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Carbon Neutrality
There are very few people in today's world that can ignore the environmental changes that the planet is going through. Increased carbon dioxide levels, along with other greenhouse gases, have led to a noticeable climate change. The time for idly sitting back and watching has long past and it is no longer a viable option to see if the atmosphere can repair itself. More so than ever, large organizations are starting to be held accountable for the damage they are doing to the environment. In many countries, the United States included, the government has set emissions regulations that set predetermined limits on the amount of pollutants that any given company can release into the environment. For many organizations, these regulations have given great incentive for more environmentally friendly practices and technologies. For some companies however; reducing emissions is not that easy of a task. Though reduced emissions and a better environment are goals that most people want to reach, the reality of the situations is that it is a very expensive practice. Switching to green technologies presents a difficult economic challenge for many corporations. In coming years, the challenge for these corporations becomes even greater, because goals will be set to reach a level of complete carbon neutrality. Luckily the process of reaching carbon neutrality, or having a net zero carbon footprint, can be reached by alternative.
Purchasing carbon offsets is one of the more economically feasible options for a corporation reaching a level of carbon neutrality. In essence, carbon offsets are a way for a company to pay someone else to cancel out their environmental damage. This option is especially appealing to companies who cannot afford to convert to green technologies because they do not have to reduce any emissions on the local level. There are many environmentally friendly companies, such as wind farms and solar stations, which sell carbon offsets. By purchasing eco-friendly energy, a company is reducing the amount of emissions sent into the atmosphere, which is then officially recognized as a type of carbon emissions credit. In the most simple of definitions, carbon offsets can be seen as a simple math problem. If a company sends a value of 'X' carbon emissions into the atmosphere and you add a value clean energy, or other form of carbon offsets that values negative X, then you are left with zero. Purchasing carbon offsets is a practice that is beneficial for both parties. The companies get the obvious benefit of being able to boast of have no carbon footprint, but eco-friendly energy companies also benefit. Energy companies who have sold carbon offsets are then able to sell energy to customers at a lower rate, which is a tremendous help for everyone in this time of rising energy prices. The use of carbon offsets is a win-win scenario, but should the effort to reduce carbon emissions stop there?
While carbon offsets are a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, it must be remembered that they are not a complete answer to the many environmental problems that we face today. Regardless of corporations' purchase of carbon offsets, in coming decades it will be necessary for corporation to not only cancel out their carbon emissions, but eliminate them in their entirety. By created a united effort to follow more environmentally friendly practices, along with switching from polluting forms of energy such as coal, natural gas or nuclear power to emissions free sources such as solar and wind power, it could be possible to drastically reduce the damage that humans have done to the atmosphere. This process will be both difficult and undoubtedly expensive, but it is hard to argue that there is any greater benefit than a healthy planet that can continue to sustain human life.
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