As modern consumers, almost everything we do emits carbon dioxide either directly or indirectly. The UK government has only just made a commitment that they will reach net zero by 2050, a proportion of this will be done through carbon offsetting.

From using a mobile phone to taking a long-haul flight; from the food you eat to the transport you take, almost everything the average UK resident does produces CO2e (CO2e is a term used to describe greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases). These harmful gases are at the root of the current climate crisis, causing issues such as global warming, bad air quality and environmental destruction.

The good news is, there are many projects around the world that reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses by either taking them out of the atmosphere, or by stopping them from being produced in the first place.

Carbon Offsetting is where a business or an individual funds the projects that compensate for their carbon footprint, helping to balance the scales when it comes to carbon output.

Have you ever felt like there’s a crisis coming and there’s very little you can do to help? We were right there with you.

We started C Free because we wanted to do something to help solve the climate crisis. We want to open up a positive dialogue around climate solutions, one of action and impact; one that is necessary to make change happen.

It starts with understanding the issue: global warming is a reality, and will have detrimental effects on life as we know it. This is happening as a result of increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide. We provide three easy steps to take in order to reduce the net carbon dioxide that you produce. Calculate your footprint and understand the impact that footprint has on the planet. Reduce your footprint where you can by making changes to your lifestyle. Offset the unavoidable emissions by funding projects that make a positive impact.

The technology already exists to create a sustainable world. The projects we support are at the forefront of this environmental revolution, but they need your help. Through offsetting your emissions, you are supporting these projects, reducing your carbon footprint, and creating tangible benefits for the local community.

The simple answer is no, this is not the solution to the climate crisis.

However, it is part of the solution, it is certainly a step in the right direction, we want you to understand how your actions have an impact on the environment, and we want you to fund projects that are reducing carbon emissions.

Our platform allows those two things to come together, by building awareness and reducing emissions in a few simple steps.

The C Free team has a highly selective process when it comes to the projects we support, ensuring we only use the highest quality carbon credits. All our projects are Gold Standard accredited and have Sustainable Development Goals along with the carbon that they are reducing. Read more about the Gold Standard and why it is viewed as one of the highest quality standards out there.

Transparency is essential to C Free, so we map out exactly how much goes directly to projects, our costs, and how much we reinvest back into the company (as shown in the pie chart below). By operating as a limited company rather than a charity, we are able to reach as many people as possible as quickly as possible, which requires dynamic solutions assisted by our company status. Currently, our profits go towards spreading the word about C Free. Want to help? Share our story on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

We’ve worked hard to absorb costs so that 82% of the money that you spend goes on project costs and transaction fees. The other 18% is used for spreading the word and maximising our impact!

Once you have calculated your carbon footprint using our quick and easy calculating tool, you’ll notice a Base Rate in your results. Every individual has a background level of emissions that would be very difficult to measure in a five minute calculator. So we’ve added 0.9 tonnes to everyone’s results, which accounts for public services, emissions from the average household waste, and water usage. If you want to find out more about how we calculated our Base Rate, drop us an email.

We built our calculator using the most up-to-date government statistics, and the most recent data from peer-reviewed research. We are constantly reviewing and aim to improve all the time. We tested our calculator against well established numerical findings in the field and formulated a Base Rate using a combination of the data and our expertise. That said, data science is not exact science. In designing our calculator, it was important to keep it user-friendly and accurate so that as many people as possible can use it.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this, if you think our calculator should be longer and more accurate, or if you think it takes too long to complete, get in touch and let us know through our contact page.