For over a decade, the Neutral Territory mantra had been MRB i.e. Measure, Reduce, then Balance carbon emissions. Balance and Reducing seem to be changing order for a number of reasons. Which comes first?

The main driver for Balancing first is the need to TAKE ACTION. People can watch only so many David Attenborough documentaries with koala bears on fire before they need to DO something.

Reducing carbon emissions is something we can start to do, but is a long haul and often hard to quantify. Just how much will difference will those LED lights really make? Balancing is quantifiable, plausible and perfectly valid in the hands of professionals.

Balancing has another benefit too, When properly invested in preventing or replacing habitat loss, it supports wildlife and eco-diversity as well as absorbing carbon.

There’s nothing wrong with getting the quick-fix of eco-feelgood that Balancing brings. The key is do it every year, and steadily Reduce emissions in the meantime.