Saving the Environment, the EBay way..

As you know, I'm an NPR junkie. As I was driving to work this morning, I heard a story about a new imitative being started by the online-shopping-buying-selling-trading guru, EBay.

The Pop!Tech Carbon Initiative, in the words of EBay, is "Human-induced climate change is one of the most potentially consequential and damaging threats facing us today. To encourage action on this issue, the Pop!Tech Carbon Initiative enables you to offset your personal carbon emissions by purchasing carbon offsets from environmental projects that are also contributing to the social and economic development of the communities they serve. In conjunction with reducing your energy consumption and using energy more efficiently, investing in these projects will help in a small way create a better and brighter future for everyone."

Basically, you figure out your lifetime carbon footprint, and then donate an amount of money to offset your usage. Is the goal to raise more money, or to guilt you into decreasing your carbon footprint?

Now, as I was driving the 40 miles to work (each way) in my SUV, I thought about it. And when I got to work, I calculated it. According to EBay, I produce 25.9 metric tons of carbon per year. (The average is 9.55 for the average American.) Well crap, I'm ruining the environment.

What this site doesn't take into account is what things besides my house, car and flying may do. What about the fact that I (sort of) recycle? Or that I don't use aerosol cans? Or that I... well, I don't do much, but that's not the point.

Buying your way out of ruining the environment. Geez, I believe in the American Way.