Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Launch HN: Wren (YC S19) – Offset Your Carbon Footprint

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

101–110 of 125 posts

Re: Launch HN: Wren (YC S19) – Offset Your Carbon Footprint

#101

Post by cotap »

chadl2 wrote: post #91
thisjustinm wrote: post #29

Part of me says this is great because we need every single action towards reducing carbon in the atmosphere - big and small - we can get if we want to even get close to where we need to avoid catastrophe. Another part of me wonders why would anyone chose Wren over COTAP[0] (for example) - a non-profit (501c3) where 90.9% of funds go toward their projects, you get a tax deduction and you can check in on their finances…

Very cool, hadn't seen this before. Signed up for a monthly COTAP offset donation. :)

Thanks!!

Re: Launch HN: Wren (YC S19) – Offset Your Carbon Footprint

#104

Post by baby_wipe »

thisjustinm wrote: post #29

Part of me says this is great because we need every single action towards reducing carbon in the atmosphere - big and small - we can get if we want to even get close to where we need to avoid catastrophe. Another part of me wonders why would anyone chose Wren over COTAP[0] (for example) - a non-profit (501c3) where 90.9% of funds go toward their projects, you get a tax deduction and you can check in on their finances…

I don't care about how companies allocate their funds. Results matter more.

Re: Launch HN: Wren (YC S19) – Offset Your Carbon Footprint

#105

Post by jnbiche »

smaddox wrote: post #12

> Most in this space are nonprofits but we are a business. We take a 20% fee on each subscription. This allows us to hire talented engineers, invest in marketing, and raise capital. Non-profits can do all of those things, too... Why not do them as a non-profit?

> Non-profits can do all of those things, too... Why not do them as a non-profit?

We've already got nonprofits doing this stuff. Given the gravity of the situation, shouldn't we encourage a range of different approaches?

Re: Launch HN: Wren (YC S19) – Offset Your Carbon Footprint

#107

Post by toomuchtodo »

baby_wipe wrote: post #104
thisjustinm wrote: post #29

Part of me says this is great because we need every single action towards reducing carbon in the atmosphere - big and small - we can get if we want to even get close to where we need to avoid catastrophe. Another part of me wonders why would anyone chose Wren over COTAP[0] (for example) - a non-profit (501c3) where 90.9% of funds go toward their projects, you get a tax deduction and you can check in on their finances…

I don't care about how companies allocate their funds. Results matter more.

If I can pick between two orgs with similar results, and get a tax deduction with one of them, I’m going with the one that I’m not paying taxes on the contribution.

Re: Launch HN: Wren (YC S19) – Offset Your Carbon Footprint

#109

Post by mlguy456 »

I don't believe in "offsetting personal footprint". This idea appeals to personal guilt, while aims at filling the pockets of the founders. The solution should be going after companies who make products that break by design after certain time of use, thus forcing the customers to buy new items. If done right, this will be painful for both companies (many will have to close the shop) and for the people who are used to cheap shiny stuff, but the result will be a cleaner planet and healthier business model.

Re: Launch HN: Wren (YC S19) – Offset Your Carbon Footprint

#110

Post by salixrosa »

StavrosK wrote: post #78
bstanfield15 wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hi Justin! Ben here, co-founder of Wren. COTAP is a great organization, and the non-profit filings are a good, fundamental way to verify that they exist and are doing what they say. In response to why Wren, our philosophy is that most individuals—perhaps most of you on HN excluded—don't spend the time to figure how to contribute to stopping climate change, let alone carbon reduction projects, and certainly don't spen…

Personally, I have three issues when thinking about contributing to charities like Wren: 1) Will my money go where they say it'll go? How can I know that? 2) How do I know that I'm actually helping the environment? How do I know the money doesn't end up in some corrupt individual's pocket at the target country? I know first-hand how some people end up profiting handsomely from subsidies with various tricks. 3) Am I a…

I think I can answer #3 for you!

Preventing deforestation isn't generally (primarily) about preventing more carbon from being released. The wood probably isn't go to end up in the atmosphere any time soon regardless -- it'll go to building homes, etc. However, each tree chopped down is one less tree doing precious carbon fixing, ie, one less tree removing the atmosphere carbon that was already released.

Post reply on HN