A carbon offset broadly refers to a reduction in GHG emissions – or an increase in carbon storage (e.g., through land restoration or the planting of trees) – that is used to compensate for emissions that occur elsewhere.

Companies like Microsoft Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell PLC buy those credits directly from project developers or middlemen or earn them in exchange for funding projects. Companies can then use those credits to reduce their net carbon emissions, a metric that consumers and investors are increasingly asking to see.

According to our study, in order to offset the CO2 produced by an average UK citizen's food consumption in one year, 70 new trees would need to be planted. To put this into context, just 30 minutes of watching Netflix on your TV or device each day requires nearly 60 trees to be planted to become carbon neutral.

Credits are issued to individuals or companies growing compliant forests and these credits can be sold to a carbon emitter such as a power company, using them to 'offset' a power station's CO2-e emissions.

US Citizens are among the largest global emitters of greenhouse gases, with each individual in the nation releasing about 22,046 pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere. To offset this massive volume of emissions, each person in the country would need to plant about 725 to 1,000 trees every year.

Carbon Trade Exchange (CTX) is an online electronic spot exchange, allowing buyers and sellers to trade cash for carbon offsets (or credits) in real time, 24/7, 365 days a year. CTX brings transparency, liquidity and market access to global carbon markets.

Carbon credits help save the environment, one piece at a time. By selling these credits to the public, they can feel better while you can make some money. These credits usually sell for $10 to $20 per tree or plant, and you can sell as many as you like: there is no legal limit.