Offsetting for Businesses
Businesses have an important and essential role to play in meeting the challenge of climate change and carbon offsetting is an easy and effective means of doing so. By offsetting the emissions that can’t be reduced through internal change, businesses can reduce their impact on the climate and help to finance important projects which would not otherwise be viable. An offset-inclusive carbon reduction program is an immediate and cost-effective way to meet stakeholder pressure by setting and meeting carbon reduction targets.
It’s easy and affordable for you to differentiate your business, reduce your environmental impact and communicate your leadership in the community. Consumers are now demanding that businesses lead by reducing their carbon impact. A partnership with Island Offsets provides businesses with an opportunity to actively court the growing number of eco-conscious consumers. We can help your business put in place a carbon management plan which combines internal reductions with a carbon offset program that directly benefits the Cayman Islands. You'll receive use of our partner logo, marketing support, and garner publicity for your efforts to reduce and offset.
"Pay It Forward" with Island Offsets
The Cayman Islands, like many small island nations, are among the most vulnerable locations to the adverse impacts of climate change. At Island Offsets, we are dedicated to finding ways to help the local community tackle climate change by thinking globally and acting locally. That’s why we are excited to announce the Island Offset “Pay it Forward Program,” for local businesses. The “Pay it Forward Program”, will help local businesses meet corporate carbon emissions reduction goals by providing a one of a kind opportunity to invest in local Cayman projects that will: 1) generate renewable energy, drive energy conservation, and reduce utility costs in local schools, 2) ensure that local environmentally sensitive lands continue to sequester carbon, and 3) offer educational programs for the next generation of local environmental leaders.
Traditional Offsetting Programs Don’t Have Local Cayman Options
Investments into traditional carbon offset or renewable energy credit purchase programs pay for emissions reductions that have already occurred. There are no existing emissions reduction projects located in the Cayman Islands, making it impossible for local businesses to buy “local offsets” to meet corporate emission reduction needs. This is mainly because projects, such as adding solar arrays to local schools, have trouble finding funding to pay upfront project development expenses.
Pay it Forward with Island Offsets 2016 Helps Your Business Think Globally & Act Locally
The “Pay it Forward Program” provides your business the opportunity to fund the development of a future project on the island to be complete in 2016. Your purchase will help the local community overcome upfront funding barriers associated with traditional offsetting programs. In return, your business can choose to offset corporate energy use and emissions for calendar year 2016 and beyond with one transaction.
How does "Pay it Forward" with Island Offsets 2016 Work?
1. We perform a utility audit of your local corporate office or facility
2. We then project your future carbon emissions
3. Your business has the option to purchases offsets for up to ten years
4. Your purchase will be used to build a solar array at a local school that will reduce monthly utility expenses
5. Next we leverage your investment to drive deeper reductions by devoting a portion of utility savings to:
a. ongoing system monitoring and maintenance;
b. new energy efficiency projects;
c. future land restoration and acquisition projects;
d. developing educational opportunities in environmental leadership and green technology
6. We’ll follow existing carbon protocols and standards to ensure that your offset is performing as intended
7. Your business meets its carbon reduction and more by:
a. contributing to the production of clean renewable energy;
b. promoting the stewardship of natural habitat and the preservation of local natural heritage
c. stimulating local job growth
d. providing educational opportunities for local students
Is this a real emission reduction?
Yes, and no. For example, your business is unable to reduce 100 tonnes of its CO2 emissions in the short term. Island Offsets has a project which could save 100 tons easily, but doesn’t have the funds to set the project in motion. Through our "Pay it Forward" programme, you provide the financial assistance to subsidize the cost of a project to cut carbon emissions and have enabled a savings of 100 tonnes of CO2. Your business has therefore reduced global net CO2 emissions by 100 tonnes and effectively erased your carbon footprint. This is a very real reduction in global carbon levels that will help alleviate the effects of climate change.
To be clear, however, a carbon offset, an emissions reduction credit, and a carbon credit are generic terms that generally represent a verified reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon offsets are commodities that are commercialized, sold, and retired within compliance and voluntary markets. Although Island Offsets' "Pay it Forward" programme does not trade in these markets, it is nonetheless creating real carbon reduction effects that will be felt not just on a global scale, but locally in the Cayman Islands as well. This programme then goes beyond international standards by also preserving important and unique local biodiversity, contributing to energy independence and promoting science education in Cayman's classrooms. Your involvement in this programme goes further than traditional offset projects and has tangible effects that will be felt right here at home.  |
