U.S. launches program to offset carbon with trees

Consumers who see planting trees as a way to fight global warming can now sprout them without getting out the garden tools.

The U.S. Forest Service and non-profit group the National Forest Foundation launched a Web site on Wednesday where consumers can pay a $6 to offset one metric ton of carbon dioxide, the main gas scientists link to global warming. Their donations will pay for projects like the planting of ponderosa pines in a Montana forest wiped out by a fire, or Douglas firs in an Idaho forest damaged by a tornado.

"I think people are looking for something they can actually do besides reducing their carbon footprint," Bill Possiel, NFF's president said in an interview.

The world's largest emitter of greenhouse emissions, the United States, does not regulate output of the gases. That has helped spawn a voluntary, unregulated carbon market where consumers and companies pay someone else to cut emissions elsewhere at projects, such as wind power and tree farms.

Global voluntary market trade last year hit nearly 24 million tonnes of carbon dioxide credits worth more than $90 million, according to industry watchers.

oh kewl! I wish they'd do that for redwoods in California! Here's a link to the website with a carbon footprint calculator before the link to donating. We came out to $84/year to offset our family's habits. That might be a little low. I'll talk to my wife about this tonight and see what she thinks.

Even so, I think we'll get ready to go buy land in Greenland and start our forest there. ;)