{"id":4822,"date":"2020-04-22T15:59:10","date_gmt":"2020-04-22T13:59:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fact-finder.com\/blog\/?p=4822"},"modified":"2022-08-08T16:06:50","modified_gmt":"2022-08-08T14:06:50","slug":"fact-finder-atmosfair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/blog\/fact-finder-atmosfair\/","title":{"rendered":"FACT-Finder Pledges to Help Offset CO\u2082 Emissions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

FACT-Finder has joined up with Atmosfair, a climate protection organization that also helps provide renewable energy to developing countries around the world.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Let’s go back to science class. Carbon, in its most basic form, is an element. In fact, it\u2019s the most common element for life on Earth – from the air we breathe to the crops we grow, and the chemical makeup of our own bodies, carbon is literally the basis for life. When talking about carbon emissions, we’re specifically focusing on carbon dioxide aka CO2<\/sub>. This colorless, odorless and non-poisonous gas is formed by combustion of carbon and in the respiration of living organisms and is considered a greenhouse gas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In nature, CO2<\/sub> releases into the atmosphere in multiple ways, such as between the oceans and atmosphere and by animals and plants through respiration. Yet nature is able to keep most of these emissions in balance – oceans absorb just as much CO2<\/sub> as they let off and plants absorb CO2<\/sub> through photosynthesis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humans, on the other hand, are not as effective as nature when it comes to our own CO2<\/sub> emissions. When we extract, refine, transport, and burn fossil fuels like coal, natural gas, and oil, we release extra carbon and other greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. In fact, the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions is from burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation. These human activities are responsible for almost all of the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere over the last 150 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is that concerning? Because greenhouse gases trap heat and make the planet warmer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What impact does air travel have?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many transportation activities such as air travel cause climate-damaging CO\u2082 emissions. Currently, no technical solution for air travel, such as unproblematic biofuels or a zero-emissions plane exists. All aircraft that burn fuels leave behind a trail of exhaust fumes and soot. At high altitudes, water vapor often condenses on the soot particles and freezes to form a cirrus cloud that can persist for seconds to hours, depending on temperature and humidity. Clouds can have both a cooling and warming effect. They reflect some of the sun\u2019s rays back into space, but also block some of the heat radiated by Earth\u2019s surface. On average, both thin natural cirrus clouds and contrails have a net warming effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is Atmosfair?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lowering levels of atmospheric carbon is a critical issue. First, we can avoid the situations that cause it and second, revert what\u2019s already been done. When we apply this approach to carbon emissions, it means we can either lower our carbon footprint or offset it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is what Atmosfair aims to do: mitigate<\/a>, reduce <\/a>and offset <\/a>CO\u2082 emissions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The non-profit organization recommends that for climate protection reasons, CO\u2082 avoidance should have priority over other measures. If it is not possible to avoid CO\u2082 emissions, at least measures should be taken in order to reduce them as much as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until airplane technology changes, passengers can offset their flight emissions with Atmosfair. People who donate to the cause make a voluntary climate protection payment based on the amount of emissions they create, and Atmosfair uses these contributions to develop renewable energies in countries where they hardly exist, above all in developing countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How does CO\u2082-offsetting work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Offsetting is an essential part of a comprehensive carbon strategy that aims at reducing companies’ climate impact. Through active contributions to protecting the environment, Atmosfair can compensate emissions created by business travel with high quality climate protection projects. It is an effective way to deal with those emissions that can\u2019t be avoided or further reduced through other measures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atmosfair develops renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in developing countries to compensate customers\u2019 greenhouse gas emissions. In this way, Atmosfair saves CO\u2082 that would otherwise be created by fossil fuels in these countries. Meanwhile, local people profit since often for the first time, they gain access to clean energy available around the clock, which is a must for education and creating equal opportunities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In contrast to re- and afforestation projects, only renewable energy and energy efficiency offset projects guarantee measurable and permanent CO\u2082 reductions. In addition, these projects have immediate co-benefits for the population, the economy and the environment in the partner countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atmosfair’s climate projects are in the areas of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n