Does carbon-offsetting really enable guilt-free air travel?

Some travellers try to offset their carbon footprint by contributing to environmental projects. Photo: Daniel Reinhardt/dpa

Having grown up with parents who encouraged recycling, Jenny Beightol has always been aware of her environmental impact. She doesn’t own a car, and cycles or takes public transportation to get around town.

But the 32-year-old woman from Chicago, Illinois in the United States sometimes likes to travel to places like Mexico. This has led to soul searching, because scientists say that planes account for about 2.5% of global carbon dioxide production, which contributes to climate change.