Reducing carbon emissions is one way to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This can be accomplished by using less electricity, or burning less fossil fuel like heating oil or automobile gasoline. Since many activities that produce carbon dioxide are impractical to eliminate or even substantially reduce, purchasing carbon credits or carbon offsets is one practical solution.
Reducing Carbon Emissions
The easiest method to reduce carbon emissions (carbon dioxide) in the atmosphere is to reduce activities that produce carbon dioxide. In mid 2008 when the price of gasoline soared, many people in the United States reduced the amount of miles they drove their cars. This peaked at an estimated 10% reduction in miles driven and thus 10% less carbon dioxide from auto emissions.
Carbon Credits or Carbon Offsets
If conservation and reduction principles are impractical or insufficient, obtaining an offset or credit of another method of removing or reducing carbon dioxide emissions and is often the most practical solution to the carbon dioxide problem.
The method is usually to:
1. Pay someone else to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions for you. As in a electricity consumer like a factory, to use hydroelectric, wind or solar power instead of coal fired electrical generation.
2. Pay for carbon dioxide to be removed from the atmosphere by some method for you.