When you’re cruising around on just one wheel, you need footwear that gives you a good feel for the earth. The Blackspot Sneaker is more than just a shoe. It’s a global movement. Or global brand anti-movement, if you will.

The shoe itself is made from organic hemp, in a sweat-free Portugese union shop, and it’s designed by world-famous Vancouver shoe guru John Fluevog. But the mission of Blackspot goes much further than form and function. Founded by Adbusters visionary Kalle Lasn, the anti-corporation’s goal is nothing less than to take down Nike, and kick any other megacorporate ass it can along the way. Ambitious? Anarchistic? You be the judge. Visit their website athttp://www.blackspotshoes.org

The Painful Stats:
An average domestic U.S. flight releases more than 1,700 lbs of greenhouse gases per passenger, and our cars unload four to 10 tons of carbon dioxide, on average, into the atmosphere every year.

As part of my continued quest to ride the sustainable Unicycle lifestyle, I set out to reduce the greenhouse effect of my air and car travel. Fortunately, the business world has created some market-friendly ways to offset our carbonaceous consumption through Carbon Credits, or Offsets.

After researching a few resources, I chose to offset my air travel through Cleanairpass.com, a Canadian company based in Ontario. Just to spread it around a little, I chose TerraPass, a well-accredited US company, to offset my car travel. More about that later. First, some basics about the credits and offsets game. The basic idea here is that participating polluters who reduce their greenhouse emissions below target levels can sell the remaining unused leftovers as credits. These are actually traded on the Chicago Climate Exchange, and purchased by those who use them to help meet their own targets. Thus, permission to pollute becomes a market commodity. And companies that can beat their emission targets have a reason to do so.

There are also a growing number of groups offering “carbon offsets”. Examples include Cleanairpass, TerraPass, Climate Care, Carbon Fund, Sustainable Travel International,CO2Balance and Future Forests. Individuals pay these organizations to undertake a carbon dioxide mitigation effort in an amount sufficient to offset the CO2 produced by a given activity. Offsets fund projects like wind and solar power, reforestation or carbon capture programs.

So where did I net out? Through Cleanairpass.com, I submitted the details for my flights – one return trip to New York City, and a family Vacation for three to Puerto Vallarta. I was sent an Excel spreadsheet showing the carbon emissions, and indicating the amount I should pay to offset these exhalations. The grand total was $35.18 CDN, including taxes. Less than the cost of in-flight cocktails, really. So where did my 35 bucks go? According to the info sheet I received by e-mail with my receipt, “Your cleanairpass benefits the environment by supporting an emissions reduction program located in Washington State that is reducing a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions by capturing and destroying methane that is produced on a large agricultural farm.” Round up those cow farts, Clem.

For the carbon spewed by my mini SUV, I entered my vehicle’s relevant stats on the TerraPass website, along with a yearly driving distance estimate. According to their calculations my Honda Element creates 9,997 lbs (4500 kg) of CO2 yearly. That’s more than it weighs. The cost to wipe this sooty stain from my conscience: a mere $49.95 US for one year. According to their ‘verified’ site, 33% of this total goes to Renewable Energy Certificates, (putting clean power into the grid), while 67% goes to Carbon Credit Offsets, registered and retired on the Chicago Climate Exchange. They also promised to send me a nifty window sticker, which I guess will give me bragging rights at the next treehugger rally.

Of course these initiatives are not without critics. Friends of the Earth, an environmental pressure group, said “There are strong concerns over the environmental credibility of many of the credits and the contribution of the projects to sustainable development. Money for an offset scheme should only be funnelled to projects that would not have happened unless the offset money was provided.” 

So what’s next? I must say, I still feel pretty bad every time I get on an airplane. And I’m starting to consider tinting my windshield so people won’t see me drive. But these Carbon Offsets at least contribute to a growing social and economic experiment where individual choices can add up to large-scale change. I think that deserves some credit.

Links:
Cleanairpass.com
Terrapass.com
Carbonfootprint.com
www.carbonfund.org.

