6:46 am
the money for carbon offsets goes to the same place co2 does.
September 13th, 2008 at 6:51 am
Everytime I hear about someone buying carbon credits I go out back and burn an old tire in my fire pit.
September 13th, 2008 at 6:58 am
Alberta Girl if you send me 20 bucks Ill burn one for you too.
September 13th, 2008 at 8:04 am
Where does the money go? Mainly it goes into the bank accounts of former liberal party staffers who, no longer having fat patronage appointments, have figured out a method to continue slurping at the public trough. I have yet to see anythibg that shows me what green initiatives this money supports.
September 13th, 2008 at 8:14 am
“Alberta Girl if you send me 20 bucks Ill burn one for you too.”
Hey Dave – Done – actually, I will send you $20 from each of the carbon creditee’s payments. Better start collecting those tires because I expect a huge influx of credits to start pouring in!!
September 13th, 2008 at 10:28 am
While not EXACTLY the same thing, I am selling some dog beating offset credits.
You get to beat your dog all you like and I will send 80% (hey I got to make some profit) of the offset money to the SPCA so they can save ANOTHER dog from being beaten.
Sounds good no?
September 13th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
You’re right, its just a big Liberal conspiracy…idiots!
September 13th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Everytime you hear carbon credits,its accompanied with a picture of a modern office with a picture of a windmill and a building with solar panels.And they have a few employees sitting at a desk or someone looking out a window at another guy and gal planting a tree.LOL its so comical,you just want to send them money to keep them going and see what they come up with next.Maybe a dog on a treadmill or a recirculating flushing toilet LOL just made that last one up.Might as well laugh at em cause they will never get my money.