Maryland natural gas consumers have a convenient if slightly pricier way to reduce the climate impact of their fuel choice — through carbon offsets, according to a blog on The Baltimore Sun’s website. A carbon offset is when you pay for greenhouse gas reductions elsewhere equal to the amount of those gases you’re generating from a particular activity or purchase. 

Offsets come with projects that reduce greenhouse gases, such as planting trees, or projects that generate emission-free energy, such as solar or wind. According to Baltimore Sun blogger Tim
Wheeler, Maryland residents switching to a natural gas supplier with carbon offsets would pay anywhere from $20 to $100 annually.

BGE and Washington Gas customers who switch their natural gas to CleanSteps Carbon Offsets will lock in a fixed rate for one or two years. For those who switch to the green natural gas product, based on their natural gas usage, CleanSteps will invest some of the funds directly into three certified and local carbon offset programs.

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