Offsetters is a Vancouver-based organization that aims to guide people and organizations in reducing their climate impact. It was founded by alumni of the Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia. Offsetters provides

greenhouse gas A greenhouse gas (GHG or GhG) is a gas that Absorption (electromagnetic radiation), absorbs and Emission (electromagnetic radiation), emits radiant energy within the thermal infrared range, causing the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse ...

management solutions. Their platform is "Less Talk, More Action". Their social objective is to fight

global warming In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...

and to support sustainable development in the local communities surrounding their projects. Around 80% of their funds received in 2006 were directly invested into projects.

History

In 2005, two professors from the University of British Columbia decided that many of the companies that offer offsets have huge overhead costs/profit margins and very little of the funds generated from offset purchases were used in the projects. They also found that many obtained offsets from questionable sources that may not provide real reductions in the amount of in the atmosphere. Offsetters was originally conceived as a not-for-profit organization. In July 2015, Offsetters acquired Forest Finest Consulting GmbH, a leading German-based sustainable agro-forestry company, and CO2OL Natural Carbon Collection, a German-based voluntary carbon project developer and retailer. In October 2015, the Offsetters became the company NatureBank Asset Management Inc. (“NatureBank”) and operated Offsetters Clean Technology Inc. as a child company. Today Offsetters still operates under the parent company NatureBank.

Operations

Offsetters invest in projects that take

greenhouse gases A greenhouse gas (GHG or GhG) is a gas that absorbs and emits radiant energy within the thermal infrared range, causing the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are water vapor (), carbon dioxide (), methane ...

out of the atmosphere or stop them from being emitted in the first place. All of the purchases for offsets are invested into

carbon offset A carbon offset is a reduction or removal of emissions of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for emissions made elsewhere. Offsets are measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e). One ton of carbon ...

projects. By installing energy efficient heating systems on a large scale their projects offset the emissions from the client's activities, helping them to become

climate neutral Carbon neutrality is a state of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions. This can be achieved by balancing emissions of carbon dioxide with its removal (often through carbon offsetting) or by eliminating emissions from society (the transition to the "p ...

. In order to stabilize the Earth's climate, Offsetters believe a reduction in global emissions by more than 70% is needed. The projects that are initiated and promoted by Offsetters therefore aim to reduce

by 70% or more, and should sustain themselves once started.

References

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External links

Offsetters
Organizations based in Vancouver