Are Carbon Credits Hype?
In recent months you may have heard a lot of rave about carbon offset programs or carbon credits and the benefits they bring to the Green Revolution. Individuals and eco-friendly businesses everywhere are partaking in these seemingly progressive programs, but how much do we really know about such plans? To start with just what exactly is a carbon credit? Carbon credit programs are programs where practices, such as planting trees, are used to help offset carbon dioxide emissions. While at first glance this may seem to be a well thought strategy to greatly offset our effect on our environment, a deeper look shows many alarming consequences can come from these types of schemes. Now you may be thinking how could this be true- we create carbon dioxide emissions, trees help to consume these emissions, if we plant more trees we in turn are reducing the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Unfortunately for all of us it is not that simple. For example, let’s say a program plants infamously fast growing pine tree in grasslands (a commonly used carbon offset program), while the trees themselves will help to minimize the carbon dioxide we must also take into account that when planting the trees we are digging up the land and releasing carbon already stored in the soil back into the air. In such circumstances, while are intentions our good our actual effectiveness is nil. Another factor to consider is besides just being ineffective, such a program can actually have adverse affects on the environment and neighboring communities. For instance pine trees require much more water than native vegetation, this then greatly reduces the water supply in the ground, a supply nearby cities and towns rely on. While I am in full support of proactive programs to help offset our carbon footprint a truly responsible individual should probably a little more research into the program. At this point in time there is not much scientific backing to show the effectiveness of the different types of carbon credit programs. It is commonly accepted that solar panels programs and carbon air capture programs are likely to carry the most effectiveness. I personally feel that carbon offset programs in general do provide some positive results, at the very least they are helping to keep individuals and company’s aware of their carbon footprint and ways to reduce it.