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(CNN) -- If you have ever worried about the contribution business travel makes to global warming and climate change, you can now do something to offset that.
A growing number of environmental organizations allow air travelers to contribute to the planting of trees, which soak up carbon dioxide-emissions, so that trips become "carbon neutral."
Airlines do not contribute to any formal system that offsets the environmental damage flowing from air travel. There is also no tax on plane fuel.
Until non-fossil fuel options become a more realistic choice, personal compensation provides one of the most practical ways to combat the effects of air travel pollution.
"We calculate the carbon dioxide impact of...a car hire or even an airline. We work out how much greenhouse gas an activity creates," Dan Morrell of Future Forests told CNN.
"Then we compensate through the planting of long term natural forests, indigenous plants and investment in green technology, such as low energy light bulbs."
Transport pollution
Air travel is one of the most polluting forms of transport. Even a short-haul flight produces as much carbon dioxide as the average motorist releases in a year.
For each mile (1.6 km) flown on a jet, one pound (0.5 kg) of carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere. A short haul flight emits roughly 0.6 tonnes (0.59 tons) per person -- planting one tree will balance this out.
A long haul flight from London to Australia costs five trees. And a car with a 1.8 litre engine, travelling an average 12,000 miles per year will set you back eight trees.
Airplane emissions account for only two percent of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide, but this is set to escalate.
In the UK alone, air travel is predicted to triple by 2030, according to the Department of Transport.
A number of Websites now offer calculators that allow travelers to express their trip in terms of trees, as well as ways of donating. Organizations include Future Forests, Climate Care, Dutch Business for Climate and Germany's 550ppm.
In the United States, the Trees for Travel organization accepts donations to offset travel pollution. Travel agencies such as Better World Club also offer carbon offsets and you can now hire eco-friendly automobiles from EV rental cars.
Yet not all environmental travel concerns are non-profit organizations and critics warn that the process of offsetting carbon emissions is an easy way to pay for a clean conscience -- but it still does not limit our polluting activities.
"We have to remind ourselves that Future Forests is a profit making company, they are not a charity," said a spokesperson from Friends of the Earth.
"The projects they embark on are not necessarily environmentally sound or sustainable and it is this quick fix solution that is not really going to help us."
Two years ago government and environmental organization delegates were flown to the World Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa on flights that were carbon neutral.
