The development of carbon markets is a very fashionable idea among decisions-makers as a method to reduce CO2 emissions, but many insist that this idea essentially allows rich countries and companies to buy the right to continue polluting. An “innovator” from Minnesota, US, decided to make some money from those who believe in carbon offsetting, and took the concept to eBay.

Thanks to him, you can now buy, for just US$100, a year and a half’s worth of automotive carbon offsets, allowing you to continue driving in the knowledge that someone else has not driven for an entire year and a half. We neither know if this is legal or not, nor if the “carbon offset” found a purchaser, but we can only wonder if others will follow this initiative, and if private people will also be able to buy their “right to pollute”. The biggest concern is that this method of dealing with CO2 emissions from transportation may unfortunately only cultivate the feeling that there is no limit to polluting, until you pay for it.