Students will explore the environmental and social ethics of "carbon offsetting." (If students have not already completed the assignment entitled: "What is a Carbon Offset?", have them conduct some initial research about this business idea) Although carbon offsetting services have arisen out of a need for companies to reduce carbon outputs to meet environmental regulations, there are many valid arguments against the promotion of carbon offsets.

Using the internet, research some of the environmental and social arguments against carbon offsetting (i.e., what are the impacts of offering a service like this?). In groups of 2-4, create an commercial to “sell” both sides of the message--your job is to present the audience with some pros and cons of choosing carbon offsetting services. For the cons, focus on the environmental and social ethics that this business brings into play. Although this assignment can be done in the form of theatrical presentations, you may also want to bring in a multi-media component. In this case, teams should be set up with at least one individual who has a skill or interest in video shooting & editing. Presentations can be 2-5 min in length, providing they meet the expectations. None of the content of your video can violate copyright. Be careful of content that you take from the web. All videos will be shown in class, and your peers will evaluate them. The best of the videos will be submitted to the GreenLearning Video Festival.