A group of 13 Canadian companies and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have launched a pilot program in British Columbia (BC) to help the 370,000 small and medium-sized businesses there cut their global warming pollution.

Ecotrust Canada, the Pembina Institute, the David Suzuki Foundation, and corporate partners have developed the Carbon Neutral Workgroup for Small Business, which will help companies calculate their global warming emissions and identify efficient means of reducing those emissions. Even better, the group wants to create free software for small and medium-sized business to show them how to cut their carbon footprints. The Pembina Institute, an NGO that provides education and consulting on clean energy issues, will offer one-on-one technical assistance.

The Workgroup points out that small businesses are responsible for about 30 percent of BC’s gross domestic product (GDP), making it a significant market in which to cut climate change emissions. Ian Gill, President of Ecotrust Canada, explained:

“It’s part of a growing ‘conservation economy’ driven by the dramatic change in consumer and corporate attitudes toward the environment as a result of global warming.” But no one is “talking or thinking about how” to help small businesses.

Small business owners will also learn about the emerging carbon offsets market, thereby giving them more tools with which to reinvest money into climate change projects in their local communities and offset their emissions.

Businesses involved in the Workgroup so far include an architecture firm, a bus company, fisheries, and a flooring and upholstery service.

EcoTrust Canada
The Vancouver Province

Prince Charles has cut his global warming emissions by 9 percent in the past year, according to an annual review (printed on recycled paper with vegetable-based ink) of the prince’s accounts. Charles has been carbon neutral since 2005.

More trains trips, less plane trips, and a Jaguar and Land Rover that run on cooking oil have sliced his footprint. He also farms organically, and gets electricity from renewable sources at his Highgrove estate.

Charles and his wife, Camilla, have promised to cut emissions even further. Future plans include converting the royal train to biodiesel fuel (Europe’s first biodiesel-powered passenger train – Virgin Trains – left the station earlier this month, a project of Virgin’s Sir Richard Branson).

Tony Juniper, director of Friends of the Earth, praised the prince’s leadership:

"The fact that he reduced his carbon emissions by 9 percent in the last year alone highlights the potential for making rapid cuts in the nation's contribution to climate change.”

Others are more critical. Charles took heat a few months ago when he flew to New York to receive an environmental award. The prince’s principal private secretary, Sir Michael Peat, explained that Charles uses carbon offsets like funding tree planting or renewable energy projects to balance out the travel. “We’re doing it the best way we can at the moment,” he noted.

CNN

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) launched an initiative in April to make the Capitol complex carbon neutral within two years.

To achieve this, the “Green the Capitol” initiative includes changing out 17,000 old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs for more efficient compact fluorescent bulbs and using eco-friendly vendors for furnishings.

But the big elephant in the room (and I’m not talking about a Republican) is what to do about the electricity source of the Capitol: a coal plant.

The Capitol Power Plant burns mostly coal and natural gas, along with some oil for heating and cooling. So to make the Capitol carbon neutral, something has to be done about the coal being burned practically next door (coal makes up 49 percent of the plant's output). But Speaker Pelosi was vague and noncommittal about action to clean up the plant:

"The recommendations that the people who know about this will put forth is what we will act upon, and there are issues involved with the power plant that we have to learn more about."

Complicating the matter are lawmakers from coal producing states, like Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) and Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who are major defenders of coal and blocked an effort in 2000 to eliminate it from the Capitol Power Plant. CNN reports that two West Virginia companies – International Resources Inc and the Kanawha Eagle mine - provide 40,000 net tons of coal to the plant, earning $4.6 million. According to campaign records, the companies gave a combined $26,300 to Byrd and McConnell’s campaigns in the 2006 election cycle.

If the Capitol Power Plant remains unchanged, the Capitol would have to spend $850,000 to buy carbon credits for its 340,000 tons of global warming emissions. Switching the plant over to natural gas would cost between $5 million and $8 million more each year, but a draft report obtained by CNN says that the cost could be absorbed by the savings gained from not paying to dispose of the fly ash.

The chief administrative officer of the House will submit a final report on the carbon neutral initiatives by June 30th.

Lawmakers have some big hurdles to clear if the Capitol is to be carbon neutral. But if they can’t get our own Capitol cleaned up, how can we trust them to lead the entire country towards a clean, 21st century energy system?

CNN
Washington Times

There’s a lot of talk about China’s staggering amount of planned coal plants, and the narrowing gap between it and the U.S. for the title of Planet’s Biggest Carbon Dioxide Emitter. But China is examining at least one unique way to develop more sustainably.

