It will cost me about $36,184.50 to carbon offset my entire lifespan

To fund this, all I need to do is cut two small coffees per week (great for my blood pressure!)

While cutting coffee would be great for my health, buying carbon offset credits would help the planet. What does purchasing a carbon offset mean? Carbon offset projects prevent, reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions from being released into the atmosphere. 

Carbon offset projects only make sense if they go above and beyond what would have happened in any case. For instance, renewable energy (typically) makes financial sense in Australia and would happen regardless of being funded by offset credits. 

A project that provides improved cooktops to people in the Bugesera district in Rwanda achieves so much more. It improves health, results in less time collecting firewood by women and girls, provides a more reliable cooking method for families, and reduces the need to clear woodlands for fuel. This project closely aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.