THE PINHEAD CLIMATE INSTITUTE
Mission
Pinhead Institute is a Smithsonian Affiliate based in Telluride, Colorado that strives to promote science-education both locally and globally. Through the development of the Pinhead Climate Institute, its existing mission is expanded to enable education, technology development, innovative partnership opportunities, and actions that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhance carbon sequestration in the terrestrial landscape and to rapidly bring attention to near-term global climate change solutions on the U.S. landscape.
How We Do This
In addition to developing education curricula and online tutorials for rural youth, high school students, and undergraduate/graduate programs, the Pinhead Climate Institute will serve as a leader and convening organization for corporate sustainable supply chain initiatives and corporate GHG reduction initiatives. Through its founders’ extensive network and technical expertise, the Pinhead Climate Institute will provide climate solutions leadership through networking, sectoral and individual goal setting, quantifiable actions, and a standardized set of online quantification tools that enable near-term actions.
The Pinhead Climate Institute is a solutions-oriented do-tank.
WHAT ARE CARBON OFFSETS? A carbon offset is a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions reduction or carbon sequestration enhancement made in order to compensate for, or offset, an emissions made elsewhere such as air travel. Carbon offsets are measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) and each offset represents one metric ton of carbon dioxide or its GHG equivalent. Carbon offsetting has gained appeal among consumers of services in emission sectors that do not have immediate opportunities to implement low emission or zero emission strategies. Carbon offsets provide:
DIRECT BENEFITS: The purchaser receives the environmental benefits and co-benefits associated with the offset in exchange for a sum of money.
CARBON PRICE SIGNAL: The money paid for the carbon offset provides a carbon price signal and indicates that the consumer values the ecosystem services provided by the Earth’s atmosphere and understands that too much carbon pollution threatens the future of our planet.
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR FARMERS AND RANCHERS: Farmers and ranchers who implement conservation practices beyond business as usual can generate carbon offsets and begin farming more sustainably — allowing them to harvest carbon offset revenues in addition to working lands revenues.
OUR OFFSET PARTNER: Through the implementation of a permanent and perpetual conservation easement on 16,480 acres of threatened Colorado shortgrass prairie, carbon offsets will be generated by May Ranch in Prowers County, Colorado. The pristine ranch is threatened by conversion to cropland agriculture and even a feedlot, but through conservation easements and carbon offset payments the May Ranch will ensure that the healthy soils of the shortgrass prairie remain intact forever.