What Is Carbon Offsetting

Why you should carbon offset …
We’re all more conscious about the ‘environment’ these days, and there are plenty of individuals, organisations and governments globally trying to tackle the issue.
 
Despite these all being positive contributions, it’s still not enough. Last year the UK government announced plans to achieve ‘Net Zero’ status by the year 2050 , a target which aims to stop the UK from contributing to the increase of CO2 in the atmosphere. However, public awareness on how this will be achieved is still lacking. In fact, a recent report from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau found that just 38 per cent of us are aware we’ll need to change the way our home is heated if we’re to achieve this goal.  

The reality is, until we become entirely carbon neutral, then creating a some-what carbon footprint is inevitable. From heating our homes and offices, to driving our cars or even making a cup of tea, it’s inevitable that we can’t always live up to the green standards we’d like to. 

Luckily, Carbon offsetting is one way we can begin to combat emission levels. Here, LPG price specialists, Flogas, look through the benefits and how it can help us lead a greener life. 

Just What is Carbon Offsetting? 

As for the day-to-day emissions that we create, carbon offsetting provides the answer to tackling this. A process in which people compensate their emissions by funding projects that provide sustainable development in communities around the world. These projects offer an equivalent reduction in emissions to those you create; either counteracting or absorbing carbon dioxide and bringing balance to the environment.

Carbon Offsetting is a strategy that’s now been adopted by several big brands including the likes of EasyJet , Gucci and Shell as they all place a greater emphasis on the importance of reducing their C02 emissions.

The Positive Impact 
When the production of emissions can’t be avoided, carbon offsetting allows people to make a positive contribution to the earth’s atmosphere instead.

The funding these causes receive can also make a positive impact on the social, economic and health situation of communities around the world. With people at the heart of Carbon Offsetting, as well as ecosystems, it allows us to begin future proofing for a cleaner, greener world.  

Why You Should … 
We all share the responsibility, especially as homeowners, to help lower the environmental harm we inflict upon the earth. Whether this is by switching the lights off when we leave the room, removing all plugs from sockets when not in use, or seeing if LPG will not only save you money, but also reduce the level of emissions we are responsible for, there are other approaches we can take to help reach emission targets.  With this being said, we now have the chance to do this by balancing our carbon footprint. For the environmentally conscious and those looking to reduce their impact on the climate, Carbon Offsetting gives them the tools to make a difference. Whilst it shouldn’t be used as a stand-alone approach and is best used as part of a wider carbon reduction strategy, it will help people reduce their impact on the environment. 

Every Little Helps

From helping improve the lives of individuals living in poverty struck areas in West Africa by giving them access to eco-friendly cooking equipment, to supplying the local grid in China’s most rural areas with hydro-electric power, the benefits carbon offsetting entails are endless. One example is the Kariba REDD+ Forest Protection project in Zimbabwe, Africa. Since its launch in 2011, it’s avoided more than 18 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere and has prevented deforestation in an area of nearly 750,000 hectares. 

Although Carbon Offsetting isn’t the be-and-end all solution, it's still a huge contribution in the grand scheme of things when it comes to tackling climate change. It’s true that many of us are already doing our bit in all areas of life to reduce our carbon footprint but choosing great initiatives such as Carbon Offsetting is yet another step in the right direction. By supporting worthy sustainability projects that deliver quantifiable greenhouse gas reductions, we can all play our part in securing the future of the planet.

Sources:
1. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-becomes-first-major-economy-to-pass-net-zero-emissions-law
2. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/CitizensAdvice/Energy/Energy%20Consultation%20responses/Zero%20sum%20(2).pdf
3. http://corporate.easyjet.com/corporate-responsibility/environment/climate-change-carbon-emissions-and-carbon-offsetting
4. https://www.gucci.com/uk/en_gb/st/stories/gucci-equilibrium/article/carbon-neutral
5. https://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/3082469/shell-to-offer-drivers-carbon-offsets-at-no-extra-cost