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Carbon offsettingCarbon offsetting sites compared

We analysed the websites of 17 carbon offset companies to find out how informative they were – and how pricey. 

We analysed only the websites of companies that sell carbon offsets as their primary activity. We didn’t look at offsetting schemes sold as an add-on to other services, such as flights.

For comparison, the government's ActOnCO2 calculator gave a total of 10.48 tonnes of carbon dioxide for our scenario.

Carbon offsetting schemes
Company Main offset projects Website ease of use Project details Financial data Total CO2 Total price
Blue ventures Carbon Offset Community energy projects in Africa satisfactory good satisfactory 8.06a tonnes/year £113
Carbon Clear Kyoto-compliant and voluntary schemes satisfactory excellent poor 7.88a tonnes/year £59
Carbon Footprint Tree planting and Kyoto-compliant projects good good very poor 9.17b tonnes/year £75-£146c
Carbon Offset Scotland Tree planting in Scotland good satisfactory very poor 7.73 tonnes/year £165
Carbon Offsets Fire efficiency and wind farm projects good excellent very poor 9.36 tonnes/year £72-£182c
Carbon Passport Kyoto-compliant credit cancellation good excellent poor 9.64 tonnes/year £125
Clear Kyoto-compliant Biomass electricity project good excellent satisfactory 10.31 tonnes/year £129
Climate Care Portfolio including stoves and wind power good excellent excellent 10.15 tonnes/year £88
CO2 Balance Include stoves in Africa and UK tree planting satisfactory good satisfactory 10.59 tonnes/year £79-£212c
Equiclimate Cancellation of EU carbon credits satisfactory good poor 9.69 tonnes/year £166
Flying Forest Tree planting in Africa satisfactory poor very poor n/ae n/ae
Pure - The Clean Planet Trust Kyoto-compliant credit cancellation excellent excellent excellent 10.85 tonnes/year £125
RBS/Natwest Forestry and renewable energy projects good poor very poor 11.50 tonnes/year £146
Sponsor Trees Tree planting in Africa satisfactory satisfactory very poor 9.98 tonnes/year £40
The Carbon Neutral Company Renewable energy and Kyoto-compliant projects satisfactory excellent poor 10.20 tonnes/year £87-£204c
The Offset Carbon Company Supplying energy-efficient stoves in Nepal satisfactory satisfactory excellent 10.93 tonnes/year £104
World Land Trust Conservation work including tree planting excellent excellent excellent 10.75d tonnes/year £161

Table notes

Prices to the nearest pound, correct at 14 May 2009. The table gives an illustrative emissions figure and price for a couple living in a two-bedroom semi in West London, spending £1,200 a year on gas and electricity, driving a petrol Honda Civic 8,000 miles and taking one return flight each per year from London Heathrow to Barcelona.


  1. ActOnCO2 calculator used for gas and electricity calculations
  2. Flight includes radiative forcing option
  3. Range of products available
  4. Kilowatt hour equivalent used for gas and electricity calculation
  5. No calculator. Flat price of £10-£20 per flight suggested

 

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