Neutralize Your Footprint
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Frequently Asked Questions
Offset Purchasers
- Who can buy carbon offsets?
- Carbon offsetting is no longer limited to large companies and corporations. Individuals, families, organizations, and small businesses can now offset their ecological footprints, no matter how small or large. By using the EcoNeutral™ Carbon Calculator, you can determine the size of your carbon footprint and purchase carbon credits directly online.
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- Carbon offsetting is no longer limited to large companies and corporations. Individuals, families, organizations, and small businesses can now offset their ecological footprints, no matter how small or large. By using the EcoNeutral™ Carbon Calculator, you can determine the size of your carbon footprint and purchase carbon credits directly online.
- Why would I want to buy carbon offsets?
- Buying carbon offsets is simply good for the planet! By voluntarily offsetting your personal or corporate greenhouse gas "footprint", you are directly assisting efforts to address climate change. Climate change is a long-term problem. Although we may not see it "fixed" in our lifetimes, we can start to turn the tide for future generations! Healthy restored ecosystems will continue to remove CO2 from the atmosphere for centuries, providing long-term climate mitigation benefits for future generations. Buying carbon offsets is a decision you can feel good about!
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- Buying carbon offsets is simply good for the planet! By voluntarily offsetting your personal or corporate greenhouse gas "footprint", you are directly assisting efforts to address climate change. Climate change is a long-term problem. Although we may not see it "fixed" in our lifetimes, we can start to turn the tide for future generations! Healthy restored ecosystems will continue to remove CO2 from the atmosphere for centuries, providing long-term climate mitigation benefits for future generations. Buying carbon offsets is a decision you can feel good about!
- What does buying offsets do to benefit the environment?
- As we continue our efforts to address climate change by avoiding and reducing carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere with the development of new technologies, renewable energy sources, and energy efficiency measures, carbon offsetting plays the critical role of removing existing atmospheric carbon emissions. As well, by buying EcoNeutral™ carbon credits, you are not only reducing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, you are also directly assisting in the restoration of degraded forest ecosystems, the enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat, and the creation of vital jobs in small communities.
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- As we continue our efforts to address climate change by avoiding and reducing carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere with the development of new technologies, renewable energy sources, and energy efficiency measures, carbon offsetting plays the critical role of removing existing atmospheric carbon emissions. As well, by buying EcoNeutral™ carbon credits, you are not only reducing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, you are also directly assisting in the restoration of degraded forest ecosystems, the enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat, and the creation of vital jobs in small communities.
- Where does the money go? What percentage goes directly to the earth? What percentage goes to administration, etc?
- All of ERA's financial resources are directed to advancing ecosystem restoration and climate mitigation in BC communities. This includes site preparation, planting, measurement, validation, verification, and ongoing maintenance on the site.
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- All of ERA's financial resources are directed to advancing ecosystem restoration and climate mitigation in BC communities. This includes site preparation, planting, measurement, validation, verification, and ongoing maintenance on the site.
- How many trees need to be planted to offset my carbon footprint?
- The amount of carbon sequestered (removed and stored) by trees is variable, depending on site productivity and tree species. Since each individual and organization's footprint is different, the number of trees planted depends on the specific size of your footprint. By offsetting your carbon footprint, you are not only supporting the planting of trees, but also other ecosystem restoration initiatives such as the removal of invasive species. Like tree planting, these initiatives are vital to the success of the restoration program, and thereby they directly affect the amount of carbon sequestered in a specific area.
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- The amount of carbon sequestered (removed and stored) by trees is variable, depending on site productivity and tree species. Since each individual and organization's footprint is different, the number of trees planted depends on the specific size of your footprint. By offsetting your carbon footprint, you are not only supporting the planting of trees, but also other ecosystem restoration initiatives such as the removal of invasive species. Like tree planting, these initiatives are vital to the success of the restoration program, and thereby they directly affect the amount of carbon sequestered in a specific area.
