Instead of telling ourselves that the delay found in most carbon offsets makes them a poor idea, I suggest the better strategy is to deploy all carbon offsets as soon as possible.

Right now it matters to get any downward trajectory on our emissions going, even though we would like a quicker fix. We are going to need all fixes available.

The wealthy must re-define themselves in the new reality. They must accept that a part of the accouterments of being flush with money, is their immediate liability to everyone else. Their homes, their cars, and boats, air travel are only acceptable today if they are carbon negative both presently and historically.

Let’s revisit this graph of the footprint we’re talking about:

We need to add to the sentiment and necessity here that all existing operations that the wealthy have should be taken carbon negative as soon as possible. We know that new operations throughout the world are going to fare better now that the world is waking up.

Living large and being financially successful today absolutely does inflict dangers on everyone else. we have to be honest and let this be known now.

I personally have already tweeted to Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, and asked him to take his operations and life carbon negative. I am going to ask more wealthy people to do the same.

Maybe others will join me in the communication effort so that we can minimize the unfolding fatalities and damages. These gases are invisible, but they have met with a scientific community that is successfully showing everyone how they impact the Earth System for all of us.

If the wealthy do not step up and buy up all of the carbon offsets that emerge, they are not taking care of the most important thing to them-their own interests.

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