A bright idea: Democratic delegates to help global warming, local families

By Beth Daley, Globe Staff

It’s incredibly easy to be put off by carbon offsets.

I’ve written several stories raising serious concerns about some companies’ questionable tactics in taking people’s money to offset the carbon dioxide they emit from cars, heating homes or flying long distances.

A compact flourescent light

Some companies take money to pay for carbon reduction programs that were going to happen with or without your money. Others are not up front about exactly where your money is going or if your offset will really help the environment. Since there are few standards that everyone abides by, it can be difficult to sort out the good companies from the bad.

But this year, Massachusetts delegates to the August Democratic National Convention in Colorado – billed as trying to be the most environmentally-sustainable convention in history – are being asked to engage in an offset program that, if it does what it says, makes a lot of local sense.

Delegates and their supporters can offset travel, hotel and food by replacing incandescent light bulbs in local low-income homes with far more efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs. The program cuts down on carbon dioxide, the key global warming gas – and saves families money.

The program was announced today by Gov. Deval Patrick, Senator John Kerry, Boston City Councilor Mike Ross, State Senator Marc Pacheco, chair of the senate committee on global warming and climate change and the Massachusetts Democratic Party.

Here’s how it works:

Delegates buy offsets from the local non-profit company LiveCooler which then will team up with non-profits in the delegate's community that work with low-income families.

Each ton of offsets purchased for $15 allows the non-profits to then buy about five long-lasting compact fluorescent lights to distribute to low-income families. That translates into a reduction of about 454 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions every year – and saves a family $68. Because the cost of CFLs can be much more than traditional incandescent light bulbs, many families do not purchase them.

Over five years, the family will save $299.50, according to city councilor Mike Ross.

“I’m planning to spend a good portion of this summer installing CFL bulbs in my district with area youth programs,’’ said Ross.

If the light bulbs are installed, it could have real tangible benefits – not just for the environment but for the pocketbook of people who need it the most.

For more information go to:
LiveCooler site for the MA delegation: http://www.livecooler.org/massdems
2008 DNCC Green Delegate Challenge: www.demconvention.com/green-delegate-challenge
Boston Green Tourism: www.bostongreentourism.org
http://www.demconvention.com/gree-delegate-challenge