26 Feb How To Actually Compensate your CO2 Emissions
Because of the growing population and amount of people who like to explore and travel, our CO2 usage is increasing rapidly.
Do you care about the planet but you are also caught with the wanderlust virus? Time to find out how you can actually compensate your CO2 emissions.
Better holidays
Turn the negative into something positive. This applies to the destination but also to the local community. Thankfully, the travel sector is searching for alternative ways to compensate in infrastructure and accommodation. ANVR for example has developed an award winning online calculator that calculates your holiday carbon footprint. Not just from the flights, but also other ways of transport, accommodation and activities.
Staying at home is no option?
Even though we use other ways of transport to travel around, and only 20% of that transport is by plane, flying still produces the biggest CO2 emission (a stagering 55%). There are several ideas about flying smarter and cleaner, but these are in the early stages of development and are taking too long if you ask me. Staying at home, is no option for most people, especially with the economical growth. Let’s also not forget that for many countries, tourism is extremely important and the number one income. However, we see an increase of people travelling by train, which is good news!
Did you know, that a round trip for 2 people from Amsterdam to Bangkok will spray 3.5 tons of CO2 in the air?
This is how you can balance your CO2 emissions.
CO2 compensation
The traveling consumer is now starting to get more attention for his holiday-footprint, in addition to recycling at home and water saving. In 2016, 1 in 800 travelers opted to voluntarily compensate their CO2 from flying. A good start, but too little to make a real big difference. Some travel companies are already taking measures, and a dozen travel organisations are starting to include the CO2 compensation in their package deals. They are also helping the consumer to make more conscious choices: do you want to travel by plane or by train, sleep in a hotel that takes the environment into account, long or short on holiday, compensate or reduce?
How it Works
There are several websites that can calculate your Carbon Footprint. The best ones are www.myclimate.org and for the Dutch market its www.greenseat.nl and we also like Trees for All, who basically help restore forests. These websites let you calculate your usage, but also give you an opportunity to compensate by bringing it back into balance. For example; if you fly to Bangkok and back, you use 1,6700 tons of CO2. This converted into cash is around €16,-. You can donate this amount to a good cause. This amount would provide 1 household in India, Cambodja or Uganda with renewable energy for one whole year!
Are you ready to compensate your CO2?
Love,
Elke
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