It’s election season and the candidates are using a lot of terms, especially relating to environment issues. Sometimes it feels like you need a dictionary to keep up with all of them. For example, carbon offsets – what are they and how are people using them?

When a carbon offset is purchased, it helps fund a project such as tree planting or investment in renewable energy like wind or solar.Many companies often purchase these offsets to try and balance out thier carbon dioxide emissions.

But the market for carbon offsets is not currently regulated by the EPA. Which means an investment in offsets might not go completely to developing renewable energy.

Instead of trying to offset negative activity, some companies are trying to take a proactive approach by purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates or RECs instead. These certificates are a direct investment in developing environmentally friendly energy sources like wind or solar power.

Check out epa.gov for companies investing in offsets and for more on how you can stay informed and help solve global warming