SACRAMENTO (AP) — Californians could soon invest in trees to offset the greenhouse gases they pump into the air when they heat their homes or drive to work.

The non-profit California Climate Action Registry was set up by the state six years ago to encourage corporations and government agencies to track, and ultimately reduce, their emissions. The Forest Protocols program will allow environmentally minded citizens to pay to preserve enough trees to offset their personal carbon emissions.

The registry has calculated how much the timber industry loses by allowing trees to grow longer and bigger — past the time they're normally harvested. The industry would then be compensated by other companies that buy carbon credits — or shares of the trees — to offset their carbon emissions.

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