Subscribe
  • News
    • Local
    • Regional
    • Business
    • Real Estate
    • Outlaw Partners
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Yellowstone
  • Events
Menu
  • News
    • Local
    • Regional
    • Business
    • Real Estate
    • Outlaw Partners
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Yellowstone
  • Events

Reflections: Carbon offsets

in Arts & Entertainment, Opinion
Reflections: Carbon offsets
Preserving our forests is one of the most important things we can do for the planet, as the plants that make up the forest capture carbon from the atmosphere. PHOTO COURTESY OF UNSPLASH.COM
Outlaw Partnersby Outlaw Partners
January 15, 2020

By Kathy Bouchard EBS CONTRIBUTOR

It was one of those cool and quiet days—no wind, and the pewter sky seemed particularly close. My high elevation had been reached, and the return downhill was letting me catch my breath. Various Douglas firs stand sentinel along this road, always seeming to be companionable. I was noticing all the trees around me because I was listening to a story about them.

The voice in my ear, from “The Overstory,” Richard Powers’ Pulitzer Prize winning novel, was telling about how scientists had sequenced the DNA of the Douglas fir. I looked around more attentively. The botanist character announced that the Douglas fir shares 24 percent of its DNA with humans, and that the two species shared a common ancestor 1.4 billion years ago. Wow! Cousins!

Article Inline Ad Article Inline Ad Article Inline Ad
ADVERTISEMENT

We are being told these days that preserving our forests is one of the most essential things we can do for the planet. In fact, more carbon consuming plants of many types must not only be preserved but restored to former or degraded habitats and expanded almost wherever possible. This includes the kelp forests off the Pacific shores, tall grass prairies where rain is scarce, mangrove tangles along the tropic shores and hardwood forests in our urban environments. These trees capture carbon, reduce temperatures, create rain, fertilize soils and provide homes for creatures of innumerable kinds.

You can support these activities and offset some of your carbon footprint by donating to organizations designed exactly for the purposes of conservation and sustainability. These organizations use your donations to fund projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, allowing you to counteract a portion of your carbon footprint.

Two weeks ago, I googled “carbon offset,” tabulated my miles flown in the past year and selected an organization certified by long-standing watchdogs like The Gold Standard or Green-e. With a little research you can zero-in on a plant or region that interests you. The projects are usually in developing countries and are designed to reduce future emissions, according to one website.

I chose one with multiple programs around the globe, because variety is fun. This was the first time for me to buy carbon offsets, though driving a hybrid vehicle, buying energy saving lightbulbs and supporting organizations that fight pollution are still ongoing concerns. Listed below are a few suggested websites where you can take a closer look at carbon offsets:

  • CoolEffect.org
  • Terrapass.com
  • Carbonfund.org

Kathy Bouchard is a member of the Rotary Club of Big Sky’s Sustainability Committee. She has been a Montana resident for 20 years and is inspired to work for sustainability on behalf of her grandchildren.

ADVERTISEMENT
Outlaw Realty Outlaw Realty
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Listen

Hoary Marmot Podcast

Joe Borden & Michele Veale Borden

Lastest Episode
See More Episodes
outlaw realty montana outlaw realty montana
ADVERTISEMENT
Outlaw Realty Big Sky Bozeman
ADVERTISEMENT

Upcoming Events

Jul 8
11:00 am - 5:00 pm Event Series

June Show at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery

Jul 9
11:00 am - 5:00 pm Event Series

June Show at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery

Jul 9
12:15 pm - 1:30 pm Event Series

Community Yoga

Jul 9
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Event Series

Post 99 Honey sales

Jul 9
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Event Series

Pickup Ultimate Frisbee

View Calendar
Event Calendar

Related Posts

Letter to the Editor: Thank you to Big Sky’s wellness champions 
Opinion

Letter to the Editor: Thank you to Big Sky’s wellness champions 

July 7, 2025
Dispatches from the Wild: Elk feedgrounds 
Environment

Dispatches from the Wild: Elk feedgrounds 

July 2, 2025
Music in the Mountains opens with New Orleans soul
Arts & Entertainment

Music in the Mountains opens with New Orleans soul

June 30, 2025
Writers on the Range: The slippery slope of e-bike access
Conservation

Writers on the Range: The slippery slope of e-bike access

June 30, 2025

An Outlaw Partners Publication

Facebook-f Instagram X-twitter Youtube

Explore Big Sky

  • About/Contact
  • Advertise
  • Publications
  • Subscriptions
  • Podcast
  • Submissions

Outlaw Brands

  • Mountain Outlaw
  • Plan Yellowstone
  • Big Sky PBR
  • Wildlands Music
  • Outlaw Partners
  • Outlaw Realty
  • Hey Bear

Copyright © 2025 Explore Big Sky | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Your Privacy Choices

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Regional
    • Business
    • Outlaw Partners
  • Yellowstone
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Real Estate
  • Events

©2024 Outlaw Partners, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Explore Big Sky Logo
  • News
    • Local
    • Regional
    • Business
    • Real Estate
    • Outlaw Partners
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Yellowstone
  • Events
Subscribe
Facebook X-twitter Instagram Youtube