Carbonfund.org Blog Has Moved!

Hi All,

I am pleased to announce that the Carbonfund.org Blog has moved to Carbonfund.org/blog. The new blog is better looking and an easier to use way read all about carbon offsets, global warming, and everything else that pops into the minds of your friends at Carbonfund.org.

Please update your bookmarks, RSS feeds and your life!

Thanks for following the Carbonfund.org blog! Visit us today at the new home of our blog, Carbonfund.org/blog.

Thanks!

Your Friends at Carbonfund.org

Farmers Growing Global Warming Solutions

As America starts looking forward to a clean energy future and emissions reductions that are at least 80% lower than they are today, it is becoming clearer that everyone must be an active participant in the new clean energy economy. One of the groups that may be most impacted by a cap on carbon emissions are farmers and people working in the agricultural industry. Modern agriculture is very energy and resource intensive, so even small changes to the price of fuel or fertilizer can impact a farmers bottom line.

But farmers who take an active role in the fight to stop global warming and reduce emissions stand to profit from a well designed cap and trade.

According to a report in Bloomberg.com, farmers can receive carbon credits from the Chicago Climate Exchange for implementing more sustainable agricultural practices. In the report, Bloomberg cited two examples of farmers who were receiving $3,000 and $1,500 annually for implementing a 'no-till' farming practices. Tilling to prepare a field for agriculture releases CO2 is stored underground in organic material. No-till farming allows farmers to continue to utilize their land for agricultural purposes, but it requires farmers not to agitate their soil before planting, thus keeping organic matter and carbon emissions in the ground.

No-till farming is also cheaper than conventional farming. Farmers do not need to use machines required to till a field, saving in fuel costs and more carbon emissions. It is estimated that corn-farmers that implement no-till practices can save $83 per acre in fuel and fertilizer costs.

In addition to the emissions reductions that can be gained through no-till farming, agricultural land can also be used to produce bio-fuels that burn cleaner than conventional fuels and farm land can also be utilized for locations of wind turbines and solar panels.

The role that farmers play in the clean energy economy is going to be crucial if we want to see emissions reductions that match the goals scientists say we must reach. By taking an active role, farmers can make money, produce food and unlock more real world global warming solutions.

Support farm based carbon offsets with Carbonfund.org.

(Image Courtesy of Encyclopedia Britannica)

"Live Green" Sushi Roll Benefits Carbonfund.org

Carbonfund.org CarbonFree^® Partner and Model Cara Zavaleta of MTV Road Rules & MTV Real World/Road Rules Challenge teamed up to create the winning “Midori Ni Ikiyou” Roll for RA Sushi’s 2nd Annual RA Reality Sushi Roll Competition. Cara received her winning check, with proceeds going to Carbonfund.org, this week.

Midori Ni Ikiyou Roll was featured on a special menu throughout the month of February at all three Chicagoland RA Sushi locations, with $3 from the sale of every roll going to Carbonfund.org.

As a result, Cara’s roll generated $549 for Carbonfund.org! The winning roll, which derives its name from the Japanese translation of “Live Green” featured shrimp tempura, avocado, and mango, wrapped in rice and seaweed, topped with spicy tuna and sesame seeds, served with a sweet eel sauce. Judging was based on creativity of the name, ingredients, presentation and taste.

Thank You Cara!!

Global Warming Exacerbates Drought

With higher temperatures comes a drop in rainfall, according to Peter Baines of Melbourne University in Australia. Baines studied data over the last 50 years that includes sea surface temperature and precipitation rates and concluded that over the past 15 years rainfall has been dropping with 37% of that drop attributable to global warming.

This downward trend that the world is experiencing in rainfall exacerbates droughts and heat waves. Australia is currently in the midst of a decade long drought that is significantly impacting the production of food.

Baines noticed in his study that four regions of the world have already displayed decreases in rainfall: United States, southeastern Australia, a large region of equatorial Africa and the Altiplano in South America. Two regions have actually received more rainfall, northwestern Australia and the Amazon Basin.

Much of these drops in rainfall are in line with IPCC report projections.

Though drought is a naturally occurring phenomenon, the fact that a major percentage of the drop in rainfall can be directly correlated to global warming is an alarming finding. What this indicates is that global warming creates conditions that are inhospitable to rain in many places, meaning that if an area is already drought prone, global warming will certainly make it worse.

This is bad news for anyone and anything that relies on a consistent source of water to live. As rainfall gets less predictable in a warming world, it will be hard to count on crop yields -- putting farmer livelihoods and national food security at risk.

Protect food and water, fight global warming now.

Image Courtesy of Nat'l Weather Srvc.

Green Industry Able to Ride Out Recession Better

Ethical consumerism has put a new spin to the economic relationship of recession and demand. The economic turmoil that has choked governments and wiped out some of the biggest businesses in the world seems to be having a lighter impact on the green industry. Recent statistics from Forrester Research and others report that a remarkable percentage of shoppers in the US and UK consider the environment when purchasing products and services. Washington State Employment Security Department identifies the green industry- including jobs focused on finding new solutions for energy needs- as one of the more recession-resistant labor markets in 2009.

The ability of the green industry to sustain itself is directly related to the responsible consumers who take the environment and resource management seriously. Sally M. Cohen, author of the Forrester Research report, considers this group of consumers as willing to additional more for green and ethically produced products and brand-loyal shoppers who will stick with companies that continue to support their own ethical values.

Sustainable business practices and procurement can come with a slightly higher price tag, but the opportunity cost in the long-run is much lower. This mantra applies to both consumers and producers of green products and services.