4 ms·

I agree that it really does feel that way. I don't really have an explanation for it either and I do wonder if the figures are accurate. Where did you buy cred

I agree that it really does feel that way. I don't really have an explanation for it either and I do wonder if the figures are accurate. Where did you buy credits from? The one I found which seems the most legit is Cool Effect: https://www.cooleffect.org/ https://www.cooleffect.org/ You can pick your project. This seemed like the most credible "offset" to me: https://www.cooleffect.org/content/project/renewable-energy-wind-turbines https://www.cooleffect.org/content/project/renewable-energy-... Problem with planting or keeping trees is it is a future promise and a long term one and that just seems too easy to break. (either on purpose or due to other factors)

jdavis703 7y ago
I buy them from Cool Effect. I try to pick energy projects because it’s easier to see the accounting ... and you get carbon sequestration faster (trees take a long time to grow vs erecting a wind turbine).
- paulyacoubian 7y ago
  I spent some time researching carbon credit providers and what I found was the the only way they have to distribute credits is through online advertising. That means that they have to spend multiples of the actual wholesale credit costs on ads just to sell them. By my estimate, Cool Effect spends around 3-4x of the actual credit costs on marketing related expenses. This is publicly available through their 990 filing. https://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/475/475068496/475068496_201706_990.pdf https://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/475/475068... I inquired from credit wholesalers about large volume pricing and found that the actual cost is less than $3/ton of CO2e. For an average US consumer with a 20 ton carbon footprint, that would come out to $60/year or $5/mo if sold at cost. To me this is a no-brainer for anyone that wants to be carbon neutral immediately. I'm setting up a carbon credit buying club where we can get them at wholesale prices. My goal is to sell them right at cost in a radically transparent way where members provide all the marketing we need. If anyone here is interested in joining, you can email me at paul@carbonspace.com.
  - nicpottier 7y ago
    That's unsurprising in a way, but does it really make a difference between $180/year vs $60/year? Both of those are pretty in the noise. CoolEffect seems do be doing a nice job of both marketing and explaining and verifying their projects. I have no problem paying a premium for that. (remember this thread started as surprise that it could be SO CHEAP)

jdavis703 7y ago

I buy them from Cool Effect. I try to pick energy projects because it’s easier to see the accounting ... and you get carbon sequestration faster (trees take a long time to grow vs erecting a wind turbine).

paulyacoubian 7y ago
I spent some time researching carbon credit providers and what I found was the the only way they have to distribute credits is through online advertising. That means that they have to spend multiples of the actual wholesale credit costs on ads just to sell them. By my estimate, Cool Effect spends around 3-4x of the actual credit costs on marketing related expenses. This is publicly available through their 990 filing. https://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/475/475068496/475068496_201706_990.pdf https://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/475/475068... I inquired from credit wholesalers about large volume pricing and found that the actual cost is less than $3/ton of CO2e. For an average US consumer with a 20 ton carbon footprint, that would come out to $60/year or $5/mo if sold at cost. To me this is a no-brainer for anyone that wants to be carbon neutral immediately. I'm setting up a carbon credit buying club where we can get them at wholesale prices. My goal is to sell them right at cost in a radically transparent way where members provide all the marketing we need. If anyone here is interested in joining, you can email me at paul@carbonspace.com.
- nicpottier 7y ago
  That's unsurprising in a way, but does it really make a difference between $180/year vs $60/year? Both of those are pretty in the noise. CoolEffect seems do be doing a nice job of both marketing and explaining and verifying their projects. I have no problem paying a premium for that. (remember this thread started as surprise that it could be SO CHEAP)