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.
by Mondo Fuego March 1, 2007