carbon offset

Earlier this week, scooter company Vespa Canada, launched the first ever carbon neutral motor vehicle, helping drivers cut their carbon footprint. Vespa Canada has pledged to offset the estimated carbon emissions of each unit they sell in 2008.

I just came across a green car insurance company in the UK. The Green Insurance Company promises that they will offset your cars carbon emissions by planting trees.

According to the National Transportation Operations Coalition, optimizing the nation’s 300,000 traffic lights would cut CO2 emissions from vehicles by 20%. This has the potential to have a huge positive impact on our collective carbon footprint, not to mention that road congestion and traffic accidents would be greatly reduced.

How can you find out if carbon offsets are really reducing greenhouse gas emissions? The Federal Trade Commission and other groups are working on solutions.

The effectiveness of the US House of Representatives Carbon offset purchase is pulled into question. Part of the "Green the Capitol" initiative, this offset may or may not help cancel out greenhouse-gas emissions from House buildings.

Bank of America has teamed up with Brighter Planet to offer a credit card that earns points to purchase carbon offsets.

In conjunction with The Climate Trust, NW Natural from Oregon is now offering its clients carbon offsets by investing in methane capture systems.