Here we look at how I reduced my carbon footprint for October 2022 with the Changbin and Taichung Wind emissions reduction project, plus more. Find inspiration for how to reduce your emissions by following my monthly carbon offset series, which is part of our series on Living Sustainably.
How I Offset My Emissions
Most of my emissions are tracked and offset using the CoGo Carbon Tracker app that works like this:
- Install CoGo for free from the App Store or Play Store
- Link your bank accounts and cards to the app to automatically track your carbon footprint
- Offset your emissions by simply clicking ‘offset’ to pay for verified emissions reduction projects from South Pole
- South Pole emissions reduction projects reduce emissions now, not at some point in the future
- These projects help to protect biodiversity and bring real benefits to local communities
I also use:
- Trainhugger to plant a tree for every train ticket
- freetree.io to plant trees for free for my online purchases
- Ecosia.org to plant trees for free from my web searches
Why I Offset My Emissions
The science shows clearly that in order to avert the worst impacts of climate change and preserve a livable planet, global temperature increase needs to be limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Currently, the Earth is already about 1.1°C warmer than it was in the late 1800s, and emissions continue to rise. To keep global warming to no more than 1.5°C – as called for in the Paris Agreement – emissions need to be reduced by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.
If you think that 1.5°C is a small increase in temperature just consider your own body: A healthy average body temperature is 37°C and a high average temperature for adults is 38°C. The difference of just a few degrees is the difference between being healthy or being in hospital or worse – planet Earth’s ecosystem is just as sensitive – that’s why limiting the increase in the average global temperature to 1.5°C is so important. It’s also essential to remember the whilst 1.5°C is the global average limit, some countries will experience significantly higher temperature increases.
The current average carbon footprint of a UK citizen is approx. 1,058kg every month. However, to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, it’s recommended that each of us has a carbon footprint of only 180kg a month by 2030. The CoGo Carbon Tracker app enables me to reduce my emissions now whilst I find ways to reduce my consumption, waste, and impact.
The point of this carbon offset series is to put me under the spotlight, to push myself to do as much as possible to live a climate positive lifestyle, and to inspire others by showing that we don’t have to wait to be told what to do, we can reduce our emissions now while we wait for green and renewable technology to become affordable for the majority of people, and while businesses improve their own carbon footprint in the race for net zero by 2050.
My Carbon Footprint for October 2022
In October my carbon footprint was increased to 1,127kg: The same as cutting down 19 trees or driving 2,796 miles in a car. Miles away from the target of 180kg per month for a sustainable lifestyle. Let’s get into the detail to see what happened:
My Carbon Footprint for October Was Made Up Of:
- Food and drink = 216 kg (up from 162 kg the previous month)
- Around my home = 0 kg (down from 159 kg)
- Stuff I buy = 52 kg (up from 28 kg)
- Getting around = 721 kg (up from 434 kg)
- Unknown = 136 kg (down from 102 kg)
Taking a Closer Look at Each of the Categories:
In ‘Food and Drink’, most of my carbon footprint is on Produce for the food I make at home and I actually created less emissions in October, but I took a trip to the amazing Morwellham Quay and the Eden Project so my carbon footprint was bumped up by eating out. I could reduce this in future by taking more food to cook on the Trangia camping stove.
In ‘Around the Home’, 0 emissions as I didn’t spend any more in this category, BOOM!
In ‘Stuff I buy’, most of my emissions went on having some content written, which needs updating in CoGo as the app classified that as a book purchase (it will be good when CoGo allow us to manually update categories; plus my entry into the Eden Project, which is also not really in context because the Eden Project does incredible work to educate in terms of improving the planet for us and future generations.
In ‘Getting Around’, these emissions jumped up because of my trip down south to Morwellham Quay and the Eden Project, and purchasing a flight to see my family in Scotland at Christmas. I could reduce this in future when I can afford to switch to a more fuel efficient car.
In ‘Unknown’, these emissions were up because of booking a flight to see friends in Portugal (strange that CoGo couldn’t classify the airline as ‘Getting Around’), plus a collection of random purchases that CoGo couldn’t classify, which is more reason why their update to manually set categories will be a big help. I could reduce this by making more food and coffee on the Trangia camping stove.
Since my last post, I’ve be on a few online meetings with CoGo looking at the updates they’re planning to release, which all look really good. Excited to see them released so I can try them out.
Using the CoGo Carbon Tracker app I was able to easily offset my emissions by purchasing an emissions reduction project through South Pole.
