Tree Planting

CarbonZERO works in conjunction with local land owners to plant trees which sole purpose are to act as a carbon sink. A study conducted by Winrock International, Environmental Synergy Inc, and the the U.S. Fish and Wildlife estimates that a tree will absorb approximately 1.33 tons of carbon over a 70 year lifespan.


According to the Colorado Tree Coalition:
Heat from Earth is trapped in the atmosphere due to high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other heat-trapping gases that prohibit it from releasing heat into space -- creating a phenomenon known as the "greenhouse effect." Trees remove (sequester) CO2 from the atmosphere during photosynthesis to form carbohydrates that are used in plant structure/function and return oxygen back to the atmosphere as a byproduct. About half of the greenhouse effect is caused by CO2. Trees therefore act as a carbon sink by removing the carbon and storing it as cellulose in their trunk, branches, leaves and roots while releasing oxygen back into the air.

Trees also reduce the greenhouse effect by shading our homes and office buildings. This reduces air conditioning needs up to 30%, thereby reducing the amount of fossil fuels burned to produce electricity. This combination of CO2 removal from the atmosphere, carbon storage in wood, and the cooling effect makes trees a very efficient tool in fighting the greenhouse effect.

Carbon Credit Purchases

The Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) is a voluntary North American greenhouse gas emission allowance trading system. Over 200 environmentally conscious entities participate in the cap and trade program. Carbonzero purchases one ton allowances and retires them with local non-profits. Purchasing these allowances and preventing their use compels companies to reduce their emissions.

Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) is the world?s first and North America's only legally binding rules-based greenhouse gas emissions allowance trading system, as well as the world's only global system for emissions trading based on all six greenhouse gases.

CCX Members are leaders in greenhouse gas (GHG) management and represent all sectors of the global economy, as well as public sector innovators. GHG emission reductions achieved through CCX are the only reductions in North America being made through a legally binding compliance regime, providing NASD and price transparency. The founder, Chairman and CEO of CCX is economist and financial innovator Dr. Richard L. Sandor, who was named a Hero of the Planet by Time magazine for his founding of CCX.

The retired credits prevent carbon allowances that might have otherwise been bought by a company for the purpose of releasing the greenhouse gasses associated with production.

Green Energy Purchases
CarbonZERO subsidizes the additional costs associated with purchasing green power from La Plata Electric Association (LPEA). CarbonZERO analyzes the monthly electricity usage of local business partners to establish the number of 100 kw hours needed to power each business with green power. According to LPEA's website:

"Green Power is renewable electricity generated by sustainable resources such as wind, solar and even methane from pig farms (biomass). In all cases, Green Power creates environmental benefits (attributes). LPEA's power supplier, Tri-State Generation & Transmission, purchases renewable energy, and its attributes, from wind generating facilities across the western United States."

Each green energy power block purchased by CarbonZERO for local businesses prevents .1 ton of carbon from being released into the atmosphere.

Increasing the demand for green energy by purchasing power blocks, the energy market is transformed as more money is funneled into green energy programs.

Light Bulb
Replacement

CarbonZERO replaces incandescent bulbs with compact florescent light bulbs in numerous locations in the Durango area.

According to the United States Energy Star program:
If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.