What is carbon offsetting?

We all need to reduce the amount of CO2 we create. That could mean choosing to recycle more, opting for public transport and deciding to fly less often. After we have reduced as much as we can, offsetting our remaining CO2 emissions allows us to do even more.

Use our new Carbon Offset service to find out what your carbon footprint is and how much it will cost to offset.

Carbon offsetting explained

The idea is simple – reduce the impact that your carbon emissions have on the world by supporting projects that reduce carbon emissions elsewhere, such as eco-friendly power generation. You can offset whatever you decide…your car, a plane trip or even your whole lifestyle.

Don’t worry – you don’t need to look around the world searching for worthy projects, or worry about the many different types. Direct Line has researched a variety of carbon offset projects on your behalf and identified a number of projects that could reduce or remove carbon emissions.

Use our new Carbon Offset service to make it easy, to get great value and to combine all the best projects together under one portfolio.

Carbon footprints

A ‘carbon footprint’ is the amount of greenhouse gas produced by an individual or a business. It’s normally calculated over a year.

Everyone has a carbon footprint. This is because boiling a kettle, switching on a light or buying food burns fossil fuels – and this produces CO2. Almost everything we use or do produces CO2. There’s just no escaping it.

Measuring carbon footprints

Carbon footprints are measured in tonnes of CO2. By measuring your own carbon footprint, you can understand the impact that your normal day-to-day activities have on global warming.

Offsetting explained

We have combined projects from around the world and of different types to create a reputable and trustworthy Carbon Offset service. Your money will be put to good use in all sorts of green initiatives. And it will all be done to the high standards you would expect from Direct Line

Here are some of the different types of carbon offset

Planting trees – this can include restoring natural forests or avoiding planned deforestation. As well as absorbing CO2, trees can stop the soil from eroding away, and give wildlife a place to live.

Renewable energy – think of wind turbines, solar energy and hydroelectric power. These are effective as they produce little or no hazardous emissions or pollutants.

Energy efficiency – this will reduce the demand for electricity and therefore cut the amount of emissions released into the environment. The idea here is to replace or renew older inefficient power plants, machinery and devices with newer, more efficient ones.