The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will start selling carbon offsets in early 2009. The measure was recently approved and the Port Authority will pay five companies a total of $2.5 million to set up a carbon offset program for the agency, New York Times reports.
People can buy credits to offset their carbon emissions from a Web site which will be activated early next year.
The move is the first of its kind in the U.S. by a toll-collecting agency, and is part of the Port Authority’s plan to become carbon neutral by 2010 and reduce its GHG emissions by 80 percent by 2050.
In September, New York City passed legislation requiring commercial establishments to keep their doors closed when operating air conditioning systems.
In an attempt to be more environmentally friend, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed that wind turbines be installed on top of the city’s skyscrapers and bridges.
The city has also issued an RFP for private solar developers to purchase, install, own and maintain solar panels on city-owned buildings in all five boroughs as part of PlaNYC