Frequently Asked Questions

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases (primarily carbon dioxide) generated by your actions. It includes direct emissions (like driving a car) and indirect emissions (like the energy used to produce goods you buy). Footprints are typically measured in kilograms or tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e).

Our AI-powered calculator uses emission factors from authoritative sources like DEFRA, EPA, and IPCC. While it provides a good estimate, actual emissions depend on many factors we can't measure precisely (your exact car model, local electricity mix, etc.). Use the results as a guide rather than an exact figure.

CO2e is a standard unit that expresses the impact of different greenhouse gases in terms of the amount of CO2 that would create the same warming effect. For example, methane is 28x more potent than CO2, so 1kg of methane = 28kg CO2e.

Global averages vary widely: Americans average about 16 tonnes CO2e/year, Europeans around 6-8 tonnes, while the global average is about 4.7 tonnes. To limit global warming to 1.5°C, we need to reach about 2 tonnes per person by 2050.

Carbon offsetting means funding projects that reduce or remove greenhouse gases somewhere else, such as capturing landfill gas, protecting forests or restoring mangroves, for emissions you can't avoid yet. Each carbon credit stands for one tonne of CO₂e reduced or removed, and it is retired on a public registry so it can't be used again. It doesn't cancel out your own emissions, so it comes on top of cutting them, not instead.

It depends on the project. A credit is only worth something if the project wouldn't happen without carbon finance (additionality), its impact isn't overstated, the carbon stays stored and each tonne is counted once. Standards such as Verra and Gold Standard set rules for this and independent bodies verify the projects, but quality still varies. That's why every project we offer also passes CNaught's 7-step review and our own credit-quality rules. Offsetting should complement direct emission reductions, not replace them.How we choose the projects

Through our partner CNaught, we support a diversified portfolio including: landfill gas and methane capture, gas-leak repair, peatland and forest conservation (including REDD+), improved forest management, mangroves, reforestation, biochar, bio-oil storage, BECCS, and the Frontier carbon removal portfolio. This diversification reduces risk and supports multiple pathways to net zero.

CNaught, our supplier, reviews every project in seven steps before it can join the portfolio: public documents, an independent rating, environmental, social and reputational risks, and four quality checks (additionality, over-crediting, durability and double counting). According to CNaught, fewer than 3% of the projects on the market are eligible to be considered. On top of that, our credit-quality policy sets rules for every credit we sell, such as a recognised standard and limits on how much can come from one project or one country.How we choose the projects

Four independent rating agencies: BeZero, Calyx Global, Renoster and Sylvera. Every project needs a high rating from at least one of them: BBB or above from BeZero, Calyx Global or Sylvera, or Good or above from Renoster. The rating is required, but it isn't enough on its own: the project must also pass the rest of CNaught's review.

For forests and other nature-based projects, the registry keeps a buffer of credits that replaces carbon lost to fire or other damage. If a project faces credible allegations, we assess them with CNaught within 10 working days and, if they hold up, ask CNaught to stop allocating new orders to it. And under the CNaught Guarantee, if a registry cancels a project within three years of a purchase, or suspends it for more than 12 months in a row, because of a risk the review missed, CNaught replaces the credits tonne for tonne at no cost.If something goes wrong

When you purchase an offset, we provide a retirement certificate showing the specific credits retired on your behalf. These credits are permanently retired in public registries and cannot be resold. You can verify retirements through the registry's public database.

When a carbon credit is "retired," it's permanently removed from circulation and recorded in a public registry. This ensures the credit can never be sold or used again. Your retirement certificate proves you've claimed that specific environmental benefit.

Simply describe your activities in natural language—like chatting with a friend. Tell us about your flights, drives, home energy use, diet, or purchases. Our AI extracts the relevant details and applies appropriate emission factors to calculate your footprint.

No. You can use the calculator and buy carbon credits without an account: your certificate and receipt are emailed to you. A free account lets you save your calculations, track your progress over time and keep all your certificates in one place. Business purchases need a free business account, so the certificate can carry your company name.

Coffset's public price is €40 per tonne of CO2e (€0.04 per kg), the same base price for every customer. Monthly subscriptions are 10% cheaper, and large orders can request a volume quote. You always see the exact total before you pay.

We accept all major credit and debit cards through Stripe's secure payment platform. We don't store your card details—all payment processing is handled by Stripe.

Due to the nature of carbon credit retirement (once retired, credits cannot be unreturned), we generally cannot offer refunds. If there's an issue with your purchase, please contact hello@coffset.org and we'll work to resolve it.

No—offsetting is one tool among many. The most effective climate action is to reduce emissions at the source: flying less, switching to renewable energy, eating less meat, and choosing sustainable products. Offset what you can't avoid, but prioritize reduction first.

High-impact actions include: flying less (or not at all), switching to an electric vehicle or using public transport, eating a more plant-based diet, improving home energy efficiency, and choosing products with lower environmental impact. Our Learning Center has detailed guides on each of these.

We're committed to transparency and education. Our Learning Center provides free resources on climate science and sustainable living. We also work to make carbon awareness more accessible through our AI-powered tools.

We use your calculation data solely to provide the service—generating your footprint estimate and processing offsets. We don't sell your data. Analytics data is aggregated and anonymized. See our Privacy Policy for full details.

Yes. All payments are processed by Stripe, a PCI-compliant payment processor. We never see or store your full card details. The connection is encrypted with HTTPS.

Yes. You can request account deletion by emailing hello@coffset.org. We'll remove your personal data within 30 days. Some information (like purchase records) may be retained for legal compliance.