Are carbon offsets real?
Short answer: some are, many aren't. Here's the honest version — the problems worth taking seriously, and what separates an offset that counts from one that doesn't.
The problem
Investigations have found that a large share of credits on the voluntary market don't deliver the climate benefit they claim. Common failures: the project would have happened anyway (no additionality), the carbon doesn't stay stored (no permanence), the impact is overstated, or the same tonne is sold twice. That's a real problem — and ignoring it would be dishonest.
The promise
High-integrity offsets are a different story. When a project is genuinely additional, durable, independently measured, and retired once on a public registry, your money funds real climate work that wouldn't otherwise happen — from durable removal to protecting ecosystems that store carbon at scale.
How we keep it honest
- Curated, not cheapest. We fund a diversified, vetted portfolio scored against strict criteria — not whatever credit is cheapest.
- Verifiable retirements. Every purchase shows the registry serial numbers of the exact credits retired on your behalf.
- Real certificates. You get a shareable certificate and PDF for each offset — proof, not a thank-you note.
- Reduction first. We nudge you to cut emissions where you can, and only offset the rest.
Offsetting is not permission to pollute
We'll always say it plainly: reducing your emissions comes first. Offsets are for the footprint you can't yet eliminate — a complement to cutting, never a substitute. Read our methodology for exactly how we estimate footprints and choose credits.
FAQ
Do carbon offsets actually reduce emissions?
High-quality ones do — by funding additional, permanent, independently-verified projects and retiring the credits publicly. Low-quality credits are the reason for the skepticism, which is why quality screening matters.
How do I know my specific offset is real?
Your dashboard shows the retirement serial numbers and registry links for the exact credits retired for you — you can verify them independently.
Isn't it just greenwashing?
It is when it's used to avoid reducing emissions or backed by junk credits. Done honestly — reduce first, then fund verified removal/avoidance — it's a legitimate part of climate action.