CARBON OFFSETS AT AIRPORT KIOSKS

S.F. fliers may pay their way in carbon usage
Michael Cabanatuan, December 24, 2008 (S.F. Chronicle)

“Environmentally conscious travelers flying out of San Francisco International Airport will soon be able to assuage their guilt and minimize the impact of their air travel by buying certified carbon offsets at airport kiosks...scheduled to start this spring, [this] would make SFO the first airport in the nation - possibly the world - to offer fliers the opportunity to purchase carbon offsets…

“...the projects offered will be chosen by the mayor's office, in conjunction with 3Degrees, from a list certified by the city's Environment Department...projects could include renewable energy ventures in developing countries, agriculture and organic waste capture, coal mine methane capture, and sustainable forestry…a portion of each offset purchase would go to the San Francisco Carbon Fund, which supports local projects such as energy-efficiency programs and solar panel installations for low-income housing, as well as efforts to convert waste oils into biodiesel fuels…

“The cost of offsets for SFO travelers is still being negotiated…a two-hour trip uses about 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per person, and the cost to offset that would be about $4. Offsetting a trip to Europe would cost $36…”