The sky may be falling—from Iceland to Main Street—but apparently one commodity is inexplicably on the upswing: the sale of carbon offsets. That’s right, a (small) glimmer of hope shines through the financial hell we’ve come to know and loathe, says the Washington Post.
Though greenwashing issues swirling around carbon offsets are convoluted and confusing, my treehugger within still thrills to hear the eco-revolution has reached a zenith where, at least for now, people don’t think of carbon offsets as a luxury purchase.
Of course, carbon offsets sometimes feel a bit bogus. After all, we should really be learning to reduce our carbon footprint, not just buying our way out of climate change shame. But I’ll be among the first to proclaim the benefits, joys, and over-all necessities of traveling, and at least for now, carbon offsets are a responsible traveler’s best band-aid (I know, yuck) for the environmental damage caused.
Most impressively, WaPo says Sept. 23—you know, week two of the, uh, shit hitting the fan—was the second busiest trading day in the four-year history of the Chicago Climate Exchange (“where offsets are sold like pork bellies or stocks”). And locally, Arlington County’s Conservation Fund reported a sales increase this year of 9 percent among individuals and 22 percent among companies.
Even so, environmentalist shouldn’t break out the (organic) bubbly just yet. Experts seem to agree that rather than people buying carbon offsets on principle, trends indicate consumers are getting used to “feeling guilty about climate change” and have “learned to buy their way out.”
Whatever the motive, though, it’s a start.
[Photo via Flickr]
