Carbon credits are a way to leverage your economic power to invest in the current and future health of our planet. A carbon credit represents one metric ton (1000 kg / 2200 lbs) of carbon dioxide that is either removed from the atmosphere or prevented from entering it. Your purchase of carbon credits supports projects—like reforestation or capturing methane leaks from landfills—that reduce the impacts of climate change by offsetting your gas emissions for about $0.22 per gallon through OffsetC.

For many of us, driving a fossil-fueled vehicle is an integral part of our daily transportation needs, and directly puts carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. When combined with other personal climate actions—like eliminating food waste and using electricity more efficiently—buying carbon credits helps remove or avoid emissions that are causing climate change. For perspective, every 20 gallons of gas produces 178 kg of carbon dioxide emissions (EPA)—that’s about how much 11 trees would remove from the atmosphere in a single year (USDA, OneTreePlanted.org). Using OffsetC, your purchase of carbon credits supports, for example, reforestation projects that plant those trees. Your funds cover critical project costs like compensating workers, purchasing equipment, buying soil amendments and saplings, and paying for monitoring and maintenance of the forest. 

The carbon market is a relatively new marketplace, and like any growing field, there have been bumps along the way. At OffsetC, we only support projects that meet high standards for climate impact and benefit local communities.  The projects we offer through our carbon credit provider CNaught: 

• result in long-lived removal or avoidance of carbon emissions

• would not have happened without the purchase of the carbon credits (high ‘additionality’)

• meet multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

• have clear carbon crediting processes that adhere to best-standards in carbon accounting

• have been thoroughly and technically vetted by independent third-party rating agencies like BeZero, Calyx Global, Renoster, and Sylvera

We’re proud to connect you with projects that meet these criteria, like Indonesia’s Katingan Mentaya Peatland Conservation Project and the Lebanon Landfill Gas Capture Project in Pennsylvania.

OffsetC makes buying carbon credits easy. When you connect your credit card, OffsetC estimates your carbon emissions every time you pay at the pump. We’ll do the math* on how many carbon credits you need to offset your vehicle emissions. Then with one click, you can approve the purchase and retire carbon from the atmosphere by supporting high-quality carbon removal projects from around the globe. 

See here for an example of our offset calculations.

Offsetting a 20-gallon purchase of gas through OffsetC costs between $4.00 - $4.70. Each time you fill up your tank, we calculate how many carbon credits are needed to offset your emissions based on the cost of your gas purchase, the average price per gallon in the state of purchase or residence, and the amount of carbon dioxide created from each gallon burned, and then add administrative and credit card processing fees. Learn more about how we determine how much carbon to offset.

When people, like you, collectively offset their emissions, the most extreme effects of climate change can be avoided. For example, if 1,000 typical American drivers offset their yearly gas emissions that would remove or avoid 5.2 million kilograms of CO2 from the atmosphere, approximately the carbon stored in 45 acres worth of healthy trees in the US! While offsetting your vehicle emissions does not eliminate your carbon footprint, it is a meaningful step in reducing your environmental impact. By offsetting, you're voting with your wallet for a cleaner future, which can influence businesses and policymakers. You're also joining a community of people taking climate action, and your example can inspire friends and family to follow suit. Give it a try and spread the word!