How to Make Sense of Carbon Offsets

It can be hard to know where to focus energy in our world today. It seems that we are collectively gaining understanding of challenges that have long-impacted so many – health, safety and social equity are on our minds on a daily basis. Climate change, and the fundamental, existential threat it poses, envelops all these issues. We are in a race against time to apply our collective ingenuity and resolve to combat this existential threat.

Thankfully, there are many working on solutions and right now, today, there are meaningful steps we can all take to reduce our individual carbon contribution to the climate change problem. Each individual, family, business and community has the ability to reduce our carbon footprint. One powerful tool is to “offset” the emissions produced in daily activities. Offsetting sets a price for carbon produced and that money can then be invested in projects that over the life of the project sequester, destroy or remove, avoid, carbon from atmosphere. 

We, at Sun Path Electric, are committed to doing our part to help people add renewable energy generation to the mix. But, even this good work adds carbon to the atmosphere. So, to ensure we are living the solutions we work to create, we’ve developed a personalized carbon offset strategy. Sun Path founders, Kristy Royce and Briggs Neiman have been working with Seattle-based Evergreen Carbon to implement an offset plan for not only the business, but also their family.

Carbon What? How Do Offsets Work?

A carbon credit is generated from a specific project activity that destroys, sequesters or avoids greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. One credit is equivalent to 1 Mt (metric tonne) of greenhouse gas emissions, as measured in carbon dioxide equivalency or CO₂e.  Credits are assigned a value, and are available for purchase. Carbon finance enables projects to exist that wouldn’t otherwise.

Projects that provide co-benefits for sustainable development, along with the carbon credits are the best.  By offsetting unavoidable emissions, organizations are participants in sustainable development. Greenhouse gas management commitments can do inspiring work around the world, with purchase of carbon credits that meet strict, well regulated and high quality standards.

All offsets Evergreen Carbon provide are: Real, Additional, Verified, Registered, and Permanent. 

Real – The project has to exist and the credits issues have to represent measurable reductions in greenhouse gases.

Additional – Projects have to be beyond business as usual for that industry. A project is demonstrated to be additional by showing that without carbon finance supporting the project, it wouldn’t happen. Projects have to meet legal, performance and financial standards.

Verified – An independent technically qualified, 3rd party verifies claims of generated carbon credits. Verification requires site visits, interviews and detailed documentation review.  Only professionals, with the requisite technical and auditing skills are involved making sure the project credits are what they are claimed.

Registered – Carbon Credits can be used only once. GHG registries holds and tracks credits, while having no involvement in the sale of the credits. The registries provide a serial number and tracking that each credit is used only once and are unique.

Permanent – Carbon credits are only accounted for ex-post, they have to have already been generated. Credits cannot be reversed. Buffers and other safeguards are used to provide assurance of offset permanence.

A carbon credit is generated from a specific project activity that destroys, sequesters or avoids greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. One credit is equivalent to 1 Mt (metric tonne) of greenhouse gas emissions, as measured in carbon dioxide equivalency or CO₂e.  Credits are assigned a value, and are available for purchase. Carbon finance enables projects to exist that wouldn’t otherwise.

Projects that provide co-benefits for sustainable development, along with the carbon credits are the best.  By offsetting unavoidable emissions, organizations are participants in sustainable development. Greenhouse gas management commitments can do inspiring work around the world, with purchase of carbon credits that meet strict, well regulated and high quality standards.

Evergreen Carbon’s founder, Wolf Lichtenstein, has been working on multi-national carbon solutions for the last 15 years. He was drawn to this work after stretches as a software engineer and chemist, He is grateful for this path because it helped hone a systems-thinking world view that includes a detailed understanding of business, industry and corporate culture. Learn more about how Evergreen Carbon’s Offset Portfolio works.

