BP announced today [6] a new program that will allow drivers to maintain carbon-neutral without changing their driving habits or make of car. The program, called "Target Neutral [7]" is a web-initiative that allows drivers to cancel out their carbon emissions by funding renewable energy and green technology ventures out of their own pockets. While emission trading is nothing new, it is always encouraging to see industry leading the way.

Interesting to note that BP's big announcement is on the heels of news reports out of Washington yesterday [8] that the Environmental Protection Agency along with two other federal departments will be involved in an investigation into BP's Alaskan operations and it's Aug.9th oil pipe leak.

Of course, it is pretty inconceivable that BP contrived the idea of their Target Neutral program in a matter of weeks as a means of controlling the PR fall out from their Alaska troubles, nobody is that fast. However, it is entirely possible that they sped up the finalization and launch of the program in an attempt to stop the bleeding. No problem in that though, their Target Neutral idea seems a good one.