Carbon Offseters May Not Be All They Say, FTC Investigating
Who didn't see this one coming, the FTC is checking into reports of companies selling carbon offsets to polluting but green friendly companies and individuals. By selling a carbon offset these companies are promising to do something environmentally friendly, like planting trees, to make up for the sins of the polluting company or individuals.
Problem is the trees or other environmentally friendly acts are never performed.
For more see, Tech Policy Summit blog: FTC Scrutinizes Green Marketing:
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which is in the process of updating its guidelines for environmental marketers, hosted a workshop yesterday to look into some of the claims surrounding carbon offsets and renewable energy certificates (RECs).
As efforts to "go green" become more mainstream, individuals and companies concerned about climate change are increasingly looking for ways to reduce their impact on the environment. For some, that means trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by becoming carbon neutral.
We've written about tools designed to help consumers calculate the amount of carbon dioxide emissions produced by their daily activities. The next step for many, who find it impractical or undesirable to change their habits, is to purchase carbon offsets or renewable energy certificates to mitigate their impact. For example, instead of cancelling your flight plans, you might purchase an offset that promises that a new tree will be planted on your behalf.
For the rest of this post, please visit the Tech Policy Central site.
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