Carbon offsets can best be described as an environmental credit which someone can buy to offset their own greenhouse gas emissions, when one is unable to or unwilling to reduce their own emissions. The best known examples of carbon offsets are tree planting offsets and clean energy offsets, which compensate for car and air travel emissions.

Contrary to popular belief automobile emissions are not the largest contributor to global warming and climate change. However, the pollution and emissions from automobiles do make up about 1/3 of all emissions and are in fact the largest polluter in most large metropolitan cities.

The solution to climate change and global warming is now more apparent than ever. With a turnout of about 26,000 people, the AIA annual Architectural Convention in San Antonio, Texas concentrated on the theme of “Growing Beyond Green.”