HOW IS OFFSETTING MY CO2 GOING TO HELP REDUCE THE THREAT OF CLIMATE CHANGE?

Our offsets work to mitigate climate change in three ways. First, by planting trees, offsets create a “carbon sink” that pulls CO2 out of the atmosphere and stores it. Second, our investments in sustainable energy projects ensure that carbon that would have been emitted now never makes its way into the atmosphere. Third, a robust offsets system makes the cost of carbon emissions both quantifiable and easy to understand.

HOW DOES ZEROFOOTPRINT DEPLOY THE RESOURCES FROM ITS OFFSETS PROGRAM TO HELP FORESTS?

We acknowledge that there is a great deal of debate about the role of offsetting in the protection and management of forests. At Zerofootprint, we believe that our environmental challenges are too urgent to be put off until a complete consensus has been reached. Our goal is to look for and support the very best solutions, and to keep improving our strategies through ongoing consultation with our scientific advisors for as long as it takes to ensure that our forests are protected, sustainable, and integral to our communities.

Our approach has three streams:

• Protecting of Old-growth Forests:  Forests are not tree farms; nor, for that matter, are they just carbon sinks. Zerofootprint Offsets help ensure biodiversity and the protection of our natural heritage. We are working with clients and stakeholders in the forestry industry, as well as industries that participate later in the production cycle, so that our offsets help maintain an irreplaceable ecosystem.
• Supporting Eco-friendly Supply:   By investing in CSR-approved, ecofriendly silviculture, Zerofootprint helps ensure a robust and sustainable supply of wood products that does not threaten ancient forests.
• Growing Green Communities:   We work with local partners in urban settings to carry out our offsets. The benefits of reforesting and reclaiming land are many: trees make communities more habitable; they clean our air and protect our watersheds; and they cool our cities on summer days. By offsetting through local conservation authorities, Zerofootprint can provide local solutions to local concerns, and provide benefits that can be enjoyed by many.

HOW DOES ZEROFOOTPRINT ENSURE THE BENEFITS OF OFFSETTING ARE MAXIMIZED?

Our programs are coupled with the 3 R’s – reduce, reuse, and recycle – to maximize the environmental benefits associated with offsetting. They deploy incentive schemes that help companies reduce their footprints, so that down the road there is less to offset. Likewise, Zerofootprint promotes a comprehensive approach to offsetting. We offset carbon but, unlike other programs, will also restore the trees and water that are used to produce your goods, services, publications, or electricity.

With Zerofootprint Offsets, your environmental impact will be mitigated to the fullest extent possible.

HOW DOES ZEROFOOTPRINT CALCULATE THE CO2 EMISSIONS?

Our calculations are based on transparent industry standards and Environment Canada data. Zerofootprint offsets are calculated very carefully, and in conformity with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (www.ghgprotocol.org). In this way we and our clients can be certain that our figures are in keeping with internationally endorsed standards of reporting and accounting that are backed by both the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the World Resources Institute, two of the most prestigious non-governmental organizations in the world. This protocol is used internally by many companies concerned about their carbon costs, including Ford Motor Company, IKEA International, and Sony Electronics.

HOW CAN WE BE SURE THAT YOUR PROJECTS ARE MAKING THE CO2 REDUCTIONS THAT YOU CLAIM?

All our offsets are verifiable and certified by third parties and standard protocols.  When a publication, good, or service is awarded the Zerofootprint seal, its environmental impact has been reduced.  Our seal signifies that the natural resources used to create an item have been restored to the environment in the appropriate proportions. The carbon dioxide emissions associated with its production have also been mitigated through carbon offsetting.

• Trees have been planted in responsibly managed forests.
• Watersheds have been restored.
• Carbon has been purchased to offset the greenhouse gas emissions created through manufacturing, printing, and transportation.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE COST GOES TO THE OFFSETTING PROJECT?

It is impossible to determine exactly how much of an offset’s value goes directly to the project it funds, as carbon is a commodity the value of which is always fluctuating according to the market. However, our overhead is very low and funding flows very efficiently to projects that improve the environment.

IS ZEROFOOTPRINT A CHARITY?

Zerofootprint Offsets is part of Zerofootprint.Net, a not-for-profit organization that provides information, products, and services to the global network of consumers and businesses that wish to reduce their environmental impact. We work with other organizations, which carry out verifiable offsets on our behalf.

OFFSET PRICES

To offset your flight, please send a cheque for the appropriate amount to:

Zerofootprint

Attn: Ian Serota

862 Richmond St. W, Suite 302

Toronto, ON

M6J 1C9

*Note: Please make sure to write "Blyth Education Offsets" in the memo area of your cheque.

An invoice will be issued through Zerofootprint.

For further information please contact Michael Dunbar from Zerofootprint at 416-365-7557 or Anna Baraness from Blyth Education at 416-960-3552.