FAQ

Q. Why should I pay to offset someone else's CO₂ output?
A. Very good question. In a sense, you shouldn't have to! What we have here though, is a unique opportunity to raise the profile of carbon-offset programs for air travelers, and to shine a light on patterns of excessive consumption. We want to see every airline offer a carbon-offset option when you buy your ticket, and we want to show travelers just how minimal the cost of offsetting their ecological impact is. If the GCCO 2006 works, and gets the media attention it deserves, our donors will know that they have been part of a very, very good thing.

Q. Where do the numbers come from?
A. Please click here to read about how we calculated our fundraising target.

Q. Adding one more passenger to a flight with empty seats can't make that much difference in terms of fuel consumption / carbon emission, can it?
A. While the marginal ecological cost of adding one more passenger to a flight is very minimal, the average ecological impact per passenger remains high. It's true that one can minimize the per-passenger quanitity of carbon emitted by filling each plane to capacity, but it remains our position that if you fly, you and your fellow passengers are responsible for an equal share of the CO₂ output of the flight. For a more detailed response to this question, click here.

Q. What does it matter if that guy flew or not? Aren't the planes flying with or without him?
A. While in the short-term it is unlikely that the decisions of one person will affect the supply of flights say tomorrow or next week, the aggregate market pressure of individuals can drive demand up or down in the long-run. That said, we're not so interested in quantifying the effect that a small group of mileage runners has on the marketplace as in encouraging air travelers of all types to recognize their accountability for the carbon emissions caused by their flights.

Q. How can I donate?
A. We will be using Fundable to coordinate the donations. Learn more about how donations are being coordinated.

Q. What if we don't raise our target amount by the deadline?
A. If we do not reach our target of CAD$2100 donated by our deadline of Midnight PST on January 27, 2005, then all of our donors will be reimbursed.

Q. I plan to fly soon and want to offset my carbon output. How much will that cost?
A. Much less than the tax you had to pay on your fare! For example, according to the Atmosfair calculator, an economy class return flight between Vancouver, BC and NYC JFK on an Airbus A320 would emit the equivalent of around 1.7 metric tons of CO₂ per passenger. At CAD$15 / metric ton, it would cost just under CAD$26 (roughly US$23) to offset 100% of your portion of the emissions!