- Where are these trees being planted?
- Currently, ecosystem restoration initiatives, including tree-planting, are taking place in the District of Maple Ridge, and are pending in a number of other BC and First Nations communities. ERA has targeted the healthy temperate rainforests in Western Canada because they represent the most effective and long-lived CO2 removal systems on Earth. ERA is taking degraded systems, and returning them to their historic capacities to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. These healthy, restored ecosystems will continue to sequester CO2 from the environment for centuries to come.
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- Currently, ecosystem restoration initiatives, including tree-planting, are taking place in the District of Maple Ridge, and are pending in a number of other BC and First Nations communities. ERA has targeted the healthy temperate rainforests in Western Canada because they represent the most effective and long-lived CO2 removal systems on Earth. ERA is taking degraded systems, and returning them to their historic capacities to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. These healthy, restored ecosystems will continue to sequester CO2 from the environment for centuries to come.
- Will you email me annually to remind me to offset my carbon footprint again?
- Yes!
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- Yes!
- Do I get anything in return for buying the offsets?
- When you purchase EcoNeutral™ carbon offsets, you will receive a personalized certificate identifying the volume of CO2 you have had removed from the atmosphere to neutralize your footprint.
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- When you purchase EcoNeutral™ carbon offsets, you will receive a personalized certificate identifying the volume of CO2 you have had removed from the atmosphere to neutralize your footprint.
- How can I inform my clients that my company has a zero footprint?
- We will provide branding materials as requested.
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- We will provide branding materials as requested.
- Are there other ways I can minimize my footprint?
- There are many other ways to reduce your footprint. For example, you can choose to ride, walk, or take the bus to work. Use energy efficient appliances and light bulbs in your home, and make sure to turn off lights and computers when they are not in use. Also, you can choose low emissions vehicles, retrofit your heating/cooling systems to high efficiency heat pumps and furnaces, and eat locally produced, organic food whenever possible.
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- There are many other ways to reduce your footprint. For example, you can choose to ride, walk, or take the bus to work. Use energy efficient appliances and light bulbs in your home, and make sure to turn off lights and computers when they are not in use. Also, you can choose low emissions vehicles, retrofit your heating/cooling systems to high efficiency heat pumps and furnaces, and eat locally produced, organic food whenever possible.
- Isn't this just a "quick" fix?
- This is a slow and gradual approach to climate change mitigation. The CO2 removals begin slowly, but then snowball into an "avalanche of removals". For example, a single Sitka spruce seed weighs only 1/500th of a gram, and yet it contains all the information needed to produce a tree that can weigh more than three hundred tonnes - about as much as three blue whales. ¹ This same tree is largely composed of carbon, that has been removed from the atmosphere through photosynthesis.
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- This is a slow and gradual approach to climate change mitigation. The CO2 removals begin slowly, but then snowball into an "avalanche of removals". For example, a single Sitka spruce seed weighs only 1/500th of a gram, and yet it contains all the information needed to produce a tree that can weigh more than three hundred tonnes - about as much as three blue whales. ¹ This same tree is largely composed of carbon, that has been removed from the atmosphere through photosynthesis.
- How do we know it is real?
- ERA project implementations are 3rd party verified, by a registered professional biologist &/or a professional forester. Carbon removals are calculated with thoroughly tested carbon sequestration methodologies.
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- ERA project implementations are 3rd party verified, by a registered professional biologist &/or a professional forester. Carbon removals are calculated with thoroughly tested carbon sequestration methodologies.
- Some folks and organizations call ecosystem-based offsets "wrong-minded" - why would they say this?
- Some organizations believe that tree-planting is too easy, or inexpensive, and does not penalize "polluters." In reality, ecosystem restorations are capital intensive, and ERA's programming relies on organizations that are "over achievers" in environmental performance, as they support this work voluntarily, not because they are forced to do so.
