- What is carbon compensation?
- Why does compensate now provide voluntary carbon compensation instead of mandatory carbon offsets?
- What is carbon offsetting?
- Why is rainforest regeneration such a powerful form of carbon compensation?
- Why is regeneration in the world heritage listed Daintree Rainforest in North Queensland, Australia so important?
- How do you know your funds are used appropriately?
- Exactly what will you receive for your carbon compensation funds?
- Who regulates the Australian Rainforest Foundation?
- How can you see proof that your contributions are utilized?
- How can you learn more about the Australian Rainforest Forest Foundation?
- How can I dramatically reduce my environmental impact and save money at work and home?
What is carbon compensation?
It is extremely difficult to accurately measure a person's or company's exact carbon footprint. Furthermore, government legislation surrounding carbon measurement and approved offset schemes is changing rapidly and often uncertain as this is a relatively new industry.
compensateNow.com provides voluntary carbon compensation as apposed to offsetting to avoid any future debate about the legitimacy of calculations and offsets purchased. We have conducted many hours of research to approximate carbon footprints and chosen what we believe is the most effective and legitimate form of carbon offsetting/compensation.
Why does compensate now provide voluntary carbon compensation instead of mandatory carbon offsets?
Carbon compensation via compensateNow.com gives you the comfort of knowing that your money is going towards the regeneration of an Australian national icon - our Australian rainforests. The fact that the Australian Rainforest Foundation is supported and endorsed by both the Commonwealth and QLD governments further ensures that your money is spent efficiently and the maximum amount is spent on our Australian rainforests.
What is carbon offsetting?
A carbon offset is a financial instrument representing a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon offsets are measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e). One carbon offset represents the reduction of one metric ton of carbon dioxide, or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases.
Why is rainforest regeneration such a powerful form of carbon compensation?
Rainforests are huge carbon sinks, tying up tonnes of carbon in their biomass - both above and below ground. Research from CSIRO indicates that the amount of carbon sequestered in these forests varies from 280 tonnes of carbon (tC) to 450 tC per hectare.
Loosing these forests would release this carbon into the atmosphere through CO2, contributing to climate change. ARF has taken a conservative position of allowing 295 tonnes of carbon per hectare as the calculator for stored carbon in a mature tropical rainforest.
The AGO has provided a factor of 3.67 to convert tonnes of carbon to tonnes equivalent of CO2 released by destruction i.e. 295 tC = 1082.65 tonnes equivalent of carbon dioxide per hectare (tCO2 e/ha).
At the recent Carbon Market Expo on the Gold Coast (Oct 2008) Dr Tim Flannery said that saving our old growth rainforests is the first thing we should be doing to alleviate climate change.
Further scientific research indicates that a rainforest of mixed species stores approximately 2.5 times the carbon as a single species plantation.
Why is regeneration in the world heritage listed Daintree Rainforest in North Queensland, Australia so important?
Planting the right tree in the right place is critical to extending our rainforests on land previously cleared of rainforest trees. Our selected native species grow rapidly, adsorbing CO2 from the atmosphere, breathe oxygen back into the air and store carbon in their biomass.
In Australia we have the world's oldest rainforest and one of the most biodiverse on the planet - The Daintree. It makes sense for Australians to help rehabilitate land adjoining the World Heritage Listed Wet Tropics. This rainforest is subject to a stable political climate, strong legal land ownership and good conservation protection mechanisms.
Scientists tell us that on average it will take four Australian native trees growing to maturity (up to 100 years), to offset a tonne of carbon dioxide. Also, according to the AGO, a typical planting of rainforest in the wet tropics sequesters CO2 at a rate that is well above the 1 tonne per 4 trees. If we estimate that a hectare has 2,500 trees (note that a typical revegetation would take between 2,000 and 3,000 trees per hectare). Then in the first 10 years 2,500 trees would sequester 154 tonnes equivalent.
How do you know your funds are used appropriately?
The ARF is a not for profit national environmental organisation, registered on the Federal Government's register of environmental organisations, a deductible gift recipient and a registered charity. Its primary focus if the protection and rehabilitation of Australia's rainforests.
ARF's primary focus is environmental protection; it is not a for profit tree planting organisation.
Exactly what will you receive for your carbon compensation funds?
Carbon compensation receipts are used to purchase and protect old growth rainforest for conservation. 60% of receipts are used for this purpose. The remaining 40% is used to rehabilitate land that was once rainforest. This involves the planting of over 150 different tree species on rainforest blocks. For example, a contribution of $100 is used as follows:
- $48 to acquire old growth rainforest (currently $48 for 20 square metres of rainforest)
- $32 to rehabilitate rainforest land (currently, $32 to plant 8 rainforest trees)
- $20 administration and monitoring
Who regulates the Australian Rainforest Foundation?
The ARF is run by an honorary Board of Directors, elected from members. It is a public auditable entity which is governed by ASIC.
How can you see proof that your contributions are utilized?
All rehabilitation plantings and land acquisitions are audited by an external third party and audit certificates issued.
How can you learn more about the Australian Rainforest Forest Foundation?
Visit www.arf.net.au.
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