By Catherine Elvert, City of Palo Alto.

Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) today announced that City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU) has launched PaloAltoGreen Gas, a gas offset program that pairs Green-e® Climate certified carbon offsets with customers' natural gas use. PaloAltoGreen Gas is the first Green-e Climate certified gas offset program offered by a municipal-level utility, and the first-ever certified gas offset program offered to residential customers.

Palo Alto residents and businesses can choose to offset 100% of the combustion emissions of their natural gas use. Businesses also have the option to buy carbon offsets in blocks of therms.

"PaloAltoGreen Gas is an exciting step forward for reducing the impact of our natural gas use," said Todd Jones, manager of Green-e Climate. "While options are available for renewable electricity everywhere, this is the first time a utility has offered a certified option to address the other main source of household emissions—our natural gas use."