Kristy, Briggs and their kids’ offset strategy factors in their daily lives, home and vacations, as well as the business - all energy, all rentals, electrical, all driving and 1 family air flight annually. Kristy and Briggs are passionate about healing our planet and they research choices diligently to ensure that their efforts are contributing to meaningful solutions. A key thing that they learned is that there is more carbon value in protecting trees than planting them. This knowledge helped them select the first project.

https://evergreencarbon.com/projects/featured-project-in-malawi-for-summer-2019/

“Part of the reason I go with Wolf is his offsets are the highest quality and very reasonable, as he just does not mark them up as much as some others I looked in to. He makes most of his living doing backend carbon accounting, so the offset business is really a sideline. He will buy the offsets in bulk at a net price and then sell them mostly to local Seattle businesses and friends. He is the real deal and is doing this to be part of the solution”

Wolf stresses that when selecting a carbon offset project, one should support projects that push the envelope and add to the international grid in a way that builds up local communities, as opposed to supporting established projects in the first world. “Don't buy solar credits in first world, instead consider the amplifying effect of supporting both ecological and social benefit in developing countries”. Renewable projects spur social equity, generate cleaner, greener jobs and build up the communities that need sustainable infrastructure. It is these projects that make markets stronger and build momentum for a global solution.

As valuable as offsets are, they are only part of an aggregate of growing, emerging and evolving solutions that weave together a number of “co-benefits”. Projects can be small and large scale, including such things as beekeeping and supporting Women-owned business along building with renewable energy projects, maintaining forests and planting trees. The UN has 20 Sustainable Development Goals, that illustrate the intersectionality of these co-benefits.

 Additional Resources

Verra verifies the quality of projects around the world.

https://verra.org/

For individual flights, here are some good places to buy offsets:

https://nativeenergy.com/

https://standfortrees.org/en/

https://cotap.org/carbon-footprint-calculator/

A good flight calculator is:

https://www.myclimate.org/

By Rebecca Sayre

Sun Path is Open For Business

We are ready to serve the Seattle Area

On March 22nd, Sun Path Electric decided for the safety of our employees, clients and community in general, to shut our operations. Although solar was considered essential, we felt it best to do our part to "flatten the curve" and lower the number of infected people in Washington state. Honestly, as important as grid-tied solar is, we did not see it as essential.

After two months sheltering in place, we are slowly re-opening and will be following all CDC guidelines on all job sites. The safety of our staff and clients is always our number one concern. All employees will be practicing social distancing both on and off the job site. We are returning to work slowing and with great care.

Here are a few details:

PPE

- Gloves: Crew members will wear gloves at all times while on site.

- Eye Protection: Crew members will wear eye protection at all times while on site.

- Face Masks: Crew members will weak face masks at all times while on site.

- Handwashing: All staff will follow CDC guidelines for handwashing and will have handwashing ability (outside of your home) on site.

- Cleaning and disinfecting work stations: All workstations will be cleaned and disinfected at the start and end of each day.

Solar Systems

Solar system installations mainly happen outside on your roof and mounting equipment on the side of the home. Our electricians will need to enter your home to access your electric panel, which is usually located in the garage or electric room. When entering home, all staff will adhere to CDC guidelines.

Remote Site Surveys

Our sales and design team specialists will provide remote preliminary consultation and solar quotes. This includes an overview phone meeting, emailed educational materials on going solar in Washington,  a solar system designed through advanced mapping technology and information provided from our customers. After the initial consultation, upon customer approval, and in-person meeting and site evaluation is scheduled to make sure the home and roof are as indicated on satellite imagery. Our solar consultant will wear PPE and follow social distancing suggested by the CDC.

As Always, We Are Here For You!

Now, more than ever, small, socially-minded businesses, such as Sun Path Electric, need community support. Over the last two years, we have installed hundreds of solar systems, donated thousands of dollars to local climate groups, and provided hundreds of hours of community education on solar and climate change. Our consistent 5 star reviews, across all platforms, speak for themselves. We are here for you in good times and in less-than-good times. We continue to move solar and climate education forward with love, honesty and quality workmanship.

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