Carbon Offsets and Travel

So I’m scheduled to go on a buisness trip next week and I thought it would be a good time to talk about Carbon Offsets.  With the increased awareness in climate change and global warming lately the new rage is buying carbon offsets or renewable energy credits to offset your carbon footprint.  Travel, especially air travel creates a lot of pollution.  My next trip is from Tampa, FL to Washington, D.C. and will produce .374 tons of CO2 pollution.  There are now these companies who will donate your money to a ‘good cause’ to balance your pollution; hence why they call it and offset.  There are many websites out there (I’ll let you do the homework if you’re interested) that offer you to purchase offsets.  Some offer you to contribute to forest rehabilitation, purchase energy credits, and go towards many other charitable type organizations.  I’m not so sure this is the answer to solving the climate change/global warming problems but I have to say that it is one way.  Some critics out there have noted how Al Gore preaches about climate change all day but does he walk the walk?  According to some stories, his carbon footprint is very large and instead of trying to reduce his impact he purchases carbon offsets.  So I’m curious to hear your thoughts on the topic.  Would you purchase carbon offsets?