Carbon offsetting is the act of
compensating for carbon emissions as a way of reducing the green-
house gases that an activity will generate. If an activity’s
carbon emissions are completely offset, the activity is referred to
as carbon-neutral.
Carbon offsets can be applicable to
activities like travel (e.g. airplane rides or driving a car) and
special events (e.g. sporting events or musical concerts), or even
the day-to-day operations of a company.
A carbon offset can be a simple gesture
such as planting a tree (because trees absorb carbon dioxide) or the
development of renewable energy technology like wind and solar
power.
There are even companies that
specialize in carbon offsets, where you can make a donation and the
money will go toward a carbon offset project.