​Carbon Offsetting

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What is your "Carbon Footprint"?

Your carbon footprint is the sum of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated both directly and indirectly by your lifestyle. It can apply to an individual, organization, event, product or community. In the case of a product or service, it is measured by calculating all the emissions resulting from every stage of its lifecycle (production, manufacturing, use phase, and end-of-life disposal). A similar examination and evaluation can be made of individual or community lifestyles. An organization or business is also able to assess and measure its carbon footprint.

 

Potential Sources of Carbon Emissions:

Electricity and Heat Production: The burning of coal, natural gas and oil for electricity, heating and cooling is one of the largest single source of global greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Industry: This sector includes emissions from chemical, metallurgical and mineral transformation processes not associated with energy consumption, and emissions from waste management activities.

 

Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use: Greenhouse gas emissions from this sector come mostly from the cultivation of crops and livestock, as well as deforestation. In addition, transportation of all food produce from source to destination contributes a significant factor in carbon emissions. This is especially true in the case of cities where food has to travel vast distances to reach local consumers.

 

Transportation: Greenhouse gas emissions from this sector primarily involve fossil fuels burned for road, rail, air, and marine transportation. The world's transportation energy comes from petroleum-based fuels, largely gasoline and diesel.

 

Buildings: Greenhouse gas emissions from this sector arise from energy wasting materials used in the building process, as well as in-house energy wasting for heating, cooling and general household appliances. An additional factor is the distance materials need to travel to the building site.

 

What is Carbon Offsetting?

Many of our everyday actions, at home and at work, consume fossil-fuel produced energy, generating carbon emissions and resulting in a negative carbon footprint. Carbon offsetting is an internationally recognized way to take responsibility for these negative impacts. We can compensate for them by contributing to carbon-saving initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

 

Carbon offset schemes around the world allow individuals and/or companies to invest in environmental projects in order to balance out their own carbon footprints. It is common practice to support projects that have both short and long term impacts. Carbon offsets may be exchanged on voluntary or compliance carbon markets. In the voluntary carbon markets, buyers are motivated by personal or corporate social responsibility. In the compliance carbon markets, buyers are motivated to purchase offsets when they offer a cost-effective way to meet their obligation (by law) to reduce emissions. 

 

Why Carbon Offset?

Carbon Offsetting provides a mechanism to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the most cost-effective and economically effective manner. Offsetting plays a role in combating climate change. However, it should be part of a larger program to produce less waste, generate more renewable energy and move to a low-carbon future by increasing energy efficiency. This can be achieved by shifting to cleaner fuels and adopting a sustainable waste management system in all sectors. Carbon offsetting does not release us from the obligation to move towards a sustainable low-emissions lifestyle.   

 

JGF Carbon Offsetting Opportunities:

It is generally recognized that air travel is one of the big contributors to greenhouse gases (GHG), and an important opportunity for carbon offsetting. Unlike other lifestyle factors, there is no reasonable alternative for global travel. Consequently, air travel users are highly encouraged to contribute to environmental projects to offset their carbon footprint.

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Jerusalem Green Fund is committed to social and environmental sustainability in and around Jerusalem. As such, we can provide ways to offset your carbon emissions and reduce your carbon footprint, by supporting environmental initiatives in and around Jerusalem that have a clear carbon reduction impact.

Our key Carbon Offsetting Program is Food for Jerusalem. Food for Jerusalem encourages people and communities to grow their food locally, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions from production, transportation and distribution. The project includes:

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• Food growing programs for schools

• Restoration of Biblical agricultural terraces in order to revive local food growing and strengthen local communities.

• "Edible neighborhoods", support communities in developing food security by growing and consuming their fruit and vegetables locally. 

 

To make this easy for you, we have calculated the cost of your carbon footprint on major air travel routes.

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Flights and Costs (one-way per person):

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*The table is based on calculations of carbon emissions per flight, carbon reduction per project and approximate value of carbon on the international carbon exchange market.

 

To make your carbon offset contribution:

If you are about to fly or have recently flown, and want to make a carbon offset contribution click here to give your support to Food for Jerusalem.