There is a lot of talk of a cap and trade law (HR 2454) to combat carbon emissions; whether the Senate passes it is truly up in the air (no pun intended), however, even without a cap and trade law, there are ways to offset carbon emissions.
Forests are a natural way to offset carbon emissions; trees need carbon to grow. The Chicago Climate Exchange offers Carbon Financial Instruments (CFIs) that are tradable contracts for the sequestration, destruction or reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that emitters can buy and hold to offset their GHG contributions.
Forest landowners can register as projects to qualify for CFIs, to generate income without making changes to forestry management operations.
The point is — trading of carbon emissions already takes place — although probably not as robustly as would occur with a forced regulatory cap; but, trees are becoming a valuable commodity without being logged. Those spotted owls in the Northwest get a break also.
