Carbon Offsetting - would you do it?

[An Fear Rua]

The british queen has just been to the states, and has decided to do carbon offsetting for the trip.

Following lizzies return, her carbon footprint will be calculated and offset for the first time for a state visit.
Buckingham Palace will make a donation to an environmental charity to offset the plane journeys made.


Total air miles - 13,317 km or 8,275 miles
Amount of CO2 emitted based on scheduled flights - 1. 5  tonnes
Estimated offset cost per person -  £13.20 to £14.18 ($26.22-$28.17) depending on type of offset package

Source: The Carbon Neutral Company carbon calculator

If they started to make this available compulsory or voluntary would you do it? Plant a tree a trip type thing?

[passedit]

fcuk no.

I fly at least twice maybe four times a week, those planes will fly whether i'm on them or not.

[screenmachine]

plant a tree a trip wouldnt be a bad idea but you'd need a serious amount of space available if it was goin to be implemented properly, plus it might be a bit unpractical for someone who flies quite often.

[muppet]

 I heard a good analogy describing carbon offsetting, not sure who said it though.

" If you wanted to give up smoking would you pay some one in Africa to do it for you and claim it as some sort of achievement? "

BTW a Mini releases more carbon per passenger than a modern aircraft.

[An Fear Rua]

fcuk no.

I fly at least twice maybe four times a week, those planes will fly whether i'm on them or not.

im assuming its for work, so you wont be paying anyways? Gordon Browns Green tax may have been seen in a better light if he had branded it as plant per trip, instead of just hoarding the cash.

It begs the question what are the environmental charities going to do with a load of money if people just donate to them?

The practicality of it would be interesting, but personally Id be happy enough with a scheme like this ( I fly about twice a month on average), a step in the right direction, but only worthwhile if the big players signed up to it.

[passedit]

im assuming its for work, so you wont be paying anyways?

First assumption correct, second incorrect. I pay more to the govt in taxes per flight than I do to the airline. If Gordon wants to plant a tree with my money rather than cover Iraq with depleted uranium he can tear away.

[Hardy]

im assuming its for work, so you wont be paying anyways?

First assumption correct, second incorrect. I pay more to the govt in taxes per flight than I do to the airline. If Gordon wants to plant a tree with my money rather than cover Iraq with depleted uranium he can tear away.

[Billys Boots]

Carbon offsetting is a 'public-participation' version of the international agreement for carbon emissions reduction, i.e. if you are participating in something that emits carbon through combustion, you can 'make amends' by investing in some sort of process that reduces/offsets those emissions.  These sorts of 'charities' qualify for money through the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Accord (Intergovernmentary Panel on Climate Change - IPCC).

I personally see it as the equivalent of the idle wealthy rich paying out to charities, rather than paying their taxes - like many charities, it has endless potential to become a scam, with no environmental benefit whatsoever.  That said, I do get the impression that it will eventually be replaced (when fuel-alternatives become commonplace, cost-effective and reliable) by some sort of Environmental Levy/Tax, which will also be placed on car fuels, heating-fuels, electricity etc.