Eco-buzz: "Offsetting"

Offsetting, (verb) – to counteract (something) by having an opposing force or effect. To balance or serve as a counterbalance for. To compensate.

Lately I have been hearing a lot about “offsetting.” Being able to purchase carbon credits, plant trees, and invest in renewable energy sources allows people the opportunity to pay a cost long overlooked: that of environmental impact. While some feel that this financial compensation allows people to go about their emissions-spewing lives hauling around in their Hummers, others feel that many of the companies that have started to popularize ‘offsetting,’ are educating the general consumer and increasing awareness and motivation to act on behalf of the planet.

Here is an interesting article out of the UK about a company that is doing a bit more than just planting trees. There has been some controversy regarding tree-planting. I was approached by a company that wanted some assistance with their ‘offsetting’ plan. They were planting in North America and when I asked them where these trees were going to be planted, whether the trees were indigenous, whether they had scientific data backing up their plan, etc. they avoided giving me a direct answer.

There is debate surrounding the idea of ‘offsetting.’ Many environmental activists feel we should be curbing our habits and minimizing our lifestyles instead of merely ‘offsetting.’ The term itself connotes a balancing which makes one think of merely reaching a median, as opposed to soaring beyond. Others feel that instead of trying to preach extremity, it is a way to generate change within the system. There is something about the term itself that reminds me of people spraying air freshener over a stench, but the reality is, as seen with the British company mentioned in the article, some offsetting organizations are seeking eco-friendly ways for people to maintain subsistent lifestyles while minimizing environmental degradation.