Why Offset Carbon

Carbon dioxide emissions are causing the Earth’s climate to change and warm, which will have catastrophic results if we do not act to reduce them. Carbon dioxide emissions are about 40% higher than they were before the Industrial Revolution and are now at their highest levels in recorded history, covering over 800,000 years.

The effects of climate change can be seen now. Temperatures are already increasing, glaciers are receding at unprecedented speeds, whole chunks of the Antarctic ice shelf are breaking off, warmer seasons are becoming longer, and storms are becoming more severe and causing more and more damage.

Offsetting your carbon (or climate) footprint allows you to become part of the solution to climate change by supporting the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions equal to your carbon footprint.

Carbon offsets are also generally more cost effective and practical than most measures an individual can take. For instance, it is more cost effective and better for the environment to build a 100 MW wind energy farm in the Midwest than a 5 kW wind mill in your backyard.

Carbon dioxide emissions are a global problem and do not have a localized effect like sulfur dioxide emissions, which cause acid rain around the areas they are emitted. So reducing a ton of CO2 in Brazil or North Dakota has the same climate change benefit as doing so in your backyard.

What Are Carbon Offsets

Carbon offsets are the process of reducing an amount of carbon dioxide (usually in tons) emissions in another location for the emissions you cause in your home, office, commute, travel or other activities that use energy and result in emissions.
Carbon offsets enable anyone to reduce their climate footprint by supporting emission reduction projects, typically energy efficiency, renewable energy, sequestration, biomass, etc. that reduce carbon dioxide emissions, or offset one’s own contribution to global warming.

Carbon dioxide emissions are caused by the burning of fossil fuels: oil, coal and natural gas. Obviously, your car uses gasoline. But your house and office as well as the factory that produces your clothes or restaurants, movie theaters, air travel and other sectors that rely on fossil fuels. More than 50% of America’s electricity is derived from coal, and in Utah that number jumps to an unbelievable 96%, and virtually all our transportation needs are fueled by oil.

While most people can immediately reduce their carbon footprint by using energy more efficiently and buying vehicles that get better gas mileage. Carbon offsets are a cost effective way to collectively reduce the emissions we cannot readily reduce on our own.

How It Works

Anyone, or any organization, can reduce and offset their carbon emissions simply and easily.

• Calculate Your Emissions
  Use the calculator to determine your carbon footprint.
• Reduce emissions
  Energy efficiency, using transportation alternatives and changes in consumptive behaviors are the easiest and quickest ways to reduce your carbon footprint.  
• Purchase offsets
  Carbon offsets work just like the offsets we do in our daily lives. You replace something in one place you can’t avoid by doing it someplace else where you can have an impact. For example: "Gas went up again, so to meet my monthly budget, I am going to offset the increase by reducing the amount I drive or limiting my spending elsewhere."