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What are Carbon Offsets?

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The definition of carbon offset in a canada.com article is good:

"A carbon offset is a monetary investment in a project that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equivalent to the measured amount of a polluting activity."

http://www.canada.com/vancouvercourier/news/story.html?id=f7cf73e5-8535-4604-aa19-82c791205aac&k=67446

A carbon offset is a financial instrument: it's a way of putting a monetary value on pollution, and then using that valuation as a means of exchange. It's an easy and relatively cheaper way for corporations to participate in environmental protection. Instead of actually reducing their polluting activities, they pay into a fund that (supposedly) uses the money to reduce environmental pollution via other projects.

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Carbon offsets are usually financial contributions that are intended to neutralize or balance out carbon producing activities that the donor engages in. For example, if you took a flight and wanted to offset the carbon that was emitted by the burning of aircraft fuel, you could buy a carbon offset from a company that carries out activities by taking carbon out of the atmosphere (such as planting trees) or invests in carbon reduction by investing in clean energy production.

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