Humans use energy, like electricity and petrol, and this use pumps green house gases (like carbon dioxide) into the air. The amount of carbon dioxide you personally produce can be calculated. If you reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that you put into the air, and pay to offset the carbon dioxide that you do produce, so that your total pluses and minuses cancel each other out, then you are carbon neutral. And you are a cool, planet saving individual.
Is there such a thing as the Green House Effect?
Isn’t it just some sort of hoax?
There is no dispute about the fact of a Green House Effect on our planet. Gases in the upper atmosphere allow infrared radiation from space (mostly from the sun) to enter our atmosphere but trap some of that radiation when it tries to get out. This keeps the earth warm and allows life to exist. There is no dispute about this anywhere. The ‘dispute’ is about an anthropogenic greenhouse effect.
The anthropogenic greenhouse effect is just the scientific way of saying that humans are the cause of global warming, because they have been pumping out billions of tonnes of greenhouse gases since the industrial revolution in the 18th century. The small amount of people who dispute the connection between human activity and rises in global temperatures never dispute that we have increased the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. It has risen from 280 ppm (parts per million) to 383 ppm. What some scientists (and lots of industry groups) dispute is the certainty of the connection between rise in greenhouse gases and global warming.
Why are people unsure about Anthropogenic Global Warming?
Essentially, the argument goes that we cannot be 100% certain that there is a connection between human activity and rises in temperature. The earth’s temperature periodically goes up and down over thousands of years, as we go from ice age to ice age and the atmospheric conditions fluctuate due to solar activity and the earth’s distance from the sun. Problem is, over the last 100 years, scientists have observed a dramatic increase in carbon emissions in our atmosphere, as well as a dramatic increase in the rate at which global temperature is rising. Scientists currently predict that the temperature will continue to increase at this alarming rate, and that as a result, sea levels will rise and weather patterns will be altered.
Because the stakes are so high. Firstly, the ‘short term’ effects of global warming will certainly lead to a rise in sea levels, meaning many low-lying countries will be at risk of flooding, and in the case of some Pacific Islands, they will be literally wiped off the map. The other ‘short term’ effect will be changes in weather, predicted to be a shift to more dramatic extremes, like colder cold snaps, hotter and longer droughts and worse storms. These ‘short term’ effects are predicted to occur over the next 50-100 years.
So it gets a bit warmer and we have a few
weather extremes, so what?
A small shift in temperature may have a major effect on global agriculture. The areas where we currently grow our food may become drought stricken, with serious effect not just on the worldwide economy, but our ability to feed ourselves. The shocking devastation in countries like Darfur, whilst exacerbated by war, have mainly been caused by unprecedented droughts. But this is not the worst case scenario of global warming. The worst case scenario is a runaway green house effect.
Imagine you have parked your car on a hill, but you forget to leave the handbrake on. It starts to roll. In the first few metres, you can stop it. However, the longer you leave it, the more difficult it gets to stop. Finally it is impossible to stop and you can do nothing but watch it crash. A runaway green house effect works in exactly the same way. Green house gases increase the earth’s temperature, which causes more green house gases (most notably, water vapour) to go into the atmosphere.
Previously locked in ice shelfs, glaciers and tundra, this water now becomes cloud, trapping more heat, causing more water vapour to enter the atmosphere and trap even more heat. Frozen ground like tundra rises in temperature, and releases water vapour and methane, which is even better suited to trapping heat. Thus the temperature rises ever higher, ever faster. Once the atmosphere reaches a critical point, there will be no going back. Nothing we can do will stop it.
What is the Worst Case Scenario of a
Runaway Greenhouse Effect?
The temperature of our planet will rise to the point where nothing can live, and nothing will ever live again. Ever. The end result will be similar to conditions on the planet Venus, the victim of its own runaway green house effect. Currently, the atmospheric pressure on the surface of Venus is 90 times our own. The temperature is over 460 degrees centigrade. The planet now has an atmosphere mainly made up of carbon dioxide, and is covered in clouds of sulphuric acid.
Human probes sent to Venus have all been melted or crushed within minutes of landing on the surface. The planet is so inhospitable that the carbon dioxide that was once in its rocks has been boiled off into the atmosphere, and the hydrogen molecules that were once part of the planet’s water has been ‘disassociated’ into space. Venus is so hot, water not only boils away, but literally comes apart. This is a possible future for our planet.
On the one hand some industry groups and a handful of scientists say that human activity may not be the certain cause of global warming. However, the vast majority of climatological scientists are. Even if the effects cannot be 100% accurately predicted, due to the complexity of the earth’s atmosphere, most scientists agree that we are having an effect.
