Monday, October 06, 2008

Turning environmental guilt into gold

Are you a climate sinner? Don't worry, be happy, just write a check and buy down your guilt with carbon offsets.

Buying down climate guilt may be the only market in the world that's thriving right now. Demand for carbon offsets is rising and prices are up, even in this time of economic fear. Somebody's turning a profit from carbon guilt.

Can this market-based solution actually help stop climate change? Or, is it a way for the rich to feel better while they keep sinning against our climate? Opinions differ, and only time will tell whether it's really helping.

But one thing is clear--the demand for carbon offsets shows that the message of human-caused climate change is beginning to matter. That's a good thing. And that should help, even if you don't like carbon offsets as a solution.

Now pardon me while I buy my expiation for that trip to Washington, DC. Seems it's hard to save the ocean without accumulating a little carbon guilt. ARGH.

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