Terms

Updated October 12, 2026. Written to be read. See also my promises and the privacy policy.

The deal

By using this site you agree to these terms. My Offset is run by Ian Tarter. It estimates the harm from things you use and lets you donate to charities working on that harm. It's for people in the United States, and you must be 18 or older to pay.

Estimates are estimates

Every figure here is an estimate from published sources, shown with its source on How it's calculated. Counts from your accounts come from your own browser and aren't verified by anyone. Nothing on this site is a certified carbon audit, and you shouldn't use it as one for a business, a regulator or a legal claim.

Donations

You pay My Offset once, through Stripe, and Stripe's terms cover the card payment. I then give each charity its part through Pledge, a nonprofit giving platform, and pass on every dollar of your donation. Pledge records each gift in your name and emails you a receipt for it. I'm still checking what receipt Pledge sends for these gifts and what is tax-deductible, so don't count on a deduction until this page says so. If a charity closes or stops qualifying, Pledge decides where the gift goes under its rules, and Where the money goes will say so. If you were charged by mistake, tell me within 30 days. I'll refund it if the gifts haven't been made yet, and help you ask Pledge if they have.

Fees

Stripe's card fee (30¢ + 2.9%) and Pledge's fees (5% technology fee and 2.9% card fee) are listed separately, and I don't keep any of them. There are no tips or fees for using the site.

Paying again

You approve each payment yourself. Nothing repeats on its own: each month or year, you come back and pay again.

Lifetime plans

A lifetime gift offsets the items it lists, at the use you entered, up to age 85. If you later use a lot more than you entered, the extra isn't offset. If I close the site, the donation has already reached the charities and stays there.

The badge

You may show the Fully Offset badge while your plan is paid up. It means you donated enough to cover my estimate, not that your footprint is zero. Don't call it carbon neutral, and don't use it in ads for a product.

Fair use

Don't try to break the site, overload it, or use it to read other people's accounts.

My responsibility

The site is provided as it is. As far as the law allows, I'm not liable for indirect losses, and my total liability to you is what you paid me over the last 12 months. Nothing here limits rights you have that the law says can't be limited.

Changes

If these terms change, the date at the top changes. A change that affects payments you've already set up is emailed to you first, and you can stop before it applies.

Contact

Questions or problems: iantarter.com. These terms are governed by the laws of Pennsylvania.