Offsets: the charity your conscience donates to while you binge flights and electricity bills. It sounds clever. It sounds comforting. It can also let us off the hook.
What exactly is a carbon offset?
A carbon offset pays for a project that reduces or removes greenhouse gases somewhere else. Plant trees, capture methane from farms, build clean power — those are common examples. Each offset usually equals 1 Tonne of CO2-equivalent. Some projects stop emissions now. Others pull carbon out of the air. Both can help. But they are not the same thing.
Think of an offset like hiring a gardener to plant trees while you keep mowing the lawn with a gas mower. Helpful? Yes. Responsible? Only if you also stop creating the mess.
Why offsets smell like procrastination (and sometimes perfume)
Offsets can turn into a hall pass. Buy credits. Carry on. Tell your customers you are ‘carbon neutral.’ That is the moral hazard. Marketing can add perfume. Phrases like “net positive” or “carbon balanced” sound tidy but mean little unless backed by numbers. Timelines can be fuzzy — a tree planted today might not count for decades. Some projects are never finished. The net result: applause, badges, and little real change. It’s the adult version of “I’ll clean my room later.” Or worse, paying someone to mop while you fling coffee everywhere.
When offsets actually deserve a standing ovation
Not all offsets are green confetti. Some are solid and measurable. Examples include verified methane capture that prevents a strong greenhouse gas from reaching the air, long-term reforestation projects with local plans, and engineered removals like direct air capture that store carbon underground.
Quality matters. Ask four simple questions: Would the project have happened anyway (additionality)? Will the carbon stay out of the air (permanence)? Does the project push emissions somewhere else (leakage)? Has an independent auditor verified the work (verification)? If the answers are good, the offset can be useful.
How to sniff out greenwash like a pro
Don’t buy slogans. Look for clear numbers: how many tonnes, what method, and over what time. Seek third-party verification and a reputable registry. Watch out for double counting — two buyers should not claim the same tonne. Check who benefits locally; projects should respect communities and land rights. If an offset sounds like it came with a TED Talk and a trust fund, probe deeper.
For businesses, make offsets a last resort. First, cut emissions in your own operations. Use offsets to cover what you cannot avoid today, and channel money towards verified removals and community projects that build resilience.
Smarter habits than ‘offset and forget’
Start with what you control. Fly less. Use public transport. Improve home insulation. Swap old appliances for efficient models or switch to clean energy. Then use offsets selectively: to support removals, to fund technology, or to aid just community transitions.
Set clear, time-bound goals. Report progress openly. Think of offsets as a supplement — not an escape route.
Offsets can be a useful tool — a spare tire, not the car. Keep them handy. Use them wisely. And for heaven’s sake, stop making the mess and paying people to clean it up.
