Carbon Offsetting, Motor Racing and a Change of Opinion.

July 29th, 2008 Written by Biz

I periodically marvel at how obscure coincidences in life can lead one along totally new and unexpected avenues; how they can open series of brand new vistas and even lead to massive changes in ones long held opinions: so it was, that a chance opportunity to attend a race meeting of the Formula Palmer series lead to just such a chain of events.
 

I had never been to a live race and had only reluctantly attended because of the offer of a free ticket caused by minor car accident on the part of the ticket’s previous incumbent. Once at the race though, I was captivated by the high octane (literally) atmosphere of the event and wondered why I had never previously taken advantage of the thrilling day out that such racing events afford…and thrilling was right.
 

Halfway through the race one of the cars spun off the track and was completely obliterated when it flipped and then impacted a barrier; looking at the ragged remains of the car everybody feared that the crash might have proved fatal, but to everybody’s relief, the young lad driving the car was retrieved, shaken but completely unscathed; I was delighted that the driver was unhurt, but wryly smiled at the synchronicity that had caused a car crash to lead me to attend a race only to see another car crash.
 

By now, I had caught the racing bug and so bought myself a ticket to attend the next meeting at Brands Hatch. It was there in the pits that I spotted the young lad who had crashed in the previous race and I was delighted to discover that unlike some of the drivers who seemed somewhat reserved; Dan Rozwadowski (the young lad’s name) was friendly, courteous and very generous with his time. He actually gave me a close up tour of his newly reconstructed car.
 

Whilst talking to Dan, I couldn’t but help but notice that his car was covered in new livery and I became somewhat intrigued as the new markings related to a Carbon Offsetting program called ‘Buy A Watt’. Now, I have always thought that Carbon Offsetting schemes were a bit poncy…not that I don’t believe that we all shouldn’t be wasteful of energy or resources, but it’s just that there didn’t seem to be a practical and immediately noticeable way that ordinary folk could get involved
 

Let’s face it; the Government’s contribution to helping citizens’ Offset their Carbon so far, seems to have been to coerce us to eventually using those stupid low energy light bulbs whose inferior illuminative output seems even less powerful than Florence Nightingale’s candle and whose polluting potential (due to their Mercury content) is far greater than traditional Tungsten bulbs ever were. They also seem to be intent, in the name of Carbon Offsetting, on irrevocably blighting the countryside with thousands of Wind Power Generators of dubious utility.
 

The situation seemed no better in regard to Private Carbon Offset companies; I’m sure that some of them do a good job, but it was never seemed very clear where the Carbon Offsetting was taking place and how we could all see an immediate and tangible benefit.
 

So in spite of peoples genuine wish to do something practical to ‘do their bit’, was Carbon Offsetting practically worthwhile? In view of Dan’s openness and in view of his car’s new livery, I put the question to him…his answer surprised me, encouraged me and caused a fundamental shift in my opinions.
 

Carbon Offsetting via ‘Buy A Watt’ is a way to make a personally significant, tangible and lasting difference to Carbon levels and to the environment…you get your monetary contributions returned to you over time…and as I discovered, businesses can actually make a monetary return from their contributions; here’s how it works.
 

Unlike many Carbon Offsetting plans where you make a contribution but never see what practical difference you have made, the folk at ‘Buy A Watt’ use all Carbon Offset contributions toward the commissioning of Solar Power Stations on the Spanish mainland; they apparently use Spain firstly (of course) because of the number of ‘sun hours’ there, but also because Spanish National Power Suppliers are obliged by law to purchase environmentally clean power at a hugely preferential  rate (some 500% over and above the wholesale standard rate). This means that from the second that a solar generating station is switched on, it starts making money.
 

So what happens to the money?
 

Well, that’s the great thing; all the funds from the sale of the generated power to the National Power Companies are returned to the people whose contributions went toward the construction of that particular station: everyone can instantly see that their contributions have made a REAL difference to the world because a Solar Power Station is tangible and because they get a yearly return and eventually make their original contribution back plus a bit extra. Not that anyone goes into Carbon Offsetting to make money, but it’s nice that you do get your contribution back over time…effectively, you are just ‘loaning’ your contribution to the environment…better in my opinion than ‘buying a bit of Rainforest etc.
 

When it comes to businesses (and this is where my ears certainly pricked up!), Offsetting Carbon via ‘Buy A Watt’ gets even better. Most businesses are under increasing pressure to offset their Carbon footprint and they can now do so and get a return on their contribution. How? Well, to my reckoning, companies Offsetting their Carbon can write up the amount contributed as an expense against tax; but, of course they will be due to receive a return on that expenditure, so it is literally ‘money from nothing’…brilliant!
 

I’ve certainly had my eyes opened with regards to Carbon Offsetting and I’ve even made a contribution to ‘Buy A Watt’ myself, in the name of my young son. In my wildest imaginings, I could never have foreseen that a chance car accident would lead to another car accident and then to a chance meeting with a young racing driver and thus to a complete reversal of a long held opinion…but that’s the wonder of being in this marvellous uncertain world!
 

…although I strictly never put links into my bloggs, anyone wishing to find out more about practical Carbon Offsetting with ‘Buy A Watt’, can visit the ‘Buy A Watt’ website at www.buyawatt.com
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entry Filed under: Rants & Views