What is a Carbon Footprint?

A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives through burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heating, transportation, and food production.

What is a Carbon Calculator?

TLC’s carbon footprint calculator is a simple way to measure your impact on the environment by estimating your annual greenhouse gas emissions. You can choose to measure the emissions associated with your car, flights, home life, food and dietary choices. Once you have calculated your personal or family’s carbon emissions in tonnes per year you have the opportunity to offset your carbon footprint by donating to TLC. The rate of $15/ton is the generally accepted standard for an offset calculation.

What is a Carbon Offset?

Simply put a carbon offset is a means to compensate for the greenhouse gas pollution we all emit through our daily lives by preventing or reducing the same amount of pollution from occurring elsewhere. Offsets work because global warming is driven by the total amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Whether you reduce your own emissions by a ton or you support an offset project that reduces emissions by a ton, the net result is the same, a cleaner environment.

How Can I Be Sure TLC’s Carbon Offsets are of the Highest Standard?

TLC is committed to providing the most ethical and transparent carbon credits and conservation offsets programs possible. We are in the process of getting accreditation from the Living Carbon Institute which will be independently audited and a model for conservation offset certification throughout Canada. As our Carbon Offset program continues to grow please consult our website conservancy.bc.ca for further information.

How Does TLC Offset Carbon Emissions?

By contributing to TLC through our carbon offset program your donation will go directly towards new land acquisitions throughout the province. Much of the forested or undeveloped land that TLC protects acts as a carbon sink, sequestering tones of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere. As they grow, trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and through photosynthesis store carbon in wood fibers while releasing oxygen back into the environment. An average tree in the temperate zone found between the tropics and the polar circles can remove and store anywhere from 700 to 7,000 pounds of carbon over its lifetime. When trees are cut down, burned or left to decompose, the solid carbon chemically changes back to carbon dioxide gas and is released back into the atmosphere contributing greatly to global warming. According to the International Panel on Climate Change approximately 17.4 percent of annual global carbon dioxide emissions are caused by deforestation. ( IPCC 2006).  When you consider the vital role forests and other non-developed lands play in capturing and storing carbon the need to protect these natural spaces from being degraded and destroyed becomes even more evident.

What Else Can I Do to Reduce My Carbon Footprint?

We can all reduce our carbon footprint by using less electricity, gas, oil and water and by buying products that are produced and grown locally. By flying less, driving more efficient cars, and using alternate means of transportation when possible, and by recycling and buying foods that are in season and are locally grown can all have a positive impact on your carbon footprint.

How Can I Donate to TLC to Reduce Carbon Emissions?

By using TLC’s carbon calculator to estimate your carbon output and making a tax deductible carbon offset donation, your support goes directly towards fighting climate change and reduces carbon emissions with every acre of land you help to protect. To date TLC has protected over 125,000 acres of land in British Columbia many of which are carbon sinks, capturing and storing carbon for generations to come.

Disclaimer: The information from this tool is intended for personal use only and the conversion factors for carbon emissions are based on provincial averages.