Even Arnold Schwarzenegger Buys Carbon Credits!

When deciding to buy carbon credits, businesses are encouraged to cut greenhouse emissions. The theory is that the process of carbon credit trading will encourage businesses to invest in forest sinks or other activities that reduce carbon emissions.

Global Warming Effects
Some of the grave effects of global warming explained in simple terms.

The goal is of course to deliver positive environmental outcomes and minimize the risk of global warming through climate change.

Buying carbon credits is a central component of the carbon offsetting process. This is an approach to compensating for emissions produced through everyday activities. There are 2 parts to carbon offsetting: the calculation of your "carbon footprint" and buying carbon credits from certain recognized carbon emission reduction projects.

There are many online calculators which will assist individuals in calculating their carbon footprint. Businesses will probably need to employ environmental specialists to determiner their corporate carbon footprint.

Armed with knowledge of the effect of your activities in terms of carbon emissions, you can now develop a strategy to minimize your carbon footprint through carbon credit trading. By buying carbon credits, you are essentially investing in emission reduction projects. Such projects either have (or will) prevent the emission of an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide as identified in your carbon footprint.

Certified Carbon Credits are derived from international climate exchanges. They are professionally audited and are made by companies that would otherwise be traded to other organizations in their attempt to meet their emissions targets. On the other hand, Voluntary Carbon Credits are not formally audited and traceable to specific carbon emission reductions. However, they are independently monitored. They include projects such as international tree planting programs. Through the process of carbon sequestration, plants reduce carbon dioxide. To put it simply, trees breathe CO2 and exhale oxygen!

One reputable supplier of certified carbon credits is the Chicago Climate Exchange. They are one of the largest voluntary carbon emission reduction exchanges, following strict independent auditing to ensure the carbon offsets meet minimum standards.

To buy carbon credits, it is important to ensure the credits are independently verified. The Chicago Climate Exchange does this by quantifying emission reduction using CCX protocols as developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development initiative. Emissions are reported annually, and are subject to external audit and verification by NASD.

Finally, its worth taking a leaf out of the book of Californian Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Earlier this year, it was reported that he plans to buy carbon credits to offset the greenhouse gas emissions from his extensive air travel. He uses the Pacific Forest Trust to offset emissions. Essentially, this trust sells the ability of trees to absorb carbon dioxide released when people, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, burn fossil fuels.