Apr 21 2008
More than 1,500 major retailers have partnered with a new website to help UK shoppers offset one million tons of carbon by 2012, free of cost to consumers.
New consumer community portal froggybank.co.uk will buy carbon credits over the next four years in its Million Ton Carbon Offset Campaign.
Some of the retailers that partner with the site include Currys, Comet, Marks and Spencer, Tesco, John Lewis and Dell.
Shoppers simply log onto froggybank before buying from big name stores as normal. The website passes on 100% of the referral commission it receives back to its members as cashback. They can choose to keep this money or donate some of it to carbon offset or charity of their choice.
froggybank is supported by 44 staff at its parent company eDeals UK Ltd, a leading provider of consumer loyalty programs for more than 500,000 shoppers.
Marketing manager Nadeem Azam said: "As people actually get paid to offset their carbon, we believe this will increase awareness on climate change and encourage more people to go green."
"We estimate an average family can offset their entire carbon emissions just by buying the things they buy anyway and still pocket about GBP380 every year, without spending a penny extra."
"It will take less than 1% of UK people buying online to support this campaign to reach this million ton target."
froggybank the only portal in the world which pays 100% of the commission back to its members and allows them to offset carbon using this money.
It also provides free fundraising facilities for charities and fundraisers to raise money from its members' earnings.
The website deducts a modest GBP5 from its members' earnings as an admin fee and to pay for the 250 kg carbon credit for each member. It is heavily subsidised by its parent company's other operations.
Nadeem added: "In these uncertain economic times, cashback shopping is becoming a more and more popular way for people to reduce the cost of their online purchases. We hope to channel millions of pounds of advertising revenue spent by retailers to be channelled to good causes and consumers."