This Month’s Carbon Offsets
1. Using South Pole for Emissions Reduction Projects
This month I chose South Pole’s Changbin and Taichung Wind in Taiwan, because it expandes Taiwan’s renewables sector and raises environmental awareness. Here’s more information on the project, taken directly from SouthPole.com:
THE STORY: Despite strong coastal winds along its shoreline, the island of Taiwan remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels, which make up over 75% of its total installed electricity capacity. Shifting towards sustainable energy is vital for Taiwan’s national security, and its economic and environmental prosperity.
THE SOLUTION: This project harnesses the strong prevailing winds along Taiwan’s west coast. The wind farms consist of 62 wind turbines that generate over 480,000 MWh of clean power on average each year, which is supplied to the local electricity grid.
THE IMPACT: As well as contributing to global climate change mitigation efforts through emission reductions, the project is engaged in several activities that help to preserve the local ecosystem such as regular beach clean ups and guided tours that raise awareness about climate change, pollution and other environmental issues. The project has also supported the reforestation of 2,400 m2 of land, which is encouraging local biodiversity.
This project is certified as:
And it supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals for:
You can find out more about this emission reduction project at SouthPole.com.
2. Using Trainhugger to Plant a Tree for Free for Every Train Ticket
I didn’t actually have any train travel in October so the numbers are the same as August: Using Trainhugger to book my train tickets I’ve now planted 3 trees, travelled 731.8km, and saved 2673.2kg of CO2, which is the equivalent of saving 0.3 years of home energy use, taking 0.6 petrol cars off the road, or saving 8.0 square meters of arctic ice. All pretty good considering I hardly ever travel by train.
3. Using freetree.io to Plant Trees for Free for My Online Purchases
Unfortunately I had to do a reinstall on my laptop so the previous figures went to zero and I had to start again: Using the freetree.io Chrome extension to plant trees for free with my online purchases I’ve planted 5 trees so far, which is part of a total of 41,924 trees already planted by freetree.io users, as of 8th December 2022.
4. Using Ecosia.org to Plant Trees for Free from My Web Searches
Using Ecosia as my search engine on desktop and mobile to plant trees for free I’ve planted 5,785 trees so far, which is part of a total of 163,671,224 trees planted by the Ecosia community, as of 8th Dec 2022.
Now Let’s Recap About Carbon Offsets
Carbon offsets are not the solution, but they are better than doing nothing while I work to reduce my impact, and while it becomes possible to move 100% to using only green, renewable, and sustainable technology.
Emissions reduction projects can generate two types of offsets:
- “Ex ante” means that the certificates are issued before the actual emissions reduction (e.g. tree planting)
- “Ex post” certificates are only issued after the emissions reduction (e.g. projects that replace coal-fired power stations with renewable)
The CoGo carbon tracker app automatically tracks your carbon footprint, and makes it easy and low cost to purchase emissions reduction projects from South Pole. As South Pole focuses on verified climate protection, over 99% of the emission credits from South Pole’s portfolio come from “ex-post” climate protection projects, where the emissions are reduced before you receive the certificates, which you will typically receive within minutes of paying for the offset project. Read more about South Pole Carbon Offset Projects.
Using the CoGo Carbon Tracker app and purchasing verified emissions reduction projects through South Pole; using Trainhugger to book your train tickets; using the freetree.io Chrome extension to plant trees for free with your online purchases; and using Ecosia as your search engine to plant trees for free, are four very powerful, easy, free and low cost ways to quickly reduce your emissions whilst you transition your life to green, renewable, and sustainable.
Here Is What You Can Do
- Install the CoGo Carbon Tracker app for free from the App Store or Play Store
- Book your train tickets through Trainhugger
- Install the freetree.io Chrome extension
- And use Ecosia as your search engine
- Be inspired. We can help climate change if we do something about it
- Talk to your friends and colleagues
- Share this with others
Want to Continue Your Journey?
Where Next?
There is so much inspiring information to give you ideas of how to help climate change by growing, eating, and living sustainably, you can:
- Read Our Articles
- Sign-Up to Our Free Email Newsletter
- Get Started and Vote with Your Money
- Try the Sustainability Roadmap
- Use the Company Directory
- Support Nafford Junction
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Production Notes
This was produced by me, James Walters, as a personal project to help stop climate change by inspiring others to grow, eat, and live sustainably.
Any advice given is the opinion of those involved and does not constitute medical, financial, or legal advice.
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