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Carbon offsets Updated: 01 Sep 2008

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Trees - Carbon Offsets Posted by: R M Scaife 29 Oct 2011 5:46pm

Planting of any trees to offset carbon emissions is a complete scam.
Reason: Over the whole life cycle of the tree any carbon sequestered by the tree is ultimately released back into the atmosphere. If the tree is left in situ it eventually dies and rots, releasing the carbon by decay. If the tree is harvested for timber - used to build a house say, well when the house is demolished in 100 years or so, then the wood being treated cannot be recycled so its buried in landfill, where it rots. If the tree is burnt for fuel or otherwise then the carbon is released.

Unless the scheme can harvest the tree and sequester the carbon in a form that cannot decay ever, then its a complete scam and achieves nothing.

The time frames for these schemes would have to be in the order of 100s of years, by then the original owners of the scheme are long dead or gone with your money, so you have been scammed all with the blessing of the govt.