How will buying "green credits" cut carbon emissions???

Question

I read in an ad for Walmart yesterday that "Sun Chips are good for the environment because the company buys green credits that offset the electricity used in making their product." How will paying more green $$ make the earth more green??

Sorry, but is this global warming thing looking more and more like a way to tax people to death, or what? I mean, if you love the environment, don't eat chips, eat locally grown potatoes, right??

How will buying these credits "offset" carbon emissions?????

Answer 1

You're right it won't. Common sense rules the day, which it sounds like you have.Another scam is using electric hand dryers instead of paper towels. What fuel is used to make electricity? Coal. Coal is not a renewable resource. Trees are. There is nothing wrong with your thinking.

Answer 2

When you buy green credits, the money goes to a company that reduces its own carbon emissions for each credit you buy.  The idea is that big companies can reduce their carbon emissions more cost effectively than smaller ones.  

But there are a lot of companies that sell green credits and then don't follow through on their promises, so you have to be careful.

Answer 3

Offset monies are invested in green energy, solar, wind, methane, etc. The money is used to research and build more green energy it does not truly offset the energy used in production of, say your Sun Chips. Frankly most of the time, its 'smoke and mirror' marketing used to primarily to sway consumers and sell products. I'm not saying all green products use tactics like these in marketing, but some do. If you want to know more regarding Sun Chips, write, email or call them, put them on the spot!

Answer 4

'if you love the environment, don't eat chips, eat locally grown potatoes, right??'

spot on.

carbon offsetting is paying other people to pollute less so you can pollute more, it doesnt really reduce emissions in the long run, just delays it.

a more egalitarian and effective policy would be

'Contraction and Convergence'

http://www.gci.org.uk/contconv/cc.html

but thats just too fair and logical, cant see many gov.s of developed countries and their big business owners going for it unless forced.

Answer 5

No!

Answer 6

Your money is financing the building of less polluting energy sources.   The coal companies get tens of billions in tax credits each year, but the renewable energy companies get next to nothing comparably and they need another source of funding to compete with the companies financed by your tax dollars.

Answer 7

It wont, it will however put some more money into some fat cat pockets so they can buy more jet fuel and fly around the world bloviating about the global warming THEORY.

Answer 8

If they actually pay this u need to be cautious. GW is a scam and the oil Co. are making billions. Just follow the dollars.

Answer 9

yea i dont buy into the carbon offset c**p too.  if you really want to cut carbon emissions, you prevent it in the first place rather than paying your sins away.  that means unplugging unused electronics, turning off lights when not using them, bicycling/walking more often than using a car, switching to CFL lightbulbs, etc.  now THAT is cutting carbon emissions right there.