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- Some organizations believe that tree-planting is too easy, or inexpensive, and does not penalize "polluters." In reality, ecosystem restorations are capital intensive, and ERA's programming relies on organizations that are "over achievers" in environmental performance, as they support this work voluntarily, not because they are forced to do so.
- Why aren't you a "not for profit"?
- ERA relies on a strong business model and does not rely on government subsidies - it is therefore sustainable. ERA professionals and staff are compensated fairly for their work in developing and purveying environmental benefits to communities and the planet.
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- ERA relies on a strong business model and does not rely on government subsidies - it is therefore sustainable. ERA professionals and staff are compensated fairly for their work in developing and purveying environmental benefits to communities and the planet.
- What relationship does this type of project have to the Kyoto Protocol and carbon trading?
- The current model is based on voluntary measures which are not directly linked to any regulatory regime. The benefits are legally "retired" immediately, which means the sponsor would register the action and sequestered carbon in a suitable registry for recognition and/or in support of their footprint neutral operations or products. Trading is not anticipated.
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- The current model is based on voluntary measures which are not directly linked to any regulatory regime. The benefits are legally "retired" immediately, which means the sponsor would register the action and sequestered carbon in a suitable registry for recognition and/or in support of their footprint neutral operations or products. Trading is not anticipated.
Landowners
- What is a degraded ecosystem?
- A degraded ecosystem is described as an area of land that has been impacted by some disturbance, such as agriculture, logging, or urban development, which has not been restored to its original functional state, either naturally or through implementation of a restoration prescription.
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- A degraded ecosystem is described as an area of land that has been impacted by some disturbance, such as agriculture, logging, or urban development, which has not been restored to its original functional state, either naturally or through implementation of a restoration prescription.
- Is it just about planting trees or are there other restoration strategies being used?
- Tree planting is just one aspect of ERA's restoration program, which includes "grubbing" (the removal of roots and stumps), invasive species removal, and ongoing maintenance, tree replacement, and monitoring.
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- Tree planting is just one aspect of ERA's restoration program, which includes "grubbing" (the removal of roots and stumps), invasive species removal, and ongoing maintenance, tree replacement, and monitoring.
- What is additionality, and do ERA projects qualify?
- In the climate change lexicon, "additionality" simply refers to an undertaking or emission reduction or removal that has occurred beyond "business as usual", in other words, an action that provides a benefit that is additional to what would have happened anyway. ERA projects are truly "additional" as ERA programming provides resourcing for restoration work and benefits that are not otherwise planned. In contrast, a commercial forest planted for future harvest, provides no "additional" CO2 removal benefits, and those benefits that might occur subsequently begin to be lost when the forest is harvested.
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- In the climate change lexicon, "additionality" simply refers to an undertaking or emission reduction or removal that has occurred beyond "business as usual", in other words, an action that provides a benefit that is additional to what would have happened anyway. ERA projects are truly "additional" as ERA programming provides resourcing for restoration work and benefits that are not otherwise planned. In contrast, a commercial forest planted for future harvest, provides no "additional" CO2 removal benefits, and those benefits that might occur subsequently begin to be lost when the forest is harvested.
- Can't I just plant some trees myself?
- Yes you can! However, to remove significant tonnages of CO2 from the atmosphere, larger programs applying professional treatments and having adequate resourcing and follow-up yield the greatest climate mitigation benefits. As well, the benefits will be measurable and predictable.
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- Yes you can! However, to remove significant tonnages of CO2 from the atmosphere, larger programs applying professional treatments and having adequate resourcing and follow-up yield the greatest climate mitigation benefits. As well, the benefits will be measurable and predictable.
- How can you generate carbon credits through restoration?
- The amount of carbon a degraded ecosystem sequesters can be increased by restoring the ecosystem to its original state. This can be done by implementing a "prescription" that identifies the appropriate mix of plant species for each specific site. By re-establishing the appropriate species composition and densities, photosynthesis rates increase dramatically.
