The African Carbon Trust (ACT) started in Cape Town when the organisers of the Design Indaba conference decided to offset the carbon footprint of that event and discovered a need for a user-friendly portal to guide individuals and corporates through all aspects of the process. Among other things, they found that it’s better to reduce carbon emissions than it is to offset, and that recycling should be a last resort.

They set up the website to share their discoveries with the general public and accelerate social and economic development by promoting the use of renewable energy and carbon-light processes. The website seeks to create awareness of global warming, provoke innovation, counter climate change, spur development, empower Africa. It includes a wide-spectrum of online climate change videos, news, blogs, a gallery and a list of interesting Fast Facts on energy use in South Africa.