So the choice is, such as it is, do nothing, hope that most scientists are wrong - end result, a chance that human activity will end all life on the planet.
Or, do as much as possible to remove all human emissions from the atmosphere, end result – cleaner air, reforestation, more wind and solar energy, less reliance on oil and certain short term (possibly very large) expenditure increase on energy and new forms of technology.
For any sane person, there is no choice. Spend money wisely, reduce pollution, make certain we don’t wipe out all life on the planet. Tick. People who argue that spending on reducing green house gases will hurt our economy can always be told that no life on earth will also hurt our economy.
We aren’t just one company standing alone. We are constantly forging more and more ties with concerned business and community groups across Australia to help reduce our impact on the environment and to increase knowledge about how to do so. If you want to know how much carbon your new house produces, we can help. Want to set up your own car pool system with members, fill in the application within your profile and activate your request? No problems. Click on our partners and see what being a member of the COzero community is all about.
The Vatican recently announced it will be the first sovereign state to be 100% carbon neutral. A carbon offset forest will be established in a national park in Hungary that will completely offset all the Vatican’s carbon emissions. So next time you get asked about becoming carbon neutral, tell them “if it’s good enough for the Pope, it’s good enough for me!”
The World Bank is very clear in its support not only for carbon offset trading, but also implementing renewable and clean energy infrastructure in developing countries. In 2001, the bank’s directors endorsed a new strategy – to balance economic development with environmental protection. It even produces great graphs on carbon dioxide emissions, broken down by country. Check it out here: http://go.worldbank.org/3FMYQS55S0.
Industries in certain countries already have to pay for the carbon that they emit into the atmosphere. They pay a certain amount, and get a Carbon Credit. Places like the Chicago Climate Exchange trade in these credits, which can be bought by anyone. Once this carbon credit is bought in a carbon exchange, the money paid for it can only be used to reduce or ‘offset’ carbon in the atmosphere. Projects like green power plants (including new hydro, solar and wind energy plants) can be financed by carbon offsets.
If you pay for your own carbon offset, you are effectively removing your effect on the planet. You can also remove your carbon emissions from the atmosphere by switching from using energy that produces greenhouse gases like coal plants, to new ones that are certified as GreenPower.
GreenPower is a joint initiative of the ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, VIC and WA Governments. GreenPower sets a stringent accreditation program for suppliers of renewable energy in Australia. GreenPower projects include wind, newly established hydro-electric plants, biomass, solar, geothermal and tidal energy plants. To become accredited, these projects must be independently audited.
COZero is an accredited GreenPower provider. All electricity supplied by COZero comes from GreenPower energy credits, meaning if you switch to COZero GreenPower, your energy will be 100% renewable.
No. Sweden first issued a tax on carbon on January the 1st, 1991, more than fifteen years ago. The Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) was formed in 2000, and began trading in 2003. It’s 13 charter members included the Ford Motor Company and Du Pont.
Easy. Select your country from the homepage, choose how you would like to calculate your footprint, calculate and choose an offset (you don't need to pay now, pay anytime later), tell us who you are, confirm, and your a member. By doing this you are submitting your footprint into the overall footprint for cozero.
Our collective footprint then becomes our target. We will get you to reduce your emissions as much as possible, either through building your 'How I Take Action' list, using our carpooling matching system, joining a local environmental group, or offseting your emissions with affordable & accredited carbon credts.
Does every single cent I spend at COzero on
carbon offsets go to carbon retirement?
No. As an officially registered Carbon Retirer at the Chicago Climate Exchange, COZero is permitted to purchase carbon offsets, but as it is a free trading market, the laws of supply and demand apply. This means fluctuations in price, so we charge a 10%-30% premium to cover the risks involved.
For monthly or quarterly billing we charge $1 per transaction for administration fees. For upfront payments the fees is not charged.
We are audited quarterly and our members will have access to those audits to see where there money has gone.
Look, it all sounds pretty convincing, but I’m still not sure about all this. Where can I get more info on the economics of Climate Change?
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a great place to start any serious in depth enquiry about carbon emissions - http://www.ipcc.ch/. One of the most important recent documents on the global warming, including scientific evidence and economic effects is the Stern Report, commissioned by the UK’s Treasury.
Er, derr. Start reducing carbon emissions now, start changing the amount of energy you use now, and hopefully, in years to come, we will see the effects. If we don’t do something now, by the time things get really out of hand, it might be too late.
What’s the plus sign with the minus sign in it all about?
That’s our symbol for ‘neutral’. Carbon neutral. The plus cancels out the minus. Simple, and straight to the point. Just like us. Check out 'About our logo' page.
