Field Museum Becomes First U.S. Museum Offering Visitors a Way to Offset the Carbon Footprint of Their Trip |
Just $1 offsets carbon emissions from a trip to the museum
CHICAGO, Sept. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The average person living
in the United States produces more carbon emissions in a year than 200
trees can absorb. Meanwhile, the average person living in Africa needs just
one tree to absorb his or her carbon output.
As a way to help Americans shrink the size, or footprint, of their
carbon emissions, The Field Museum is launching on October 2, 2007, "Take 1
Step." This innovative, voluntary program is the first in the country that
allows museum visitors to purchase credits that will offset the carbon
emissions they generate by traveling to the museum.
Each carbon emissions offset credit will cost just $1, which will be
used to remediate the carbon emissions generated by the average trip to the
museum. The money will help slow global warming by entering the carbon
market and promoting the development of renewable energy technologies, as
well as by habitat restoration projects and the conservation of intact
forests.
"The Earth's atmosphere is warmed by gases such as carbon dioxide and
methane that trap heat from the sun," said Debra Moskovits, PhD, Senior
Vice President of Environment, Culture, and Conservation at The Field
Museum. "While these gases occur naturally, humans emit millions of tons of
additional gases by driving, flying, and using electricity. Carbon offset
credits represent one way to reduce the carbon footprint that each of us
leaves every day."
The Field Museum is well positioned to offer carbon emission offset
credits because it participates in the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX), the
first greenhouse gas emissions trading system in the world. CCX (see
http://www.chicagoclimate.com) was formed four years ago, and in July 2007
The Field Museum became the exchange's first museum participant.
CCX is the world's only global marketplace for trading emission
reductions and offsets for all six greenhouse gases. Here's how it works:
Participants voluntarily enter into legally binding agreements to cap or
reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Those who reduce emissions below their
target levels have surplus allowances to sell or bank. Those who emit above
their target levels are required to purchase CCX Carbon Financial
Instrument contracts. One such CFI represents 100 metric tons of carbon
dioxide (or equivalent greenhouse gases).
"CCX provides a sound, legally binding mechanism for capping and
trading carbon emissions that is verified by independent third parties,"
Moskovits said. "If our visitors purchase a credit, they can be confident
that their money will go towards fighting the build-up of greenhouse
gases."
To estimate the cost of offsetting a visit, CCX calculated the amount
of carbon emitted by a mid-sized car over the mean distance visitors travel
to the museum. It costs just less than $1 to offset those emissions.
With the dollar visitors spend on Take 1 Step the museum purchases
Carbon Financial Instrument contracts on CCX, and a small portion of the
money goes towards Field Museum programs that directly reduce global carbon
footprint. The Field's conservation programs in the Andean foothills,
Amazonian lowlands, Madagascar, The Philippines and other locations already
have saved more than 30 million acres of pristine wilderness.
"We hope that eventually all of our visitors will take this great
opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint through Take 1 Step,"
Moskovits said. "It's a small step, but every step counts. On a broader
scale, it will help to create market incentives for keeping extensive
forests intact."
Media contact: Nancy O'Shea
Office: 312.665.7100
SOURCE Field Museum
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CONTACT:
Nancy O'Shea of the Field Museum,
+1-312-665-7100
