Carbon Purging

Carbon Purging is an alternative to carbon offsets. The carbon retirement market is in its infancy, but the offset market is not. In fact, it is quite mature.

If you are looking to offset your CO2 emissions but worry about where your money is actually going to, give permit retiring a try.

Carbon Purging purchases government-mandated pollution permits and retires them, placing them in a trust, which prevents carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.

1) Carbon offsets do not always result in new projects. Companies that already had implemented energy saving devices qualify selling emission trading credits, although they did nothing new.
2) Many companies use carbon offsets to boost their bottom line.
3) Offsetting is akin to cheating. If I pour 1 gallon of red food coloring into a bucket of water, and offset it with 1 gallon of water, it is still red.
4) It allows people to feel good about continuing to pollute.
5) It moves the conversation away from actual noticeable action to prevent anthropogenic global warming.