ifydcat We live in a world that is, after some time slumbering, waking up to the impact of global warming and associated climate change. Many people scoff at this new resurgence in interest in the environment but, and though this might sound a little grandiose, we must all try and do our bit to try and reverse the damaging effect we are having on the world around us. Simple things such as switching off lights and not leaving televisions on standby do their bit, but the newest thing for trying to help the environment is carbon offsetting, a new form of green car insurance.
Carbon offsetting is, in broad business speak, a financial instrument that aims at a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Simply put, it is a method of trying to neutralise your effect on the atmosphere by the carbon you produce. For instance, companies that produce a lot of pollution by using a lot of electricity will plant a copse of trees for every bit of carbon released into the atmosphere, the idea being that the trees, who "breathe" carbon and release oxygen as part of their photosynthesis method of producing food, will replace the amount of harmful carbon dioxide with oxygen. It is a brilliant idea that is and like most great ideas, elegantly simple.
Carbon offsetting has found its way into many different arenas, with big business anxious to preserve their statuses as ‘green’ companies by becoming completely “carbon neutral”, which is the ideal goal for anyone using carbon offsetting. The principle of carbon offsetting has also found its way into eco car insurance too. This is not really all that surprising being as the thing we use most everyday is probably the most carbon-producing thing we have, a car. But how does this work?
Well, one good example is a company in Glasgow, called The Green Insurance Company. With them, you can apply online for a car insurance quote, as you normally would, and get any type of insurance you want. The difference here is that The Green Insurance Company then calculate how much carbon dioxide your car would be likely to emit in a given year (or whatever period insurance you take out with them), and allocate enough trees in their specially planted forest to help offset the harmful emissions.
This forest is situated at St Cyrus, close to Montrose in Scotland, and that is where “your” trees will be living and offsetting your carbon. The company have teamed up with Forest Carbon to help oversee the project and to ensure that it is managed correctly, and you are more than welcome to visit the forest; The Green Insurance Company’s website even states the reassuring fact that you can hug the trees, should you so wish!
All in all, if you are wanting to do something more to help reduce greenhouse emissions and do something that can really help your environment, then carbon offset car insurance might well be the way to go. Oh, and make sure you don't leave that television or laptop or other electrical appliances on standby too!
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