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Options to offset your carbon footprint |
Greenworld compost is an aerobic composting facility at the Vaal Race Course. The compost is made from the bedding used for the horses. The bedding is composed of sawdust, paper, straw and horse manure. 40 tons of this waste is generated everyday from bedding for 800 horses.
The emission reductions from composting this waste aerobically (as opposed to disposal in a dump under anaerobic conditions) are estimated at 28,000 tons CO2e over 10 years. The emission reductions start at 68 tons CO2e in the first year of the project and amount to 5,775 tons CO2e in the final year of the project.
Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are four times more efficient and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. At a cost of R12 per bulb converting bulbs at a charity organisation is a very cost effective exercise at R35/tCO2.
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Installation of solar geysers in a nearby community |
Assuming the life duration of a solar geyser to be 10 years, solar geyser can be installed at either an orphanage, school or old age home at a cost of approximately R16,000 each resulting in an offset cost of about R600/tCO2. Solar geysers are expensive to buy and install thus most old age homes, schools or orphanages would not be able to afford it, making the additionality easy to demonstrate. Apart from the offset, the receiving charity institution will experience a saving on their monthly electricity bill.
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Planting of trees through Food and Trees for Africa (FTFA) |
Planting of trees in the FTFA award winning Trees for Homes Program can be sponsored at R84 per tree. As the trees grow they absorb carbon dioxide, therefore on generic averages the cost for carbon storage over the lifetime of a tree is R168/tCO2. A conservative 60% survival rate of the trees has already been factored into the overall calculation. The benefit of trees in low cost housing schemes and urban suburbs is, apart from the greenhouse gas reduction, linked to social and local biodiversity benefits. The FTFA tree planting events can provide prominence to the sponsor and can be tailored to allow participation by employees.
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