Carbon offsets are a way to counterbalance the use of traditional energy resources by paying money toward renewable, less- or non-polluting energy projects.
There is a growing retail market in carbon offsets both by for-profit and nonprofit providers. This market is largely unregulated and lacking in standards.
Environmentalists are quick to note that carbon offsets do have the potential to do good. Carlson said one major benefit of carbon offsets is that they often force people to evaluate how much carbon they actually are responsible for, hopefully spurning people to first make reductions and then buy offsets. It’s also seen as a practical way to fund renewable energy projects ranging from wind power to solar energy.
If you are considering carbon offsets there are a few things to look for including proof the project is having a positive impact, does the contribution prompt the provider to do something other than it would have anyway, and is the project independently verified.
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