Carbon Offsets vs Carbon Removal:
How to remove your carbon footprint

If you’re looking to offset your carbon footprint, you’re asking the right question.
The answer is carbon removal.

Carbon removal physically removes CO₂ from the atmosphere and stores it durably for the long term.

Remove Carbon Today is built specifically to provide this for individuals.

We enable individuals worldwide to clean their carbon footprint through certified carbon removal with public registry proof.

Every removal offered here is already delivered (ex-post), certified and independently verified, durably stored for 100+ years, issued and retired in a public registry, and completed with proof within one month of purchase.

Start removing carbonLearn how it works

The difference between carbon offsets and carbon removal

The term “carbon offset” is often used broadly to describe actions or projects that compensate for emissions, including efforts that reduce, avoid, or claim to remove greenhouse gases. This broad use is why carbon offsets can be confused with carbon removal.

In practice, carbon offsets and carbon removal serve different purposes and work in different ways.

Offsets and what they do:

  • Typically fund projects that focus on reducing or avoiding emissions
  • Avoid future emissions rather than directly remove already-emitted CO₂ from the atmosphere
  • Are often issued in advance, before the climate impact happens
  • Frequently rely on estimates and may not be independently measured or verified

Carbon removal and what it does:

  • Physically removes CO₂ from the atmosphere
  • Stores it durably for over 100 years
  • Is issued only after removal has already happened (ex-post)
  • Can be measured, independently verified and publicly tracked

Key takeaway:
Offsets aim to reduce or avoid future emissions.
Carbon removal is the only direct way to clean past emissions.

Why offsets don’t actually clean your carbon footprint

When you emit CO₂, it accumulates in the atmosphere and stays there for centuries.

Most offsets rely on assumptions about what would have happened, which may cause disputable claims as they typically cannot guarantee exact climate impact.

This is why many individuals who started with offsets later ask:
“Is there a way to actually remove my carbon footprint?”

There is, and that’s certified carbon removal, which is why many people who search for offsets eventually decide on carbon removal instead.

What carbon removal does differently and why it matters

Carbon removal focuses on measurable outcomes, not future estimates.

High-durability carbon removal is:

  • Ex-post and already completed
  • Certified and independently verified
  • Durable with storage lasting 100+ years
  • Issued and retired in a public registry
  • Confirmed with public registry proof

This is why science recommends carbon removal as essential for CO₂ emissions you cannot avoid.

What certified, ex-post carbon removal means

At Remove Carbon Today, we make certified, durable, ex-post carbon removal available for individuals with public registry proof.

In practice, this means:

  • We purchase certified carbon removal in bulk after the CO₂ removal has been verified
  • We make removals available to individuals in small or large quantities
  • For every ton sold, we retire removal certificates in a public registry on behalf of customers
  • Customers receive a registry link within one month of purchase as proof of removal

Carbon removal turns your intent into real, durable, and independently verified climate impact today.

How to start today (in under 5 minutes)?

If you want to remove your carbon emissions today:

  • Accept that some residual emissions are unavoidable
  • Choose certified, durable, ex-post carbon removal (not vague offsets)
  • Start with a clear, simple amount
  • Ensure you receive a public registry link showing retirement

This turns climate concern into concrete action — with evidence.

Remove my carbon footprint todayHow much should I remove?

Want to learn more about carbon removal?

Looking for offsets? See details on how carbon removal differs →

FAQ: Carbon removal for individuals

Are carbon offsets and carbon removal the same thing?

No.
Traditional carbon offsets usually fund emission reductions or avoidance, such as projects that aim to prevent future emissions from occurring (for example, renewable energy or efficiency improvements). These approaches reduce the rate at which emissions grow, but they do not remove carbon dioxide that is already in the atmosphere.

Carbon removal is different. It physically removes CO₂ that has already been emitted and stores it durably, typically for centuries or longer. This lowers the total amount of excess CO₂ in the atmosphere, already warming our planet, not just future emissions.

In short: reductions and avoidance limit future emissions, while carbon removal addresses past emissions. Both are needed, but they serve fundamentally different roles.

What does "carbon removal" actually mean?

Carbon removal means physically removing carbon dioxide (CO₂) that is already in the atmosphere and storing it in a stable form for the long term.

It differs from emission reductions (cutting future emissions) and avoidance (preventing future emissions).

Durable carbon removal typically refers to storage lasting centuries or longer, rather than decades.

Who is Remove Carbon Today?

Remove Carbon Today is an online store that makes durable, certified carbon removal accessible to individuals.

We offer already-issued (ex-post) carbon dioxide removal certificates with verified storage lasting 100+ years, tracked and retired in public registries such as Puro.earth.

Our focus is helping people take meaningful, verifiable action on their unavoidable emissions with proof of removal provided within one month.

How do I know the carbon is really removed?

Remove Carbon Today relies on crediting platforms, such as Puro.earth, for carbon removal methodologies, certification, independent verification, and public registry tracking.

Removals are issued as CO₂ Removal Certificates (CORCs) after third-party auditing, and certificates are retired when used so they cannot be claimed again.

Within one month of purchase, you receive a confirmation link that allows you to verify the retirement of your removal in the public registry.

When is my carbon removal completed?

Your removal is completed within one month of purchase, once the corresponding carbon removal certificate is retired on your behalf and recorded in the public registry. You will receive a confirmation email with a public registry link.

Why do you focus on biochar?

Biochar is one of the most practical durable carbon removal options available to individuals today at meaningful scale. It stores carbon for 100+ years (often centuries) with low reversal risk when produced and applied correctly, and it can be measured, independently verified, and certified under established standards.

Remove Carbon Today starts with biochar and will make additional durable carbon removal methods available as they become sufficiently mature, verifiable, and accessible for individuals.

What is your pricing based on?

Pricing reflects the underlying cost of certified carbon removal certificates and the operation of the service. We price removals based on the average cost we pay for each verified CO₂ Removal Certificate (CORC), plus a transparent 10% margin to run, maintain, and improve the service (including payment processing, customer support, and ongoing development).

Durable, independently verified removals (like biochar) usually cost more than conventional offsets because they fund real, measured, ex-post CO₂ removal and long-term storage, rather than reduced or avoided emissions.

Common removal choices

View all removal options

How to clean carbon footprint responsibly - by our founder Tiia (3:21)

Contact us - we'd love to hear from you 💚