The ‘carbon offset’ child labourers

[Abdul Alhazred]

From The Times (UK)

The ‘carbon offset’ child labourers

Pumping furiously on a foot treadle in the afternoon heat, six-year-old Sarju Ram is irrigating her impoverished family’s field, improving the crop and – without knowing it – helping environmentally sensitive holiday-makers assuage their guilt over long-haul flights to dream destinations.

...

Customers of British Airways are among those who have been encouraged to log on to Climate Care’s website and calculate how many tonnes of greenhouse gases their flights will generate, and how much it will cost to neutralise the impact on the atmosphere. A flight to Barbados for a family of four, for example, generates 7.55 tonnes of carbon dioxide, which will cost them £56.64 to offset.

Climate Care uses the money to help persuade families such as Sarju’s to give up labour-saving diesel pumps and buy human-powered treadles instead. It claims that by using the treadle, a family will save money on diesel and hire charges, earn more from increased crops and cut the carbon emissions that would have been produced by the pump.

Last week Indian experts criticised the scheme, saying it was promoting child labour and forcing poor farmers to work harder so that wealthy air travellers could enjoy exotic holidays without worrying about the environment.

...

Not because child labor is necessary to do the work of the world, or even to make money, but just so the Al Gores of the world can feel good about themselves.

 

[strathmeyer]

I hope even more CO2 emissions aren't caused by the extra food these children need to eat because of their extraneous labor. What? Those calculations were never done? Hmm... I wonder why...

On, the other hand, if these particular actions are taken in such third world countries, where extra work may not mean a person gets extra food, then there may actually be no extra emissions. Or if all food is produced my human labor. The carbon emissions of the food production need to take into account the food the manual laborers need to eat which is produced by more food consuming manual laborers. Bah, who wants to do that math, let's just all feel superior than everyone else by pretending we're doing something good, like praying, giving money to beggars, or driving a hybrid car.

 

[Darth Rotor]

I hope even more CO2 emissions aren't caused by the extra food these children need to eat because of their extraneous labor. What? Those calculations were never done? Hmm... I wonder why...

On, the other hand, if these particular actions are taken in such third world countries, where extra work may not mean a person gets extra food, then there may actually be no extra emissions. Or if all food is produced my human labor. The carbon emissions of the food production need to take into account the food the manual laborers need to eat which is produced by more food consuming manual laborers. Bah, who wants to do that math, let's just all feel superior than everyone else by pretending we're doing something good, like praying, giving money to beggars, or driving a hybrid car.

What about the farting the kids do, and various livestock? Won't someone think of the kids?

Shouldn't they be charged for each emission? Micro economics, micro loans, and now micro charges for flatulence. While we are at it, tax the Vindaloo and Madras restaurants for the flatus inducing meals they serve.

I say we get serious about this greenhouse, and taco house, gas, and quit farting around.

DR

 

[tkingdoll]

I have argued that the worst thing you can do for the environment is have kids. It's not a popular argument but I stand by it.

 

[Southwind17]

I have argued that the worst thing you can do for the environment is have kids. It's not a popular argument but I stand by it.

I'm tempted ...