The Benefits of Carbon Offset Credits

Climate change affects everyone, but what if there was a way to make a decisive step to reduce your own carbon production? It may seem complicated, but a few simple steps could make an enormous difference. One of the easiest ways to offset your carbon production is to invest in carbon credits.

How Do Carbon Credits Work?

According to a recent Forbes Magazine article, “Many people have heard the term ‘cap-and-trade,’ but have no idea how the carbon credit markets function. They should learn — these markets represent the best chance for humanity’s ability to thrive over the next century and to adapt to the sobering realities of climate change.”[1]

World temperatures are rising through human activity, but strategies have come about to limit the ecological impact that human beings have. One of those is reducing the amount of greenhouses gases we produce. Greenhouse gases trap heat, and lead to a shift in the climate and produce warmer temperatures worldwide.

A vast tide of international support has been growing over the last twenty-five years to limit carbon emissions, and this has filtered down to companies and individuals. By taking a few immediate decisions, you can help to safeguard our planet, and the power is in your hands to have an effect on the world. You’re more powerful than you thought!

A carbon credit amounts to one ton of carbon dioxide produced by companies and individuals. The average American produces 16 tons of carbon dioxide each year [2]. Carbon credits are a step to track and limit the amount of pollution that’s produced, from the largest companies down to every individual.

The History of Reducing Carbon Emissions

If you don’t know the term “cap-and-trade”, don’t worry. We’re going to go to talk about the need to tackle your carbon footprint, the amount of carbon dioxide that the average person produces through their actions.

The 1997 Kyoto Protocol was the first international agreement that sought to create practical steps to reduce Green House Gas (GHG). It was a watershed moment when the world came together to address the need to reduce carbon emissions. Each country around the world began setting its own parameters for future emissions rates based on the accord [3].

The Kyoto Protocol developed into the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), an international carbon market that came into effect in 2006. Under the CDM, developing nations could sell their carbon credits to wealthy developed nations [4]. Countries can trade credits, which account for one ton of CO2 released into the atmosphere [5]. These wealthy nations were able to then count these carbon reductions against their own targets.

These were the first real steps taken towards reducing carbon emissions, and since then the systems in place have become more efficient. The 2015 Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty with the goal of reducing carbon emissions and limiting climate change [6]. The goal of the Paris Agreement is to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius worldwide.

Since then, the world has embraced the ‘cap-and-trade’ market. Cap refers to the limit (or cap) on carbon emissions, and trade refers to the systems in place to swap carbon emissions. Let’s say one company has a cap of 100 units, and they produce 120 units, then instead of facing a fine, they’ll try to purchase carbon credits to offset their carbon production.

Every time a company finds innovative solutions to limit greenhouse gases, they’re making a statement that they’re trying to do more than the minimum. In the same way, when an individual or organization takes it one step further by not only limiting their carbon emissions but choosing to purchase carbon credits and take them off the market, then they’re ensuring that those credits cannot be sold or traded to allow other companies to emit more pollution.

Those individuals and companies are taking a step towards stemming the tide of global warming, effectively ensuring that reductions are permanent.

Are Carbon Credits Effective?

Global marketplaces to limit greenhouses gases like CO2 have increased ambition to protect the environment. An economic analysis by the Environment Defense Fund found that worldwide carbon pricing could double climate ambition in the United States at the same overall cost [7]. In addition, if these savings are reinvested into other efforts to reduce carbon emissions, then the Paris Agreement regulations could be easily reached.

And this is where you can play a huge role in shaping the future.

Why Buy Carbon Credits?

Every person has a part to play in this goal–from the heads of major companies to the regular men and women striving to make a difference in the world. By purchasing carbon credits from Be Neutral Now, you are taking a positive step to reduce climate change by funding projects to reduce carbon emissions in the United States.

Three Reasons to Buy Carbon Credits

To Achieve ‘Net Carbon Zero’–Every person creates carbon emissions just by heating their house or driving their car. If you want to take control of your carbon footprint, then purchase carbon credits to offset the amount of carbon emissions you produce.

By becoming a Climate Warrior with Be Neutral Now, you’ll offset 19,698 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. This offsets the energy use for the average household for one year and the emissions from one flight a year, while also planting 12 trees a year.
To Achieve “Carbon Positive” and Promote Climate Ambition–Maybe you’re the type of person who likes to go above and beyond. If so, after limiting the carbon emissions from your company, take that extra step and reduce by more than what you produce.

If you’re even keener, then become a Climate Legend. This plan allows an individual to offset 44,180 pounds of carbon dioxide, almost three times the amount that the average American produces. If you’re a business owner, Be Neutral Now can work with you to develop a carbon offset plan to become net zero.
To Help Your Neighbors and Environment–Be Neutral Now is dedicated to supporting projects that focus on reducing carbon emissions. When you become a member, you’ll receive monthly emails that showcase the environmental impact that you’re making. Each email highlights different initiatives that Be Neutral Now is undertaking to limit carbon emissions.

Take a definitive step towards reducing your carbon footprint by becoming a member at Be Neutral Now. And by doing so, you’ll become part of a movement sweeping the United States and the world which aims at creating a better planet than the one we inherited from our parents.