TerraPass is a

social enterprise A social enterprise is an organization that applies commercial strategies to maximize improvements in financial, social and environmental well-being. This may include maximizing social impact alongside profits for co-owners. Social enterprises ha ...

that provides

carbon offset Carbon offsetting is a carbon trading mechanism that enables entities to compensate for offset greenhouse gas emissions by investing in projects that reduce, avoid, or remove emissions elsewhere. When an entity invests in a carbon offsetting ...

ting products. TerraPass use proceeds from member purchases to fund

greenhouse gas Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are the gases in the atmosphere that raise the surface temperature of planets such as the Earth. Unlike other gases, greenhouse gases absorb the radiations that a planet emits, resulting in the greenhouse effect. T ...

reduction projects.

Carbon portfolio

TerraPass's projects is divided into four project types, all based in the United States: *

Wind energy Wind power is the use of wind energy to generate useful work. Historically, wind power was used by sails, windmills and windpumps, but today it is mostly used to generate electricity. This article deals only with wind power for electricity ...

– TerraPass purchased Green-e-certified wind Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from wind farms and calculates the carbon reduction from these RECs based on the EPA eGRID methodology. *Farm methane digesters (or "Farm Power") – TerraPass funds emissions reductions from digesters that collect the

methane Methane ( , ) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula (one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms). It is a group-14 hydride, the simplest alkane, and the main constituent of natural gas. The abundance of methane on Earth makes ...

from animal manure on dairy farms and burn it, which often generates renewable energy. *Landfill methane flaring – TerraPass funds reductions from landfill flaring of methane, collected from decomposing garbage. *

Clean energy Energy is sustainable if it "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Definitions of sustainable energy usually look at its effects on the environment, the economy, and s ...

– TerraPass funds wind energy after calculating the "environmental gains" with the “carbon profile” of the electricity grid.

History

Acquisition by Just Energy Group

In 2014, TerraPass sold its retail

business to JustGreen, a subsidiary of the Just Energy Group Inc., a

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

-based competitive retailer of natural gas and electricity. JustGreen assumed the TerraPass brand. The remaining TerraPass Energy & Wholesale group renamed itself Origin Climate.

Partnerships

TerraPass has entered into several business partnerships: * In August 2006, TerraPass began selling airplane emission offsets through

Expedia Expedia Inc. is an online travel agency owned by Expedia Group, based in Seattle. The website and mobile app can be used to book airline tickets, hotel reservations, car rentals, cruise ships, and vacation packages. Expedia.com was launched on ...

. Expedia offsets are intended to offset the specific flight(s) booked through the travel site. * In January 2007, TerraPass partnered with uShip.com to provide a "TerraPass Certified Green Provider Program" to shipping companies wishing to do so. * In June 2007, Flexcar partnered with TerraPass to provide a premium "Green Membership". In addition to regular Flexcar privileges.

Verification

TerraPass tries to reduce greenhouse gas against the Verified Carbon Standard. All of the RECs TerraPass purchases are Green-e certified through the Center for Resource Solutions. The primary standards they use are Verified Carbon Standard and the Climate Action Reserve. TerraPass is audited according to guidelines established by the Center for Resource Solutions. The focus of the audit is to verify that TerraPass fulfills its carbon purchase obligations on behalf of its customers; to enforce certain carbon portfolio quality standards; and to review TerraPass marketing language and disclosure policies. Adam Stein, co-founder and VP of Marketing, was an occasional contributor to environmental news site

Grist Magazine ''Grist'' (originally ''Grist Magazine''; also referred to as Grist.org) is an American non-profit online magazine founded in 1999 that publishes environmental news and commentary. ''Grists tagline is "Climate. Justice. Solutions." ''Grist'' ...

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

TerraPass
Climate change organizations based in the United States Companies based in San Francisco