Some people call it the “guilt sticker for gas guzzlers,” but there’s good science and good economics behind it. TerraPass is a for-profit company that invests in clean energy and CO2-reduction projects. Their website lets you calculate how much carbon dioxide your car emits in a year, then charges you the amount of money it costs to get rid of that much carbon dioxide.
When you purchase a TerraPass, we pool your funds with other TerraPass members and invest them in clean energy projects that are guaranteed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in an amount proportional to those put out by your car.
Here’s a neat little series of graphics from their main page to explain how it works:
Your car emits 10,000 lbs (three times its weight!) in carbon dioxide each year.
You enroll in TerraPass.
TerraPass members finance projects that reduce greenhouse gases.
Your TerraPass purchase is certified to eliminate the equivalent of your car’s CO2 emissions.
I just bought the Standard Level sticker, to offset the 15,000 or so miles we drive in our Saturn each year.
What do you think of this? Check out their site (especially the FAQ) and let me know. I learned about the TerraPass via this Wired article.
Dear Science Colleagues,
As the school year begins again, consider offering r/c landsailing as a project choice for your students. The organization that I founded, Sailing Through School, is a 501(c)(3) now and ready to serve you and your students. We have developed curricula related r/c landsailing and have greatly improved the construction manual. There is a depth of study available here that is rare to find among the project choices that we normally offer students. Though it is probably too involved for many of our younger students to do on their own, there are many who could build one easily and research the physics involved.
On June 7th 2005, we had a fantastic opportunity at Ballard High - the first annual “Speedygo Regatta”. Competitors came from AS #1, Whitman, Ballard, Hale, and Roosevelt as well as numerous “rock star” wet sailors from the Seattle area. One of our teachers at Whitman made a great video for us (see http://www.sailingthroughschool.org/photo_gallery.htm). The five schools listed above will be participating in this years program — building three landsailers per school and meeting monthly for special events.
See our website at www.sailingthroughschool.org and
contact me if you are interested.
Good luck for the start of another great year!
Todd Staheli