We all hear about the threat of Global Warming, the consequences climate change has for humans and the obvious effect on the economy. There is increasing competition for natural resources, particularly fertile land, water and food, not to mention the growing problems of where to put the waste that our modern lifestyle generates.

Reducing carbon emissions, a leading cause of global warming, is a task every business, individual and community need to be mindful of. How exactly these groups should go about reducing their carbon emissions is less clear. A number of schemes have been put forward, most notably personal carbon quotas and carbon taxes. Canadian Liberal Party Leader Stéphane Dion has plans to implement a rigorous carbon tax plan.

Zerofootprint radically proposes the Green Credit system. The system is based on the popular concept of consumer reward schemes, such as AirMiles and PETRO-POINTS, and creates encouraging incentives for consumers who reduce their environmental footprint. The rewards are in the form of Green Credits, which have cash and tax-deductible value. The European Union Emission Trading Scheme is the largest active trading program for green house solutions. Additional taxes do not appeal to many individuals, and a large-scale cap and trade system is not appropriate for small businesses.

Zerofootprint’s Green Credits program rewards citizens for actions that certifiably reduce carbon emissions, such as reducing electricity, increasing home insulation, installing a renewable energy heating source, or switching to a hybrid vehicle. At the end of each year, individuals and businesses can bank credits, or redeem them as a tax benefit or cash reward.

A key element of the scheme is that Green Credits is funded by benefits to the environmental situation of country from the accumulated efforts of its citizens in reducing their carbon emissions. By altering their electricity use, heating, methods of travel, and food consumption habits, each individual contributes to a reduced need for environmental infrastructure nationwide.

Green Credits is an opt-in plan, and there is no additional cost to the taxpayer. The incentive for citizens and businesses to reduce their carbon emissions is clear and tangible—the cash reward.

Download reports here, from the Zero Footprint website