There are lots of ways to reduce the level of CO₂. One way, for example, is by building a wind turbine. Here is how it works: Wind turbines do not produce any CO₂ as they make electricity, so the power they provide is clean. Meanwhile coal-fired power plants—the kind that generate 85% of the world's electricity—produce about one metric ton of CO₂ for every 1.5 megawatts of electricity. That means that for every 1.5 megawatts of electricity the wind turbine provides, we avoid spewing one metric ton of CO₂ into the atmosphere.

That's great, but someone still has to pay for building the wind turbine. That's where carbon credits come in. They are a source of capital for organizations that could not otherwise afford to develop clean energy capacity.

When we buy carbon credits, the money we pay finances the development of clean energy sources like wind turbines and solar panels, and for environmental projects like reforestation. We know we are getting our money's worth—or rather, your money's worth—because the credits we buy are all verified by a trusted certification agency to ensure that they represent real environmental value.

Finally, because of our unique position as an environmental investor on behalf of all Green users, we make our investment dollars go much further than any individual can. Every three months we add up the total carbon footprint of all the computers where Green is installed, and we buy one credit for every metric ton of footprint. Then we retire them—remove them from the global carbon market—so they cannot be traded again. This lowers the cap on worldwide carbon emissions and reduces overall pollution.