| The term carbon offsetting refers to the way | | | | companies and schemes they offer before |
| that that carbon produced, typically by a journey | | | | committing to one and buying personalised |
| using a carbon-producing mode of transport | | | | services. Think about any preferred issues first. |
| (plane, car, train), is compensated for by the | | | | For instance, there may be a tree-planting |
| individual who took that journey. | | | | scheme in your area that you would prefer to |
| It is not exclusively used in connection with | | | | support, rather than a scheme millions of miles |
| transport. It is also possible to calculate the carbon | | | | away. |
| output of your house, or office, or even an | | | | Some companies offer a certificate of purchase |
| individuals or a family's daily or annual carbon | | | | and of planting in return for a customer's money, |
| output, and seek to replace that atmospheric | | | | but some don't. It is always best to shop around, |
| pollutant with something that will help to filter it | | | | and discuss with friends and family who already |
| from the environment. This is normally done by | | | | use these schemes. Some environmental or |
| growing and planting trees, which absorb the | | | | community groups have preferred partner status |
| carbon in the atmosphere and replace it with | | | | with some offset companies, and it is worth |
| oxygen. | | | | checking these out first. |
| How Does it Work? Well, typically, an Individual or | | | | Another option of course is to bypass the carbon |
| family will contact a carbon offsetting company, | | | | offset companies and do it for yourself. It is |
| who will explain the range of services they offer. | | | | possible to buy a piece of land, not so cheap in |
| These will usually be tree-planting schemes | | | | most parts of the UK anymore, but still possible; |
| somewhere around the world, but some offer | | | | and organise regular tree planting on the land |
| other options. A relatively new term called carbon | | | | yourself. There are websites dedicated to this |
| sinks refers to huge planting schemes that forest | | | | process, and helping someone calculate just how |
| vast areas of land, but this scale forestation are | | | | many trees to plant per amount of carbon |
| normally done for National or Governmental | | | | produced. Factors worth considering are the |
| carbon offsetting. | | | | regular care and watering of the trees, and |
| The individual or family representative (or | | | | getting access to the land on a regular basis. |
| company representative) will then buy carbon | | | | Also the selection of and correct planting of local, |
| credits directly from the company, usually but not | | | | indigenous trees is important. Check with a local |
| exclusively, online. Most companies will be able to | | | | nursery or specialised tree supplier what is |
| work out how much carbon was produced, say | | | | available, and plant with the seasons. If you have |
| from a return flight from London to Paris, and the | | | | a large enough garden, consider planting more |
| charge to the customer will reflect the work it | | | | trees and shrubs. A family who flies often and |
| takes in tree-planting to roughly replace the | | | | long-distance would have to plant more than the |
| carbon produced during that trip. | | | | average suburban garden with trees to |
| How do you find a Carbon Offset Company. | | | | compensate for a lifetime of carbon production, |
| Carbon Offset companies are now proliferating in | | | | but a combination of planting at home, locally |
| the UK and in the western world. Most of them | | | | where possible (in consultation with wildlife |
| are web-based companies, and they and the | | | | conservation managers), and occasionally paying |
| services they offer are easy to find by doing an | | | | for offsetting from a specialised company would |
| Internet search for carbon offsetting or carbon | | | | probably compensate for the carbon. |
| offset companies or schemes. | | | | But remember that nothing compensates for |
| It is a good idea to look into the range of | | | | carbon output as reducing it. |