The carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is one of a number of greenhouse gases that help to keep the earth warm. Without them, surface temperatures could be up to 30 degrees lower and the earth would not be able to support life. Over the last forty years we have significantly increased our greenhouse gas emissions and this has increased the warming effect on the planet, through the trapping of the sun’s heat in the earth's atmosphere.

Low carbon technologies will help to reduce the growing problem of climate change, however at the moment there is no evidence to suggest that even large-scale carbon capture programmes will have any significant effect. There are also no technologies that can be adopted on a mass market basis that will remove our current reliance on fossil fuels. The only real answer is for us to stop using fossil fuels, however this solution is simply not practical.

The key message is that the importance of large numbers of people taking climate change and their emissions seriously cannot be overstated. The average UK citizen is directly responsible for the production of up to 10 tons per head of carbon dioxide each year. UK businesses are responsible for nearly half of all emissions. Becoming more energy efficient at home will reduce your emissions as does more efficient use of travel. The company where you work can adopt an environmental policy that reduces emissions in the working environment and from the delivery of its goods and services. Small changes from a large number of people will quickly make a big difference.

Most scientists agree on the direct relationship between carbon dioxide emissions and climate change.. The principal area of disagreement is how quickly climate change will happen. Some scientists predict an increase in average temperatures by several degrees. If this happens, it will have an enormous effect upon fragile ecosystems. Others climatologists suggest that the global warming process will be more gradual and that our ability to control greenhouse gas emissions will happen before a catastrophe. It is clear from all of the scientific opinion that our current situation requires immediate action.

The UK currently produces nearly half as much carbon dioxide as India does, however we have a population of 60 million people whereas India has a population of over 1 billion. The scale of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions means we have the opportunity to make a significant impact on the pace of global warming. We are also partly responsible for the growth in China’s emissions as our own consumption of the goods manufactured there grows.

We all have a responsibility to measure our carbon footprints and reduce them as far as we can. Unless we want to stop using fossil fuels altogether, we will all continue to have a carbon footprint. Carbon offsets help us to address this on a global basis by matching your CO2 emissions with projects that are designed to reduce or remove the same amount. This is currently the most effective way of doing your bit for climate change. In addition, carbon offsets:

• Make real reductions in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere that would not have happened without your investment.
• Provide funds for renewable technologies and energy efficient solutions.
• Help to raise awareness of the impact that our lifestyles have on the climate.

Climate change is a global problem. Reducing carbon dioxide emissions in one country has the same result as reducing it in another country. It is the amount of greenhouse gas reductions that count, not where they come from. CO2 reductions are designed to encourage sustainable investment by developed countries in the developing world, and we expect our investments to deliver both financial and non-financial benefits wherever the projects take place.

The carbon offset projects we select strictly adhere to the robust process of design, monitoring and independent verification as set down by the UN's Clean Development Mechanism. They also meet recognised international standards for emission reductions.

We use the best available information for calculating carbon dioxide emissions. Our calculators are also designed in line with the government’s guidelines, set by DEFA.

Planting trees to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is not a solution to climate change when taken in isolation. Climate change needs to be addressed by reducing emissions through developing renewable fuel sources or boosting efficiency. Our view is that carbon offset funds should be used to stimulate the development of these essential technologies.

We will send you your own high quality, personalised Car windscreen Green Permit, together with a Certificate to enable you to proudly display your Green credentials. We will also keep you fully informed with all of our activities either by email or via our website.

We are working with a number of institutions to put together a number of UK based initiatives focused on energy efficiency that will enable us to offer you a UK investment. There are also potential issues with double counting of carbon offsets by countries that have emission reduction targets under the United Nations Kyoto Protoco, such as the UK.

We only purchase the highest quality offsets so you can be completely sure about their origin and quality. Offsets which don't meet our stringent standards may be cheaper - but we believe that quality is more important.

We run our business as efficiently as possible and pass on every available saving to you. Our costs, which we try and keep to a minimum, account for a maximum 30% of the revenue derived from the sale of the carbon offsets. This means that we invest a minimum 70% in the carbon offset projects.