BeGreen, Saving the Planet One Dollar at a Time

There are many things that money can buy: a fancy car, a Prada purse, a slimmer physique, even a more attractive partner. Now the folks at begreennow.com are claiming that they can offset your carbon footprint for the right amount of cash.

How it Works

The website features a calculator where visitors provide information about their lifestyle like the make and model of the car that they drive, and the miles they rack up annually. The calculator takes these factors into account, and estimates the tons of CO2 that the user generates in a year. After the user has determined their carbon emissions, they are given the option of purchasing "carbon offsets" from BeGreen's online store. For $56, a customer could purchase a BeGreen Driver for Compact and Small Cars, and offset 4 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions( the amount of pollution that the average compact car emits annually). BeGreen claims to offset carbon emissions by funding reforestation projects, investing in carbon-offsetting technologies, and purchasing renewable energy—think solar power and wind—credits.


Real World Results or Wolf Tickets?

BeGreen has partnered with recognized environmental protection agencies like American Forests and The Pacific Forest Trust. They also outsource an independent firm to review all of their purchases and sales. The audit report is available on their website.

And the Verdict Is...

Overall BeGreen's system seems legit. Still I would have a hard time handing over my hard-earned cash so that someone else could reduce my carbon footprint. I think my money would be better spent donating directly to non-profits that protect the environment—for one thing giving money the good old fashion way eliminates the middle man—or investing in companies that are developing new green technologies. And there's always recycling, driving less, and eating slow food. Still I have to give it up to BeGreen for facilitating innovative ways to save the planet.