The Carbonfund.org Foundation (known as Carbonfund.org) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization based in Silver Spring, MD

Silver Spring, Maryland

Silver Spring is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 71,452 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.The urbanized, oldest, and...

 that provides carbon offsetting and greenhouse gas reduction options to individuals, businesses, and organizations. Carbonfund.org purchases and retires certified carbon offsets

Carbon offset

A carbon offset is a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for or to offset an emission made elsewhere....

 on behalf of its donors. Donors are given a choice of project type to which they may donate, including renewable energy

Renewable energy

Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...

, reforestation

Reforestation

Reforestation is the natural or intentional restocking of existing forests and woodlands that have been depleted, usually through deforestation....

, and energy efficiency

Efficient energy use

Efficient energy use, sometimes simply called energy efficiency, is the goal of efforts to reduce the amount of energy required to provide products and services. For example, insulating a home allows a building to use less heating and cooling energy to achieve and maintain a comfortable temperature...

 projects. Carbonfund.org is a member of the Chicago Climate Exchange

Chicago Climate Exchange

The now defunct Chicago Climate Exchange was North America’s only voluntary, legally binding greenhouse gas reduction and trading system for emission sources and offset projects in North America and Brazil....

  and is a Founding Member of the American Carbon Registry.

Certification

Carbonfund.org exclusively supports projects that are certified by third parties, including Environmental Resources Trust, the Climate, Community & Biodiversity Alliance

Climate, Community & Biodiversity Alliance

The Climate, Community & Biodiversity Alliance is an initiative led by Conservation International, CARE, The Nature Conservancy, Rainforest Alliance, and the Wildlife Conservation Society to promote the development of land management activities that simultaneously deliver significant benefits for...

, Voluntary Carbon Standard and the Chicago Climate Exchange.

Portfolio

Carbonfund.org supports three types of carbon projects: renewable energy

Renewable energy

Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...

, energy efficiency

Efficient energy use

Efficient energy use, sometimes simply called energy efficiency, is the goal of efforts to reduce the amount of energy required to provide products and services. For example, insulating a home allows a building to use less heating and cooling energy to achieve and maintain a comfortable temperature...

, and reforestation

Reforestation

Reforestation is the natural or intentional restocking of existing forests and woodlands that have been depleted, usually through deforestation....

.

Reforestation

• Return to Forest Project

Certification: Climate, Community & Biodiversity Alliance

Climate, Community & Biodiversity Alliance

The Climate, Community & Biodiversity Alliance is an initiative led by Conservation International, CARE, The Nature Conservancy, Rainforest Alliance, and the Wildlife Conservation Society to promote the development of land management activities that simultaneously deliver significant benefits for...

 CCBS "Gold Level"

• Tensas River
  Tensas River
  The Tensas River is a river in Louisiana in the United States. The river, known as Tensas Bayou in its upper reaches, begins in East Carroll Parish in the northeast corner of the state and runs roughly southwest for more or less in parallel with the Mississippi River...
  
   Valley Reforestation Project

Verification: CCBS Gold, VCS

Renewable Energy

• New Bedford Landfill Methane Project

Verification: Environmental Resources Trust

• Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center

Verification: Green-e Energy RECs

• Inland Biodigester Project

Verification: Environmental Resources Trust

• Chino Basin Dairy Farm Biodigester

Verification: Environmental Resources Trust

Energy Efficiency

• IdleAire Truckstop Electrification Project

Verification: Environmental Resources Trust

• Carbon Credit Retirement

Carbonfund.org purchases carbon financial instruments from the Chicago Climate Exchange

Chicago Climate Exchange

The now defunct Chicago Climate Exchange was North America’s only voluntary, legally binding greenhouse gas reduction and trading system for emission sources and offset projects in North America and Brazil....

 and retires them.

Impact

Carbonfund.org offers offsets at $10.00 per metric ton. As of December 2008, Carbonfund.org is offsetting over 4 billion pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.

Major Partnerships

• Volkswagen
• Dell
• Allstate
  Allstate
  The Allstate Corporation is the second-largest personal lines insurer in the United States and the largest that is publicly held. The company also has personal lines insurance operations in Canada. Allstate was founded in 1931 as part of Sears, Roebuck and Co., and was spun off in 1993...
  
  
• Orbitz
• CES
• Amtrak
• EPA
• Discovery Communications

Carbonfund.org lists more than 1000 business and organizational partners on its website.

External links

• Carbonfund.org
• Carbonfund.org blog
• Five experts debate if carbon offsetting is the quick, efficient way to decarbonize the global economy, or the loophole that will derail such efforts. Interview with Eric Carlson co-founder and president in Seed (magazine)
  Seed (magazine)
  Seed is an online science magazine published by Seed Media Group. The magazine looks at big ideas in science, important issues at the intersection of science and society, and the people driving global science culture...
  
  2009.