[Foundation-l] WMF-projects: Carbon neutral/low/aware website?

[Thomas Dalton]

> > It is possible to completely stop dumping
> > heavy metals in the local creek. It is not possible to completely stop
> > carbon emissions. [Thomas Dalton]
>
> It is possible for the WMF to stop its own carbon emissions: We could
> put a wind turbine on the roof, as suggested by GerardM. But more
> seriously, we could neutralize our carbon emissions through investment
> in renewable energy programs (carbon offsetting).
>
> > offsetting is at best a stall tactic [Thomas Dalton]
>
> The major problem with carbon credits (yes, I'm saying it has a
> problem) is that many investments made today will not reduce global
> carbon emissions until some time in the future, and AFAIK this is
> generally not taken into account (but correct me if I'm wrong). So
> there is a delay between the investment and the payoff. For example,
> trees planted today may take tens of years to offset the carbon they
> were planted to offset. Is this what you mean by "stalling"?

A wind turbine on the roof will eliminate our carbon emissions from
electricity usage. What about travel? Manufacture of various things
used around the office? Hell, what about people breathing while
contributing?

Offsetting is a stall tactic because it will only work for a limited
amount of time. There are only so many trees that can be planted, only
so many light bulbs that can be replaced by energy saving ones, etc.
The cost of carbon offsetting will steadily increase in price as the
"low hanging fruit" is all picked until the cost becomes too great for
us to be able to afford it. After that point, will be no longer be
carbon neutral.

Becoming carbon neutral is not simply a matter of writing a cheque and
being done with it. It is an ongoing quest for perfection that will
never be reached. Deciding how far along that quest we want to go is
not a simple matter.