Cost Just the Beginning of Offsets’ Problems July 27th’s San
Francisco Chronicle includes an article David Baker on Pacific
Gas and Electric Co.’s failing ClimateSmart whcih so far has
collected just $2.6 million to run a $9.7 million program. And
what does that program do exactly? Baker reports: People who
sign up for the program pay a monthly fee - usually less than $3
- to offset greenhouse gas emissions from the power plants that
supply their electricity. Most of the money funds forestry
projects that pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. While
other, smaller companies - such as TerraPass in San Francisco -
offer similar services, ClimateSmart was the first such program
from a utility. While Baker does a fine job finding many sources
that question the cost-effectiveness of the program, Baker then
glosses over a more fundamental issue. Do carbon offsets even
reduce carbon emissions at all? Studies have been conducted
around the world on this issue, and the verdict is in: Carbon
offset programs are a g