Carbon offset programs vs direct renewable investment: which actually works?

I had to choose between buying carbon offsets for my company's travel emissions or putting that money straight into a local solar farm in Austin. The offsets were easy and cheap, but the solar investment meant we could track actual kWh generated. Three months in, the solar farm is producing 200 MWh, but I still wonder if the offsets would have covered more ground. What do you all think really moves the needle?

2 comments

2 Comments

olivia_wilson14d ago

Did my buddy actually get any benefit from his offsets or just a receipt?

sage_park614d ago

Tbh those offsets work a lot like putting a bandaid on a bullet hole unless the project actually has third party verification like Verra or Gold Standard. Could be your buddy just paid for a middleman's marketing budget @olivia_wilson.