Globe on Canadian offset services

The Globe has recently activated one of those "you must register" services, so I have activated my "no linking to sites where you must register" policy.

The article is called "Paying to pollute? It's not that simple", Richard Blackwell, March 20, 2007.  The Globe appears to allow direct referrals from Google News.

When Thomas Homer-Dixon decided to "offset" the carbon emissions generated by the promotional tour for his new book, The Upside of Down, the University of Toronto professor carefully chose where to channel his money.

He selected Toronto green energy retailer Bullfrog Power Inc. to inject electricity from renewable sources into the energy grid to balance the power used in the tour. And he got offset firm Zerofootprint Inc. of Toronto to counteract greenhouse gas emissions from air and ground travel by putting money into the Kettles Hill wind farm in Alberta.

But like others who try to assuage their green guilt by sending money to carbon offset organizations, it was impossible for Prof. Homer-Dixon to ensure that the money was actually going to reduce the world's overall CO₂ emissions.

Sites they list:

* Cleanairpass.com

What it offsets: car travel

Partnered with Tree Canada.ca

http://www.treecanada.ca/cleanairpass/

cleanairpass expense ratio: About 30 per cent goes to expenses and profit.

* Carbonzero.ca

CarbonZero expense ratio: About 25 per cent goes to expenses and profit.

* Zerofootprint.net Offsets

blog: http://www.zerofootprint.net/blog

"BNL to combat CO2 emissions with Zerofootprint Offsets during their Canadian Tour"

Credit sources: Creststeet Kettles Hill wind project in Alberta [same as GreenMyFlight], tree-planting in BC

Zerofootprint expense ratio: undisclosed.

* Offsetters.ca

What it offsets: airplane travel

Offsetters expense ratio: About 20 per cent goes to administration.

* Cooldrivepass.com

What it offsets: car travel

Credit source: same as for Offsetters.  (It is run by the same group based at the University of British Columbia.)

Expense ratio: About 30 per cent goes to administration and profit.

* GreenMyFlight.com

What it offsets: airplane travel

Credit source: Creststreet Kettles Hill wind project in Alberta [same as Zerofootprint]

Expense ratio: 10 per cent goes to administration.

Certification: "Only Baseline's 'Green Flight' program... has met all the [EcoLogo] requirements."

I must say I have to wonder how many credits Creststreet can usefully absorb.  They should call it Creditstreet.

Supplemental for United Statesians: Boston Globe - Carbon confusion - March 13, 2007

Although specialists say some of the money is well spent, it can be difficult for consumers to figure out if they are buying any new environmental benefit.