Fair Trade Principles to Offset Carbon

by Zarah Patriana

Published March 26, 2009 @ 08:57AM PT

I had once posed the question: Can Fair Trade stop global warming? Well, the people at ClimatePath believe that Fair Trade principles can tackle the problem of climate change.

ClimatePath was founded by TransFairUSA alum, Dave Rochlin, the former COO and Katy Foreman, the former web strategist. Using their experiences dealing with Fair Trade certification of products, they decided to look at carbon offsets in the same way, by seeing it not as a commodity but rather as something with deeper value and impact.

For Dave Rochlin, he saw how selling coffee as a commodity set a 'low bar' for sustainability, hurt small farmers, and denied consumers the right to choose for themselves what their purchases support. Through Fair Trade principles, people started dealing with coffee in a more transparent way, seeing it for its value and putting a face behind the coffee. Coffee doesn't just end up in your coffee cup without any consequence in between -- there is a process, people and communities involved and a positive impact can be made through consumption. For carbon offsets, they want to reach a similar goal: to create a new model of trust and transparency that gives those who purchase carbon offsets a choice and look at those carbon offset projects for the mission behind it, not just as a product. Rochlin explains,

ClimatePath.org is designed around a marketplace model. Rather than blending project credits, selling untraceable tons, and putting pricing decisions into the hands of resellers, we let the projects determine a fair price, and give them a chance to promote the benefits of their work. We know from our Fair Trade experience that consumers want to be empowered to make informed purchase decisions, and often care as much about the underlying impact of their purchases as they do about price. This applies just as much to carbon footprint offsetting as it does to other direct purchases and product claims.

I must admit that when I first heard about carbon offsets I was confused. What are they? How do they work? How is the money put to use? How to I see the results? Being a conscious consumer, I wanted to know more.  I know that offsetting your carbon footprint helps tackle climate change, but let me know how and show me positive results How is my impact making a difference? And that's where ClimatePath wants to comes in.

A credibility gap and market inefficiencies have held back the voluntary market, which is tragic. We are running out of time on global warming, and conservation and offset mechanisms are the two best tools in our toolbox today. Forest preservation, small scale solar and wind, retrofitting… there are a tremendous number of projects in the pipeline that, with financial support, have immediate impact on greenhouse gas emissions, often carrying with them additional social or environmental benefits. We are excited to give the projects a place to tell their story, and a chance to break out of the commodity mindset. And we are convinced that greater choice and transparency will help make offsetting something that every consumer and business will consider as a supplement to their conservation efforts.

Just like Fair Trade principles used with food and crafts the same should be used for carbon offsets. If we are in the fight to tackle climate change together, we should know all the facts and have a say on how this is done. To find out more about the project, check out the site where you can also find out your own carbon footprint and find out how you can reduce it.

[photo: decisiontheater.wordpress.com]