Green | September 18, 2009 | 2 comments

Guilt for sale! World's First Airport Carbon Kiosks

Image
leahl
San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom just announced the world's first airport carbon offset kiosk at San Francisco International Aiport. The Climate Passport Program kiosk will allow travelers to calculate the carbon impact of their flights and purchase offsets.

The carbon offsets will go towards the Garcia River Forest which is continually being supplied with new Redwood and Douglas Fir trees that absorb and store carbon dioxide. A slice of the kiosk's offset sales also go to the San Francisco Carbon Fund, which works on local carbon reduction projects like a publicly-owned biofuel filling station.

Usually carbon offsets feel like a scam, what do you think about this use of carbon offsets?
  1. groups:
    Green,   Max and Jason: Still Up
  2. tags:
    Earth and Science Climate Change Travel San Francisco 2 more
  3.     
    |

2 comments // Guilt for sale! World's First Airport Carbon Kiosks

  • leahl
    • 0
      leahl  
    • So I asked Wade Crowfoot, former mayor advisor now West Coast Political Director Environmental Defense Fund for his insight since he worked on the project, here is what he said:

      "No one is saying this is the silver bullet or justifies air travel; having kiosks at the airport mainstreams the idea that you can contribute to environmental projects. We worked with 3 degrees (one of the most well respected offset providers in the US and abide all of the verification and protocols that have been developed. We wanted to bring basic and easily consumable information to a captive audience (in the airport) where they can contribute.

      In addition to that offset program, we are working to create a localized carbon fund, so you can contribute to a fund that affects carbon rates in your local region. Earlier in the year we passed an ordinance that all city travel must purchase or contribute to 13% of the cost of the trip to the carbon fund."

    • 2 years ago
  • RudyRudell
more from Green:

top videos