First Parish in Concord

Green Sanctuary Group

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Take Care When Buying Carbon Offsets 

The Sierra Club reminds us that buying carbon offsets has become something of a fad because they seem to be an easy way to change our carbon footprint. All companies providing this service are not equal!  Some forestry products have actually added carbon dioxide to the air and damaged local habitats. 

It takes about 20 years for newly forested clear-cuts to start sequestering more carbon than they release.  It is important to choose projects that do not cut down the trees as soon as they mature, thus destroying any carbon offset they may provide.  Avoid monoculture plantations, as planting large swathes of identical species can increase pollution because they necessitate use of pesticides and fertilizers. 

A better option may be to contribute towards saving forests that may otherwise be cut down.  For instance, the World Land Trust (www.carbonbalanced.org) is working to conserve forests in Latin American.  Look for forestry projects that help sustain local economies, biodiversity and watershed.  Two organization that work in Africa are Plan vivo (www.planvivo.org) and The Greenworld Campaign (www.greenworldcampaign.org).