BEF LAUNCHES WEB-BASED
CO2 CALCULATOR
___________________________________________
On September 10, the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF), of
Portland, Ore., launched a new CO2 calculator on its Web site that will
allow individuals and small businesses to determine the amount of carbon
dioxide associated with their energy and travel use. By entering data in
the calculator at http://www.b-e-f.org, visitors learn how much their
specific actions impact the environment in terms of CO2 emissions. They
are offered the option of offsetting this impact with pollution-free,
renewable energy.
Over the past 18 months, BEF has sold more than 11.7 million kWh
worth of
its "Green Tags" green power product. This is equivalent to the output of
more than six wind turbines operating for a year, displacing the air
pollution emissions that would occur from fossil fuel-burning power plants.
"Carbon dioxide and other pollutants are produced by simple,
everyday
activities like driving a car and opening a refrigerator," said Angus
Duncan, BEF president. "These are activities we all engage in, hopefully
with an eye to conserving energy. But even efficient energy produces
pollutants when the power is generated from coal or gas. BEF Green Tags
allow us to contribute to more wind and solar power -- and less fossil fuel
burning. The federal government may still be unsure about the advent of
global climate change, but most people recognize the serious threat to our
children. We are giving them a way to act. They are ready to act, even if
Washington is not."
BEF, a nonprofit organization, provides individuals with the
opportunity
to buy Green Tags or make a charitable contribution directing BEF to buy
Green Tags on their behalf to offset up to 100% of their CO2
footprint. Green Tags come from renewable energy such as wind and solar
that does not add pollution to the air or water. The revenue from these
transactions is reinvested in the next generation of renewable energy. The
BEF Green Tag program is open to residents of all U.S. states and does not
affect the current relationship between the participants and their
electricity providers.
BEF was founded in 1998 to fund new renewable energy resources and
watershed restoration projects. Although BEF maintains a strong
collaborative relationship with the Bonneville Power Administration, they
are separate organizations.
