AutoShare has partnered up with ZeroFootprint to provide all members the option of offsetting the emissions resulted from their driving for about 1/2 ¢ per kilometer.
How does this program work?
Members can sign-up to the program online. AutoShare will calculate your monthly CO2 emissions based on your driving, and purchase offsets via ZeroFootprint. Offsets are created through various local projects.
What specific projects are creating these offsets?
- Maple Ridge Forest Restoration Project in British Columbia.
The forest restoration project in Maple Ridge, British Columbia aims to create a forest that will continue to be healthy beyond the lifespan of the current generation of trees, maximize the amount of CO2 that can be sequestered (or absorbed), and emulate natural forest growth. Unlike reforestation - which generally applies to replacing a forest felled for the timber industry and involves mass plantations of a mono-crop – this kind of forestation ensures the specific needs of this forest have been factored into its long-term plan. This includes a diverse range of planted species, careful planning and attention to the future success of the biomass that the forest will support.
- Tire Recycling Program in Quebec.
This project utilizes used car and truck tires to create a variety of products that include rubber carpets, car mats, new tires and an assortment of other post-consumer goods. Specifically designed technologies ensure the original characteristics of the rubber remain intact so as to retain the high quality of the final product after the recycling process.
- Landfill Gas Recovery Project in Ontario.
This project - located in Niagara Falls, Ontario - captures landfill gas from the East Quarry landfill and distributes it to a nearby plant that produces recycled content paper. Previously, all of this gas leaked into the atmosphere where it played a significant role in perpetuating global warming. New amendments to the landfill have diverted these emissions, while simultaneously providing power to other facilities.
How much will these offsets cost AutoShare members?
AutoShare in no way profits from this initiative. The cost to members is about 1/2 ¢ per kilometer (or 50¢ per 100 kms). These fees are collected monthly as a part of the AutoShare monthly billing cycle, the funds are then used to offset the created carbon emissions.
Are offsets free for AutoShare organizational members?
AutoShare's corporate, government and non-profit clients now have their driving offset completely free of charge as the cost to provide them is incorporated into their rates.
There is no need to sign-up or opt-in to the program. The offsets will be made automatically. |
