Garry Fowler has been working with a team for 18 months to create an effective and practical club carbon calculator which Rotary clubs can use to identify and quantify the carbon emissions generated by their club meetings and events. By identifying the emissions, they can then make decisions on carbon credits, tree planting opportunities and other measures to reduce their impact on the environment.
First developed by Dr Roger Blakeley and his team at Rotary Wellington New Zealand, Roger worked to have their club certified as a Carbon Zero organisation with a certificate from Steve Dixon of Toitū Envirocare. To offset the carbon emissions for 2018-19, the Club purchased 8 tonnes of carbon credits from Puhi Peaks Station, Kaikoura (left picture) in the South Island of New Zealand, at a cost of $34.10 per tonne.. These are "gold standard" carbon credits for growing native forest with biodiversity add-on benefits of protecting endangered native birds.
By encouraging all clubs to consider their carbon impact and to purchase carbon credits from reputable organisations, Rotarians are walking the walk in their environmental impact.
Register for this online event through Humanitix at https://events.humanitix.com/esrag-oceania-may-meeting-launch-of-the-club-carbon-calculator
