Thanks to all of my supporters! You can check out my triathlon results at https://member.usatriathlon.org/events/7876/races/12933/results?result_id=3128222. You can still support my campaign through the end of this month and transform some (or all !) of your annual CO2 emissions into wages for the poorest!
Hi Friends & Family,
On August 17th, I’m doing the grueling Lake Tahoe XTERRA Off-Road Triathlon to raise awareness and support for Carbon Offsets To Alleviate Poverty (COTAP.org) and its 4 projects in Malawi, Nicaragua, Mozambique, and Uganda.
I’m concerned about climate change and the world that I’ll be leaving behind to my children. I’m reducing my family’s carbon footprint and I’m an advocate of cleaner energy and fuels. Beyond those important first steps, I’m still a carbon polluter and I choose COTAP because I’m essentially (but indirectly) employing the poorest of the poor to neutralize my family’s emissions.
By supporting my campaign, you’ll be taking action on climate change, neutralizing your personal CO2 emissions, and changing lives for the poorest people on Earth! And if your company matches your donation, those matching funds will help an innovative and bold new non-profit grow.
Dave
About my event
- Event: Lake Tahoe XTERRA Off-Road Triathlon
- Date: Saturday, August 17, 2013
- Course: 750 meter swim, 22 mile mountain bike with 4,000 feet of climbing, 3 mile trail run.
- Elevation: 6,000+ feet
- Location: Incline Village, Nevada
My fundraising goal and where your donation goes
You can support my triathlon by transforming some or all of your annual CO2 emissions into wages through COTAP (at right). My goal is for friends and family to address at least 300 tonnes of their collective annual CO2 emissions.
The average American carbon footprint (from driving, home energy use, and flying) is approximately 18 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, but you can of course offset less or more than that if you like. If you don’t know what your carbon footprint is, you can use COTAP’s thorough-but-easy calculator below.
COTAP allocates 90.9% of your offset transaction to its 4 portfolio projects in Nicaragua, Mozambique, Uganda, and Malawi where a projected 60.4% percent goes to rural communities as earnings. You can follow these links to learn more about COTAP’s mission, projects, transparency, and how it works.
COTAP’s Carbon Footprint Calculator
Record your inputs and results before leaving this page, as COTAP’s calculator currently doesn’t retain results. COTAP’s calculator methodology can be found here.
Tax-deductibility
The entire amount of a COTAP contribution is tax-deductible for U.S. residents because COTAP is an IRS-recognized 510(c)3 public charity.
More about COTAP
COTAP empowers individuals and organizations to fight both climate change and global poverty by connecting their carbon emissions with certified forestry projects which create life-changing income for those who live on less than $2 per day. The market-based tool of carbon credits allows individuals like you and me to pay others for the service of removing our unavoidable carbon emissions, and COTAP’s focus is on projects which directly benefit smallholder farmers in least-developed countries.
Individuals from all over the United States – as well as from Hong Kong, Cape Town, Sydney, and Paris – have already transformed over 5.99 million pounds of their carbon emissions into wages in Mozambique, Uganda, Nicaragua, and Malawi through COTAP. COTAP is a registered IRS 501(c)3 public charity, and all of its projects are certified under the voluntary Plan Vivo carbon standard, which is dedicated to generating not only verified emissions reductions, but also transparent, accountable, and life-changing income streams for smallholder farmers. COTAP’s initial project portfolio is poised to generate over $1 million in community payments, an amount it seeks to scale to $30M annually.
To learn more, please explore the Mission Statement and How It Works sections in the About Us section of the above menu.
Want to be cool like Dave and Sweat for COTAP?
If you’re interested in being cool like Dave and doing an endurance event for COTAP (running, cycling, triathlon, etc.), check out the program details here.
