Carbon Offsets

Offset means “neutralize,” “balance,” or “cancel out.” When we do certain activities like drive, fly or heat our homes we emit carbon dioxide. Carbon offsets counteract these activities by funding projects that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.Calculat Footprint

When you buy a carbon offset, therefore, you are helping to fund a project that reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Carbon offsets are an easy and affordable way to compensate for our contribution to climate change. They are a critical piece of the solution to global warming because they push investments into new technologies and programs that make a difference today.

Offsets can be created by:

  • Increasing energy efficiency in buildings, factories, or transportation
  • Generating electricity from renewables such as wind or solar
  • Modifying a power plant or factory to use fuels that produce less GHG
  • Putting wasted energy to work via cogeneration
  • Capturing carbon dioxide in forests and agricultural soils

Green Power and Offsets: What's the difference?

Electricity generation is one of the biggest sources of CO2 emissions. Buying green power helps to reduce your overall footprint, but it does not necessarily “offset” your emissions. For a complete description of the differences, download and read our pdf report.

Where Your Money Goes

Offset purchases cover direct payments to project owners, sponsors, and developers, as well as maintenance and development of this program. About 92% of all funds received by The Climate Trust goes towards offset programs. Learn more about The Climate Trust's work.
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