Volkswagen To Offset Projected Emissions Of Cars

August 30, 2007

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Volkswagen of America plans to offset the carbon emissions of projected consumer use. From September 1, 2007, until January 2, 2008, vehicles sold by Volkswagen will have carbon emissions offset for the first year of ownership.

In addition, the Volkswagen site will show the carbon footprint calculation of vehicles alongside statistics on fuel efficiency, speed, and price, when they use the “Build a VW” feature, according to VW.

The offsets, from Carbonfund.org, will support the land acquisition and reforestation of 1,100 acres of habitat in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, Louisiana. The offsets will be based on the average annual emissions for each different type of model sold in the four-month period.

Volkswagen says it will encourage customers to continue to offset their emissions via a carbon calculator on a Volkswagen of America micro site hosted by Carbonfund.org.

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Reader Comments

If all I have to do is purchase an offset we can settle this climate change thing tomorrow.
But I thought we also had to do something – change a bulb, push the mower etc.
Anyone (in the western world) can write a cheque. I wonder what tangible action VW is taking to reduce their own corporate footprint.

andrea | August 30th, 2007

Andrea,
I don’t see stated nor implied in the article anywhere that doing this project is supposed to solve climate change by itself. Nor does it imply in any way that it is all that VW is doing (have you checked their web site?). Every offset organization–both the providers and the partners–understand that offsetting is just one small part of the many things that need to be done to fight climate change.
The fact is that Volkswagen did not have to do this at all. Repeat: they did not HAVE to do anything at all. They are investing real dollars to make an environmental commitment that they could have just kept for themselves and their stockholders. I have a hard time criticizing that.

Steve | August 30th, 2007

That’s a little dismissive. Writing a check in this case restores carbon sequestering wetlands and enhances all our lives. VW is being a good corporate citizen and trying to spread the idea that JUST changing a light bulb is not enough. Reforestation is vital too.

VW and Audi are both excellent corporate citizens and are working hard on limiting CO2 emissions. Let’s give them a little encouragement rather than a slap in the face.

BTW, I am intending on switching my car and minivan to the VW and Audi dieselized equivalents thus cutting my CO2 emissions by about 30%. As for the rest, I will be picking up fryer oil and converting it into biodiesel, thus offsetting the rest.

Allan Honeyman | August 31st, 2007

VW’s offset plan is based on a few misunderstandings. Preparing the 1,100 acres is likely to release more carbon into the atmosphere than newly planted trees will absorb. Those trees may, over decades, become net carbon sinks/absorbers but that depends on them surviving the climatic changes which are already beginning and which could kill them. In the meantime, the emissions from driving VWs will be adding to the climate problem from the moment they are driven. Any accountant would question the validity of equating actual emissions NOW with possible absorbtion over a period of decades IN THE FUTURE.

Peter Martin | September 10th, 2007