Carbon offset programs let individuals and businesses offset their environmental footprint by paying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere. While this may sound complicated, the programs on our list make it easy by offering user-friendly calculators and seamless online transactions. Plus, these platforms connect users with important projects like reforestation efforts and renewable energy development in communities across the planet.

With less reputable programs, there is a possibility that offset funds won’t go to an actual offset project. To protect customers, the best carbon offset programs only work with projects that are certified by third-party organizations. There are several reputable sites that rate NGOs and other charitable agencies, such as Treehugger which only includes offset sites that are transparent about their methods and goals. It does have a list of the top six offset sites and, with regard to air travel, they recommend Sustainable Travel International. There are other rating sites that are worth checking out such as Charity Navigator which has a top ten list, and you could also get a good overall opinion on the  subject of offsets from a reputable environmental site such as this one from VOX: Can you really negate your carbon emissions? Carbon offsets, explained. Furthermore, just because a charity or NGO is not listed on any of the rating sites, does not mean that you must avoid that site.

Finally, one could also use a particular offset site's calculator, and then use the amount or even increase it, for your favourite environmental charity or NGO. As an example, we favour NGOs that are involved in underdeveloped countries, so if you are OK with doing that, here are a couple of sites that supply multiple benefits rather than only one. African Conservation Foundation supports local involvement in protecting biodiversity neighbouring areas and at the same time provides knowledge, work and income for them. The Solar Village Project ensures that those living without reliable access to electricity in the developing can move up the energy by latter using solar power and not fossil fuels, which in turn provides light and the internet to inform and study, heat to cook eliminating the need to log and burn to produce charcoal, which in turn allows for greater health from clean interior air. 

However, carbon offsets are still somewhat controversial and there are many opposing opinions on how effective they really are. Wikipedia has a good, somewhat dated, discussion. Some people and organizations and people, such as the thoughtful Guardian columnist George Monbiot, think that purchasing offsets is just an enabling device that encourages us to delay making a real change today.

We suggest you read up on carbon offsets and make up your own mind. To us, on balance, the benefits probably outweigh the downsides.

Let's start right at home. The first, and easy, thing is to recycle, recycle, recycle. Many cities in Europe, USA, and Canada are doing a pretty good job, so check and see how thorough your regional recycling is. And if not, then agitate to improve recycling and green initiatives. In our city, Vancouver recycles almost 100% of its plastic. The majority of plastic (containers, bags and overwrap) is processed in Metro Vancouver and turned into pellets and flakes that are sold to the plastics industry. However, some of the white foam packaging that is recycled is sent to a company in Malaysia that breaks it down and sends the processed material to its facility in China, which turns it into picture frames and the like. David Lefebvre , spokesperson for said they Recycle B.C. have visited the manufacturing facility in China to make sure the materials are being managed responsibly. “It’s an extremely small amount — less than one per cent of the total plastic collected goes overseas.”

If there's composting pickup, then save your food scraps for that. If not, then consider doing your own composting, and many cities even supply composting containers for little or no cost. We use our own compost bins for veggie food scraps, grass trimmings, etc. and use the city yard waste bin for more icky material such as bones, meat and fish scraps, and greasy paper towels and pizza boxes. We freeze strongly odiferous items such as seafood scraps until ready for disposal. While on this subject of food, many people grow some of their own vegetables in their backyards or even on the sidewalk boulevards if it's allowed by your city, and your own compost is excellent for this.

 Around the house, take shorter showers and/or install a regulator on the showerhead, use water and energy-efficient washers and driers, only use the house lights that are in your immediate area, and if you can afford it install a heat pump. There are several options at different costs, and government subsidies are often available.

If there's composting pickup, then save your food scraps for that. If not, then consider doing your own composting. Many cities even supply composting containers for little or no cost. With smelly items such as seafood, we freeze them until ready for disposal. While on this subject of composting, many people grow some of their own vegetables in their backyards or even on the sidewalk boulevards if it's allowed by the city. Finally, try and become a locavore as much as possible. The best vegetables are the locally grown ones with little or no greenhouse gases produced during transport.

If you haven't weatherproofed your house, this might be the time to do it. It's surprising how much weather-stripping doors and windows will save heating costs. Dressing a little more warmly- a fleece top will do- will mean you can turn down the thermostat somewhat. For those items not allowed in your curbside pickup, save them up and drop them off at the recycling center- we end up driving there about every four to six weeks so it's not really too much extra effort., especially if you are on the way to doing something else.

At the supermarket, you can completely avoid plastic by using reusable plastic containers or bags and also avoid overly wrapped products. Finally, it's also important to remember not to purchase too much, only to find later that you have to have to throw away a lot of bad food.

With regard to local and regional transportation, especially during COVID, jurisdictions have established many more bike and pedestrian routes and spaces. COVID time is a good time to walk, cycle and taking public transit. Many cities have instigated park and ride options, both for vehicles and bikes, if the transit doesn't quite  make it to your neighborhood. Working at home and conferencing during COVID has become popular so as the pandemic wanes there may be an opportunity to continue doing this even if it's only part of the time.

As normalcy slowly returns most of us would like to travel again, so try and make holiday and travel plans more local. If you do travel further, consider rail or bus and enjoy the scenery. Before COVID there were far too many people flying all over the world with many taking multiple flights, and things are   pretty well back to pre-COVID levels now! Check out the Flight Tracker for all flights in the air at any given time- it's awesome but also frightening!   If you must fly, try to limit it to one a year- the climate will thank you for it! Offsets are controversial but they can be helpful if you choose carefully, and don't use them as a reason to take more flights!  insert the links from the email I sent you. Instead of driving or bus tours. take rail, especially in Europe, but even East Asian rail systems are great, and all of this goes for cycling.

Finally, it is important to stay informed on all the climate issues and talk it up with your friends at social gatherings, or at organized gatherings- you could even set up one yourself. Join a climate NGO and get involved- if you're not the public demonstration placard-carrying type, then if you have the time, consider working with them at their office- many are always asking for assistance. If all of this is not possible, then send them a donation and make it monthly if possible. Send a letter to your government whether local, provincial/state or federal- they may not read them, but they do count them. And that goes for making phone calls as well. We find that having two or three standard form letters and making a few adjustments so that they are tailor-made to the specific issue is a great time saver.

Finally, check out this very useful site- we recommend subscribing to it so that you'll get all the updates......... "Welcome to the first edition of Looking Forward, a new newsletter from Fix, Grist’s solutions lab. In every edition, we’ll help you get beyond climate paralysis by offering hopeful visions of a livable future. And we’ll introduce you to the real, game-changing ideas and leaders of today that show there are endless ways to pitch in. We hope you’ll This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to share ideas, reactions, and stories of your own. Looking Forward is a community that we’re building together and the community itself is a climate solution and in this case. when friends and neighbours organize, they can spark entire movements and get governments to listen. When residents are put in charge of climate adaptation decisions for their localities, the results can be profound. And when disaster strikes, communities helping each other can make all the difference."                   https://grist.org/fix/looking-forward/