On February 13^th, 2007, Parliament was launched with a Throne Speech that “calls for bold action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” Included among the politically ambitious if somewhat vague promises, were a number of concepts that should prove fertile for businesses who are already walking the walk.

One that caught my attention was “A new $25-million Innovative Clean Energy Fund… to encourage commercialization of alternative energy solutions such as bioenergy, geothermal energy, tidal, run-of-the river, solar, and wind power.”
Commercialization should involve communications – to investors, customers and markets – to drive the monetization and take these technologies mainstream. Look for opportunities in rich media, web video, PR and branding. (I will be!)

BC is also now getting into the Carbon Credits game. “…the Province will work with the federal government and Pacific partners to develop a sensible, efficient system to register, trade, and purchase carbon offsets and credits.” As these kinds of programs are selling an ‘intangible’, they will depend on a strong, well-communicated brand story to succeed. Some lucky (?) agency will no doubt get to navigate these waters with a boatload of bureaucrats rowing madly in all directions. I hope the concept survives.

On a personal note, I was glad to see that “…Effective immediately, B.C. will become the first jurisdiction in North America… to require 100 per cent carbon sequestration for any coal-fired electricity project.” This puts a tidy cap on two coal projects (already approved by BC Hydro!) that would have created emissions equivalent to putting 300,000 more cars on our raods. Let’s hope they hold the line on that one, too.

Click here for the full speech. 
Click here for a more critical review from The Tyee.

In the middle of January, on my way to the subway, I was surprised to see an organic farm market at Union Square. Turns out this is a weekly occurrence, through the GreenMarketprogram, operated since 1976 by the Council on the Environment of New York City. Almost 200 local farmers, fishers and bakers  sell what they grow, raise, catch and bake themselves, at 44 locations in the five boroughs. No middlemen or brokers allowed. So the members of the world’s largest eco-commune don’t even have to leave their tree-hugging hippie paradise to shop locally-grown and organic.

If you take the R train from Manhattan south to Union station in Brooklyn, you emerge in a streetscape that looks somewhat less than eco-friendly. But a few brownstone-lined blocks over, on a charming street of shops, you’ll find 3R Living, a tidy boutique of recycled, re-thought and refreshing lifestyle products. The store is the brainchild of couple Samantha Delman-Caserta and Mark Caserta, who combined her background in marketing with his involvement in environmental issues to create a business they could really live. The shop smells deliciously of beeswax and Mrs. Meyer’scleaning products, a line of soaps, toilet cleaners and sprays that bring a touch of aromatherapy to everyday scrubbing. Other offerings include organic linens, wallets made from inner tubes, and solar-powered backpacks that will charge your phone in places you won’t even be able to get reception. Heading for their third year of operation, Samantha and Mark say it is going very well, with much success due to their on-line sales portal. When asked about possible expansion plans, Mark was cautiously optimistic, saying that he wanted to get all of their existing systems perfectly buttoned down first. Suffice it to say it was extremely heartening to see such a future-friendly venture succeeding. (Personally, I think they would kick ass on west 4^thavenue in Vancouver.) Visit them in Brooklyn at 276L 5th Ave, or on-line athttp://www.3rliving.com.

A main reason for my recent visit to New York was to meet with sustainability marketing pioneer Jacquelyn Ottman, a passionate and much accredited innovator, author, strategist and public speaker who has been helping businesses, government agencies, and not-for-profit groups meet consumer needs more sustainably for nearly 20 years. Listening to Jacquie talk about her Getting to Zero™ approach to product development, one can almost hear the gears churning through her wealth of experience. Her firm, J. Ottman Consulting has worked with a who’s who list of clients, and her bookGreen Marketing: Opportunity for Innovation is heading into its third edition. I am pleased to announce that Unicycle and J. Ottman consulting are now available to work together for you right here on the West Coast, or wherever sustainable products and services need to be developed or rejuvenated. Please visit www.greenmarketing.com for more information. Also, when she recommends the bagels at the Starlight Diner, by all means say yes