In no way do I agree with the whole carbon offset thing. However, I think the analogy between the “300″ and this is a little thin.
Xerxes used slaves. They had no choice. British prisons used prisoners for the treadle pumps and the prisoners had no choice. IF Climatecare is paying these folks to use the treadle pumps then isn’t that a little different?
I’m NOT saying it is a good long-term economic transaction as it would obviously be better for these folks to use a more modern (ie productive) technique to improve their situation. As opposed to going for the short-term cash to use manual labor to make the buyers feel good about themselves.
From the treadle pump users perspective this “carbon offset” thing could turn out to be quite good, under one scenario and if they are clever about it. Let’s say you are a treadle pump user out of necessity. You can’t don’t have the capital to buy something more productive. Your only choice right now is treadle pumps to irrigate your crops.
Along comes this “carbon offset” program to make the left feel less guilty. They will pay you for doing what you had to do anyway, use the treadle pumps to irrigate your crops.
Then after awhile, you save the “carbon offset” money and buy yourself a better pump. You lose the “carbon offset” money, but you end up better off cause you are more productive now with the better equipment. Then you start buying tractors….
