Carbon Offsets To Save The Environment

Buy your kids a carbon offset for their next birthday. It's an eco-friendly gift that is fun and will have a much longer (and "greener") impact than a new iPod.

With global warming in the forefront of the media, teens are getting more involved in learning how to combat the problem. And many sites are springing up with fun activities like lifestyle and travel carbon calculators, information on renewable and sustainable projects, ways to offset emissions, even greeting cards. Every time we travel, use electricity, burn fuel, and use energy we let off a carbon emission. So how can families work together to combat those emissions and give back?

Native Energy has lots of projects in their pipeline including wind farms and farm methane projects. For a fun family activity, have the kids check how many carbon emissions they emit by choosing the size of the family car and distance traveled for your next vacation. Then the site suggests how many 'credits' you can buy to offset those emissions.

I tried it out and found their system easy and fun to use. A trip from Chicago to Atlanta is approximately 677 miles, emitting .331 tons of carbon for a medium-sized fuel economy car. I could then purchase $12 worth of credits to offset those emissions and that donation would then be put towards wind projects, methane energy, or a combination of both. Sounds like an innovative way to teach kids about emissions, distance and travel, and being responsible global citizens all at the same time. They're sure to think that $12 is a meaningful and economical way to contribute to a good cause.

It's true there have been some gripes in the media about polluting corporate companies abusing carbon offsets. But Native Energy is unique in that it is a privately held Native American company. Kids will love learning about Native Americans' history of caring for the land and the environment, and this organization works to provide renewable resources to its farmer communities, and the world at large.