Gone are the days when hotels could simply put up signs encouraging guests to reuse their towels and then call themselves “green.” As travelers become more aware of the environmental impacts of their actions, they are increasingly choosing brands that adopt eco-friendly practices. With climate change at the forefront of the global sustainability agenda, a growing number of tourism businesses are taking concrete steps to become carbon neutral.
This article provides a roadmap for reducing your hotel’s carbon footprint. We’ve broken it down into three main steps: 1. reduce reliance on fossil fuels, 2. protect forests and blue carbon ecosystems, and 3. Support innovative climate solutions that scale.
Have you heard about carbon offsetting but still have questions or don’t know where to begin?
In recent years, tourism has come under heightened scrutiny for its contribution to the climate emergency and as a result, more attention has been put on the practice of carbon offsetting. Yet it can be difficult to sift through all the information out there and figure out how carbon offsetting fits into your journey as a sustainable traveler.
Join our very own Paloma Zapata and Kaitlyn Brajcich as they demystify carbon offsetting during this virtual event. The webinar will take place at 9am PDT / 12pm EDT on April 8 and is hosted by the Impact Travel Alliance Seattle Chapter. We’ll discuss the role that carbon offsetting plays in being a climate conscious traveler and address some of those burning questions that you may have! Registration is free and all are welcome to join.
Though terrestrial forests typically get most of the attention, they are not the only ecosystems that possess a natural ability to fight climate change. There are three coastal ecosystems that are also highly effective at sequestering carbon dioxide: mangroves, seagrass, and salt marshes. The carbon that is captured and stored by these coastal ecosystems is known as “blue carbon.” Pound for pound, these blue carbon ecosystems can actually store up to 10 times more carbon than tropical rainforests!
There are a number of organizations that offer carbon offsets, but it can be difficult to decide which one to go with. When offsetting, it is important to go through an organization that is transparent, knows their stuff, and is creating meaningful and lasting impacts. To help you navigate all of the options that are out there, we’ve put together a list of things to look for when choosing a carbon offset provider. Follow these tips and you’ll be able to rest assured that your contribution is making a real difference and that you aren’t getting scammed.
Carbon offsetting allows you to mitigate the climate impact of your flights and other travel emissions, while giving back to nature and local communities.
Whether your company is a hotel, tour operator, or restaurant, you probably know that your business is generating carbon emissions in one way or another. From heating your guest rooms to transporting your customers overseas, many of the day-to-day activities that keep your business running can also have an impact on the planet. In fact, the tourism industry is responsible for approximately 8% of global carbon emissions.
Minimizing these carbon emissions should always be your #1 priority, but no matter how many green practices you implement, producing at least some amount of carbon is practically inescapable. That’s where carbon offsetting comes in!
