We explore the realm of carbon offset markets that have been set up to enable consumers to offset their share of carbon emissions. Though the market is a relatively new one, it has quickly spawned countless offset providers under both regulated and voluntary schemes. Our research points out that the market is widely unregulated and, furthermore, there is no common quality or certification structure for the offset providers. At this point in the evolution of the market, only a handful of offset provider ratings schemes exist; and even these schemes leave a vast void for consumers. The article provides an overview of the state of the carbon markets, the concept of carbon offsets, and the standards environment for offset providers. Results of data collection allow us to compare providers effectively and efficiently on a common scale that services both providers as well as consumer stakeholders.