carbon footprint offset
A boondoggle involving polluting one geographical location with excessive use of carbon-based fuel while paying to promote clean energy in another geographical location, and claiming one offsets the other, thus yielding neutral pollution.
Al Gore rationalizes his profligate use of $30,000/year in electricity and natural gas at his home in Nashville by partially funding clean energy production in other areas, terming this a "carbon footprint offset". It is tantamount to dumping garbage on the streets of Nashville and "offsetting" it by paying for street cleanup in Seattle.
carbon footprint offset by Mondo Fuego March 2, 2007
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