By Bob Difley
Fortunately there are other ways to help save the planet, to stall the relentless march of global warming, to stop the world’s ice caps and glaciers from turning into torrents of fresh water, and to keep our favorite ocean-side campsites above the high tide line.
When RVing we already conserve in many ways compared to living in our houses. We use less water, less air-conditioning and heating, and generate less landfill-destined trash. And even though we drive slower, stay longer, and travel closer to home, our RVs still use fuel and therefore emit CO2, one of the greenhouse gasses that contribute to global warming. But now there are companies that offer options to what emissions we cannot eliminate.
The Web site, www.carbonfund.org, sums it up in its slogan, Reduce What You Can, Offset What You Can’t. The practice of “offsets”, also known as “carbon offsets,” is a process that allows us to become part of the climate change solution by offsetting our personal carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
The greenhouse gasses, primarily CO2 but also methane and chlorofluorocarbons, we send into the atmosphere result from the burning of fossil fuels—the gasoline and diesel fuels used in our RVs and tow vehicles, transportation of manufactured goods and food to sales outlets, and everyday-use electricity to operate our heating and air conditioning, lights, TVs, ice-makers, blenders, hair-dryers, and electric screwdrivers.
These atmospheric greenhouse gasses are now 40% higher than they were during the Industrial Revolution, in fact they are the highest in recorded history, causing the average global temperature for the decade of the 1990s to be the warmest in 1,000 years.
But for now, lets consider just those CO2 molecules generated by our RVs and tow vehicles, without which we would not have an RV Lifestyle. Carbon Offsets can be more cost effective and practical than many other measures we as individuals can take to compensate for those gasses we emit.
Several organizations provide Carbon Offset Calculators on their Web sites where you can convert your personal CO2 emissions from the miles you drive annually based on the average MPG of your vehicles into a dollar figure that you then contribute to the many projects that offset those emissions, such as building wind farms solar power plants, research into alternative energy sources, and planting of trees. However, since planting trees is a long term solution (and questionable about the amount of CO2 a tree can actually absorb), and a warming climate is more imminent, choosing a Carbon Offset provider that is building wind farms or solar panel arrays might be more effective.
But take some time to check out your offset provider. A little research is required to find out what projects the offsets go to? Are their projects certified? Does any independent authority audit them to ensure your money is going to the projects mentioned in the marketing? Compare prices. Do they use any recognized guidelines to prepare their calculations? Are your funds supporting new projects, not ‘business as usual’?
Do some calculations. For instance, an estimate of 10,000 annual motorhome miles at an average MPG of 8.5, and an equal amount driven in a toad (MPG of 28), calculates out to 13.6 tons of emitted CO2. The cost to offset a year’s driving works out to a paltry $6.25 a month!
To figure your Carbon Offsets, and also calculate the offset you need for special events or trips, such as a plane trip to visit grandkids, go to www.carbonfund.org, select the Individuals tab and click Carbon Calculators and enter your figures.
Additional carbon calculators and methods to reduce your carbon footprint can be found at: www.liveneutral.org, www.e-bluehorizons.com, and www.atmosclear.org. You can also subscribe to the free bi-monthly The Green Guide from National Geographic at www.thegreenguide.com.