Welcome to Dongtan, the world’s first CO2-free city. Developers are building this $1.3 billion eco-city just outside of Shanghai. Renewable energy will be used extensively, the layout of the city maximizes walking and biking rather than cars, and transport vehicles will run on batteries or hydrogen fuel cells. Other plans include recycling organic waste, green roofs, and rainwater capture.

Dongtan will cover an area about three-quarters the size of Manhattan on wetlands at the mouth of the Yangtze River. However, Peter Head of Arup, the London-based firm heading the planning, said the wetlands are not at risk from the development. From the Architectural Record:

“‘First of all, water usually discharged into the river will be collected, treated, and recycled within the city boundaries,” he says. ‘There will be a 2-mile buffer zone of eco-farm between city development and the wetlands.’ While farming is water intensive, relatively small amounts of water reach the plants themselves. Head says Dongtan ‘will capture and recycle water in the city and use recycled water to grow green vegetables hydroponically. This makes the whole water cycle much more efficient.’”

But what will the habitants do in this eco-utopia? City officials and consultants expect jobs in education like at the planned Institute for Sustainable Cities, and they anticipate attracting companies pursuing clean technologies, food research and production, and health care. Dongtan is also expected to rely heavily on ecotourism.

Designers hope CO2-free city will serve as a model for the rest of the urbanized world. Its first phase includes a marina village of 20,000 habitants that will be unveiled at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. Nearly 80,000 people are expected to live in the city by 2020, and eventually designers hope to see 500,000 citizens living the good, green life there.

Architectural Record
Jetson Green

The New Oxford American Dictionary declared its 2006 word of the year to be “carbon neutral.” It’s certainly a term that’s been around the block lately: From Al Gore’s movie to London taxi cabs, many high profile individuals and even companies are offsetting their carbon emissions through carbon “credits” or “offsets,” thereby becoming more or less “carbon neutral.”

Carbon dioxide (CO2) – a major contributor to global warming – is emitted when we drive, when we fly, or when we flip the light switch (if the electricity comes from fossil fuels, which most of it does). We’re moving slowly toward a renewable energy system, but not fast enough for a lot of us. So one way to cut through the bureaucratic mess holding back 60 mpg vehicles and lots of clean electricity is to become carbon neutral yourself.

Buying carbon credits is as easy as doing a Google search and having your credit card ready. One can invest in an organization, activity, or event that reduces the carbon dioxide spewing into the atmosphere. Carbon credits range from tree planting (trees absorb or “breathe” carbon dioxide) to donating to an organization that develops solar ovens in Africa that don’t need to burn wood (and release carbon) to cook food. Many sites will calculate your personal carbon emissions based on where you live, how much your drive, where you get your power, etc, and then determine how many units you need to buy to become carbon neutral. Americans emit over 20 tons of carbon per person per year, and the cost per ton of certified carbon credits range from $5-$30 per ton. If you can’t offset a whole year of carbon, you can buy smaller increments, like offsetting the emissions from a trans-Atlantic flight or even a wedding.

Besides individuals who want to fight global warming, many companies are becoming carbon neutral too. Ski resorts, grocery stores, and banks are buying carbon credits in the form of wind power to offset their electricity use. Is this good PR for them? Absolutely. But they’re also feeling the impacts of global warming, from shorter winters to stronger storms to altered growing seasons. Companies that are feeling this effect on their bottom line will do well by their shareholders and by the planet to reduce their carbon pollution.

To be sure, carbon credits have their critics. Namely, that it gives people a false sense of security that they can keep on polluting without harming the planet. Of course, people must be educated while they’re buying credits; namely, that the first step is to make your life as efficient as possible: Switch out your old-fashioned light bulbs for super efficient compact fluorescent ones (the swirly kind), or take public transportation, or buy green power from your utility if it’s available.

Next, check out a reputable company to get hooked up with carbon credits. Offsetting your carbon emissions with clean energy or more trees is a practical, meaningful way to fight global warming. And don’t forget to call your elected official and demand more renewable energy in our electric system and higher fuel efficiency standards for our vehicles. Then, you can declare yourself the hottest thing in 2007: carbon neutral.

Coming up next Wednesday: An overview of the different types of carbon credits, and which may work best for you.

Illustration: Ilana Kohn

MSNBC
Climat Mundi
Renewable Choice Energy
Wells Fargo
Whole Foods Market
Wikipedia