faq
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A carbon offset is a unit of measurement that quantifies the value of an emission-reducing activity. People purchase offsets to balance out (or neutralize) harmful environmental impact one place with positive impact somewhere else.
Carbon offsets are quantified as metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2eq) removed, prevented or sequestered.
We like to think of the carbon footprint as the total impact our individual and/or corporate actions have on ecological well-being. The greater the footprint, the greater the impact. All of us generate carbon footprints just by living, but the goal is to live more lightly.
We usually quantify carbon footprints by metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emitted as a result of our activity. The average American generates a carbon footprint of about 16 tons of GHG emissions each year. The global average is about 4 tons per person per year.
It’s quick to find free, carbon footprint calculators online. We recommend the highly-rated, user-friendly calculator created by UC-Berkeley.
You can review the impact of various roundtrip flights from Roanoke or Dulles on the COREworks website here.
COREworks
COREworks manages a homegrown carbon exchange marketplace to promote ecological well-being in our local community, and beyond.
Specifically, COREworks does the following:
- solicits, vets, funds, and lists eligible earth care projects on its website;
- determines and verifies the number and value of MTCO2eq offsets generated by these projects;
- plans and manages related outreach, marketing, and publicity; and
- reports project outcomes to relevant stakeholders including the Boxerwood board of trustees and its external accounting firm.
The marketplace is COREworks’ instrument for local climate education and action.
Our endeavor draws inspiration from large-scale voluntary carbon exchange marketplaces. These commercial sites enable customers to balance out harmful impact from a specific carbon-emitting activity by purchasing emission-reducing offsets generated elsewhere.
Our marketplace lists local earth care projects actively generating carbon offsets in our own community. Those wanting to offset their impact in a locally beneficial way simply visit the online marketplace, select a project, then make a ton-for-ton offset donation, managed through our secure transactions page. The marketplace also accepts general donations. Notably, 100% of these proceeds in turn help launch the next climate-friendly project, perpetuating community benefits.
In addition to funding the work, you can accelerate the roll-out of green projects in Rockbridge by serving as a:
- COREworks Ambassador: Share COREworks with your social networks, invite us to speak to your organization, join our speaker’s bureau, create videos for us, and more.
- Project Host: Invite us to discuss implementing a COREworks tree-planting project on your Rockbridge property (50+ trees minimum).
- Project Volunteer: Plant trees during community planting days, recruit volunteers from your networks, monitor existing projects. Email us at coreworks@boxerwood.org. We’d love to hear from you.
donations
The main difference is intent. Donors making ton-for-ton contributions do so to offset personal impact from a carbon-emitting activity (like a plane trip) with equivalent net-positive COREworks activity. They align their donation with published COREworks rates. Their e-receipt acknowledges and values this transaction in metric ton equivalences.
Direct impact donors give to accelerate the launch of climate-friendly projects without regard to personal offsets. Their donations, therefore, are not tied to ton-for-ton rates and may be of any value. Their e-receipt simply acknowledges their contribution total.
Either way, 100% of all donations support the COREworks Fund, the engine for launching the next COREworks project. Donations may be one-time, or recurring.
All marketplace donations flow to the COREworks Fund, the internal reserve which provides capital for launching the next pre-approved COREworks project. The Fund is a distinct and restricted account within the financial infrastructure of Boxerwood Education Association, subject to internal and external professional oversight.
Both kinds of marketplaces help people offset their personal impact, but when it comes to valuation, there are two main differences.
First, COREworks functions more like a farmers market than a large grocery chain. Our offset values reflect the actual costs for implementing emission-reducing projects where we live. The costs to accomplish this work in Rockbridge is greater than in many parts of the world.
Second, in contrast to many exchanges, our funded projects include additional community-enhancing elements that ensure each project is not just “net-neutral” but “net-positive.” By intent, all COREworks projects must do more than simply right a wrong: they must leave the world a better place. The value of each COREworks reflects this additional commitment. Our goal is to help Rockbridge thrive and we offer a niche, premium product to support that commitment.
Most certainly, and you have two options.
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- To help launch the next project, simply make a direct impact donation, or
- To support the COREworks enterprise overall, make a donation to Boxerwood Education Association, sustainer of the COREworks initiative.
Projects
COREworks selects projects that bring bountiful community benefits. All projects must also include an ecological component that we can quantify as reducing, preventing, or sequestering carbon, measured in metric ton carbon dioxide offset emissions (MTCO2eq). With these criteria in mind, COREworks anticipates four project pathways: energy conservation/solar; tree-planting; food waste diversion; and regenerative agriculture. Find out more about the COREworks 4 Pathways.