I like the freedom of self-employment. You make your own decisions and answer only to your own instincts (and those of your two-dozen bosses).
Simply put, it means if I want to work for a “green” company, I can.
Now I do.
It’s Easy Being Green
My wife and I try to keep our energy footprint to a minimum, but decided to offset the carbon dioxide we produce by heating and lighting the house.
Carbon offsets are easy, affordable, and I even accounted for my Web server and home office. Suddenly, my blogs are green too.
The first “green” blogger? Unlikely, but I might be the first “green copywriter blogger” – a distinction that’s almost certainly worth a Wikipedia entry or an appearance on Lettermen (take that, Carson).
But enough crowing. I’ll cut right to the clear, simple explanation.
The Clear Explanation
Essentially, a carbon offset translates your global warming guilt (represented by your dollars) into carbon-dioxide free energy in an amount equal to your carbon footprint.
Several Web-based companies offer carbon offsets, though I chose Terra Pass for its excellent reputation. Patagonia clothing – no slouch in the green department – uses Terra Pass, which was research enough.
From the Terra Pass Web site:
When you buy a TerraPass, your money funds renewable energy projects such as wind farms. These projects result in verified reductions in greenhouse gas pollution. And these reductions counterbalance your own emissions.
You can use their online calculator to figure your carbon offset and even buy an offset online.
And remember, you heard it here first – at The Green Copywriter Blog.
[tags]carbon offset, terrapass, blog, copywriter underground[/tags]
Tom – I noticed you filed this under “entertainment.”
Are you serious?
I only ask because I have never heard of such a thing.
Mike
I filed it under “Entertainment” because I don’t really have a category for “environmentally related self aggrandizement.”
Carbon offsets are for real. Honestly, a carbon offset for a server isn’t much; I bought one for the whole house, allowing extra for the home office and Web server.
I live in a remote, mountainous part of Northern California for a reason, and I do what I can to keep trout in the rivers and snow on the mountains.
It ain’t easy being green, but I am green with envy that you probably will play this out into a Letterman appearance. At the very least you might end up on Good Morning NoCal or something.
It’s a cool idea and it’s one that deserve some consideration. I have a weird, potentially flawed, twisted and rationalized perspective about many components of the “green life,” even though the rest of my politics lean left+. But I’m not gonna kneejerk on this one and plan on doing some TerraPass research soon.
CDB
Letterman? I’m aiming for American Idol. Or The View. Is Hee-Haw still on the air?
As for carbon Offsets, I have few illusions about their ability to save the planet.
I view them as a way to inject a little choice into a marketplace dominated by big companies and entrenched regulatory bodies – neither of whom seem interested in offering any real choices.
Interesting ideas …how much do you pay?
You and your readers may also be interested in a way to fight global warming from your desktop. Have a look at http://www.localcooling.com and download their Local Cooling application :
“Download the 100% Free LocalCooling Application and it automatically optimizes your PC’s power consumption by using a more effective power save mode. You will be able to see your savings in real-time translated to more environmental terms such as how many trees and gallons of oil you have saved.”
Keeps you aware of what we are all doing to our planet if nothing else.
Regards
ray