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- The amount of carbon a degraded ecosystem sequesters can be increased by restoring the ecosystem to its original state. This can be done by implementing a "prescription" that identifies the appropriate mix of plant species for each specific site. By re-establishing the appropriate species composition and densities, photosynthesis rates increase dramatically.
- How do you determine the amount of additional carbon that a restored site will sequester, and b) how do you know it doesn't just go back into the atmosphere?
- a) The amount of carbon a site can sequester is determined by gathering extensive data from healthy ecosystem templates of the same type as the area to be treated. This data is used as an input sto state-of-the-art models which are capable of predicting carbon sequestration in forest biomass to a high level of precision.
b) The storage of carbon in a healthy restored forest ecosystem is secure, so long as the forest does not experience a fire. To mitigate this, potential coastal, riparian, and other low-risk zones which have minimal risk of fire are preferred sites. In fact, restorations can be designed to reduce the risk of fires in the urban interface. Finally, insurance or reserves may be employed to address the potential of a catastrophic event, such as a fire.
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- a) The amount of carbon a site can sequester is determined by gathering extensive data from healthy ecosystem templates of the same type as the area to be treated. This data is used as an input sto state-of-the-art models which are capable of predicting carbon sequestration in forest biomass to a high level of precision.
- What rights is a land management agency or landowner giving ERA in return for restoring a site and for how long?
- The land management agency or landowner is granting ERA the rights to the environmental benefits, including sequestered carbon, that occur as a result of the restoration that ERA will undertake, at no cost to the government/agency/community. These values would not occur without the restoration. The fact that they have potential value means that ERA can undertake the restoration. For this work to work in a commercial sense, the term has to be extensive, as the benefits must be long-lived to have value. ERA recommends a proxy for the biological life of a restored system to be 80-100 years.
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- The land management agency or landowner is granting ERA the rights to the environmental benefits, including sequestered carbon, that occur as a result of the restoration that ERA will undertake, at no cost to the government/agency/community. These values would not occur without the restoration. The fact that they have potential value means that ERA can undertake the restoration. For this work to work in a commercial sense, the term has to be extensive, as the benefits must be long-lived to have value. ERA recommends a proxy for the biological life of a restored system to be 80-100 years.
- What resources (staff, money, equipment etc), if any, would a land management agency or landowner have to dedicate to a site restoration project either initially or in the future?
- Under the agreements ERA has prepared, the costs would be negligible. In fact, ERA will take responsibility for placing a project manager on-site as the project is implemented and will contract to have maintenance provided at no cost over an agreed upon term.
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- Under the agreements ERA has prepared, the costs would be negligible. In fact, ERA will take responsibility for placing a project manager on-site as the project is implemented and will contract to have maintenance provided at no cost over an agreed upon term.
- Would offsets generated on crown land be sold publicly?
- No. Any offsets generated by work on crown land will only be sold to government entities through the Pacific Carbon Trust.
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- No. Any offsets generated by work on crown land will only be sold to government entities through the Pacific Carbon Trust.
- If work is required on a restored site over time (eg. 10 years) and ERA is no longer in operation, how will it get done?
- Contractual arrangements, trusts and other mechanisms agreeable to the government/ agency/ municipality will ensure that the financial resources required to undertake the work will be secured, and secure.
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- Contractual arrangements, trusts and other mechanisms agreeable to the government/ agency/ municipality will ensure that the financial resources required to undertake the work will be secured, and secure.
- Why would a private corporation be interested in funding a restoration project is they are not going to subsequently own the carbon credits for trading purposes?
- The private corporations ERA is working with are not interested in these projects to secure carbon-trading. They are ethical, pro-active corporations that wish to demonstrate sustainability and differentiate themselves within the marketplace based on their environmental and social activities.
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- The private corporations ERA is working with are not interested in these projects to secure carbon-trading. They are ethical, pro-active corporations that wish to demonstrate sustainability and differentiate themselves within the marketplace based on their environmental and social activities.
[1] Additional References are found in Appendix 3.