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Offsetting Our Emissions Impact Today for a Cleaner Tomorrow
These words prophesied by Ezekiel are spoken on behalf of God to the people Israel. Israel is likened to a flock of sheep or cattle that has abused the natural resources that God has provided. Just as Israel has acted as habituated animals who themselves are out of sync with their own natural order and have trampled the earth and muddied the water, so too are we, today, leaving behind a dirty footprint in the environment. It is cause for some hope that many of us are becoming more aware of the impact we as individuals have on the environment. Many are taking steps to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by, for example, reducing home energy use, driving a higher mileage car, and switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs. The bad news is that despite reducing our impact, we are not acting quickly enough or on a large enough scale to stop the ecological damage around us.
Here are some organizations that support sustainable development and carbon offsets:
Natural Capitalism pursues carbon offsetting by assisting in local or global reforestation programs to restore “natural capital.” American Forests promotes ecological services that store carbon.
Congregations can also purchase carbon offsets when bringing in scholar-in-residence guests or traveling themselves to conferences or conventions. Some airlines have begun to offer this service for a nominal fee. Another example of the Jewish community’s commitment to this work is Hillel’s Spitzer Forum, which was the first Jewish conference to be carbon neutral. Every carbon dioxide unit emitted by the conference was offset through a partnership with CarbonFund.org, making the Spitzer Forum a zero-net greenhouse gas emitter. Ezekiel’s warning is extremely relevant when we consider a possible flaw in the carbon offsetting method. In Ezekiel’s metaphor, the animals had no choice but to graze and drink. It is their nature to seek sustenance from the earth. The wish is that they will tread lightly so as not to pollute their environment any more than is necessary. The animals did not have the option of paying others to clean up after their mess. Today, we must be careful to not fall into the trap of viewing carbon offsetting as an excuse to pollute as much as we want as we pay others to neutralize our damage for us. There is a danger in seeing carbon offsets as a panacea to the problem of climate change and pollution. As a step towards reducing our use of natural resources and voluntary simplicity in our lifestyles, carbon offsets can be a useful tool at raising consciousness about sustainable living and more long-term solutions to global environmental challenges. We have a responsibility to reduce our emissions as much as possible on a personal and communal level, and avoid trampling and muddying the very earth and water that sustains us. Questions for thought and discussion:
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Omer Series 2007Rabbi Brant Rosen in AfricaSyndicate
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My In-laws Featured in LA Times Article on Solar Water Heating
My in-laws installed a solar water heating system on their house in the mid-70's. In the thirty years since there were a few years that they couldn't get replacement parts. But for most of the time it has been working like a charm, including now.
California, after a twenty year hiatus, is about to pass new incentives for solar hot water installations and the LA Times featured my in-laws in the story about the upcoming law.
Read LA Times article about solar water heater legislation which features my in-laws Richard and Barbara Braun.
Carbon neutral humor
As Eric points out, there are some serious criticisms of carbon offsets/carbon credit marketing.
A more tongue in cheek critique is here: http://www.cheatneutral.com.
The bottom line is that as nice as the idea of being carbon neutral is, the real change needs to come in how we generate our energy, and how much energy we use. Synagogue events should certainly aim to be carbon-neutral, but only if it is understood that the effort is primarily an educational one.
As long as we continue to travel the world using jet fuel, we can plant trees forever and not repair the damage we've done. It's a sobering thought.
carbon offsets
Until Carbon Offsets are properly regulated by international law it is best to avoid them by donating the money that you would have used for offsets to political movements that will bring your own government into line with international standards starting with implementing Kyoto and beyond , REALLY hurting the economy in the interest of long term survival. Further one must make sure the burden of decreased wealth is shared equitably as a matter of principle, a principle which overrides the right to make as much money as one wants in the pursuit of illusory happiness.
This is what I do.
A critic of carbon offsets pointed out that was the same idea as in order retain power to do social good in the North one purchased an offest to permit segregation and lynching in the South.