Carbon Credit

Eco-business Links December 2007

Global warming is caused by the build up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from human activity, primarily the burning of fossil fuels to provide the energy and services we use every day. We burn fossil fuels for electricity (from coal and gas) in our homes and businesses, our cars, flights and to create the food, clothes and other things we buy and consume every day.

Carbon offsets enable individuals and businesses to reduce the CO2 emissions they are responsible for by offsetting, reducing or displacing the CO2 in another place, typically where it is more economical to do so. Carbon offsets typically include renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects. As more and more people are concerned about global warming and seeking to reduce their climate impact, carbon offsets, along with personal carbon reductions, provide an important solution to global warming.

While Ecobusiness Links does not earn money from the organizations, how much does Carbon Offsetting cost? Price survey!

Example

A mid-sized 30 miles per gallon car driving 12,000 miles/year will create about 3.55 tons of CO2/year. Using the carbon calculator of one of the companies which are listed here, we figured this would cost only about $19.50 or $1.63/month to be offset! This means that for a very small amount of money you can drive the equivalent of a zero-CO2-emission car!

It is up to each of us to clean our own mess, obviously the government can’t and won’t do it (alone). Signing up with any of these programs might effectively reduce your CO2 contributions to 0! All prices in the U.S. dollar.

Eco-Business Links Carbon Offset Survey

  • Carbon Offset Provider Price (U.S. Dollar/Metric Ton CO2) Non-profit Projects Types Project Choice Offset Types Product Certification
  • Verification
  • AtmosClear Climate Club
  • U.S.A. $3.96 a – $25: No Methane No Car, Home Environmental Resources Trust

Carbon Fund

  • Website
  • USA $4.30b – 5.50
  • Yes Renewables, Efficiency, and Reforestation
  • Yes Home, Car, Air, Events, Business Environmental Resources Trust, Climate Community, Biodiversity Standards, Chicago Climate Exchange, and UNFCCC JI

e-BlueHorizons

  • USA $5
  • No Renewables, Reforestation
  • No Home, Car, Air Chicago Climate Exchange, and Environmental Resources Trust

DriveNeutral

  • USA $6.93 and up
    • Yes Efficiency
    • No Car Chicago Climate Exchange
  • DrivingGreen
  • Ireland $8
    • No Renewables
    • No Car, Air, Events SES
  • Terrapass
  • USA $8.26c – 11 No Renewables, Efficiency No Car, Air, Events, Business Chicago Climate Exchange, Center for Resource Solutions

The CarbonNeutral Company

  • U.K. $14-$18
  • No Renewables, Efficiency, and Reforestation
  • Methane Yes Business, Home, Car, Air Kp.m.G, Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management, and Independent Advisory Committee
  • Standard Carbon
  • USA $15 No Methane, Efficiency, Renewables, Carbon Sequestration No Car, Air, Sea, Events, Political Campaigns Chicago Climate Exchange

Cleaner Climate

  • U.K. and Australia $15-$18
    • No Renewables and Efficiency
    • No Air, Car, Home, and Business CDM Gold Standard
    • Sustainable Travel International
  • U.S. Switzerland $15.25
    • Yes Renewables No Air, Car, Home, and Hotel See Myclimate

Climate Friendly

  • Australia $16-19
  • No Renewables No Home, Car, Air, Business Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator, NSW Government, and Ernst and Young.

Uncook the Planet

  • Australia $19.45
  • No Efficiency No Air, Car, Home, and Business Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme Project

Myclimate

  • Switzerland $33-99
    • Yes Renewables
    • Yes Air, Events, and Business Designated Operational Entity
  • Carbon Passport
    • UK £17.50 (~$36.13)
    • No Renewables, Methane
    • No Home, Air, Car, and Business CDM

Clear

  • UK £17.95 (~$37.06)
  • No Various, depending on CDM offset projects
  • No Car, Air, Motorbike Home, Commute, and Business CDM

Global Cool

  • UK £20 (~$41.29)
    • Yes Renewables and Efficiency
    • No n/a CDM
  • Services for which we couldn’t find independent product certification or verification information
  • Carbon Offset Provider Price (US$/Metric ton CO2) Non-profit Projects Types Project Choice Offset Types Product Certification/Verification

Solar Electric Light Fund

  • USA $10
    • Yes Renewables
    • No External Calculators n/a
  • Native Energy
  • USA $13.20
    • No Renewables
    • Yes Home, Car, Air, Events, and Business n/a

Carbon Clear

  • UK $14.48
  • No Renewables,
  • Efficiency, Reforestation No Home, Car, Air, Babies n/a
  • Bonneville Environmental Foundation
  • USA $29 Yes Renewables No Home, Air, Business, Event n/a
    • Atmos Clear – Low price for 25 Ton option at $99
    • Carbonfund.org – Low price for ZeroCarbon tags option: 18 Ton + 5 Ton match, pay $99 for $23 Ton
    • Terrapass – Low price when purchasing 18,14 metric tons (40,000 lbs) of carbon offsets for $149.95
  • Offset Types: There are hundreds of potential offset types. We have limited our survey to just the most common.
  • Verification: “n/a” means we were unable to determine a third-party verification body. The projects may, however, be verified.
  • Choice: refers to whether customers may choose between project types and/or specific projects.
  • Price: prices change and exchange rates fluctuate. The data listed was first gathered from the respective websites July 21, 2006
  • Other offset providers may exist. This survey provides a cross section of the industry, projects may be added or removed over time.
  • Some information may be incomplete or has changed. We welcome updates.