We recently completed our Eco-Tourism Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard and we recieved a score of 93%. While we were happy with that score we were also happy that it highlighted that we didn’t offset our emissions from the 2021/2022. Doing this Scorecard motivated us to take action and do better.
Why do we want to offset our emissions? We recognize that the climate crisis is a pressing issue that affects everyone, including current and future generations. We want to be part of the solution and do our part to reduce our impact on the environment.
By examining our carbon footprint, we can identify areas where we can minimise our emissions. However, we also recognise that reducing emissions entirely is not always feasible. That’s why we’ve chosen to offset our emissions.
We understand that carbon offsets are not a perfect solution, but until we can implement more sustainable practices in our daily lives, offsetting our emissions is one way we can contribute to fighting climate change right now.
After researching extensively about carbon offsets, we have chosen to invest in two different types of projects. For our personal lives, we have invested in Gold Standard projects that provide clean drinking water and promote sustainable practices in developing countries. We have also invested in projects that promote renewable energy and reforestation.
For our business, we have chosen to invest in Carbon Neutral projects that focus on biodiversity conservation in the Yarra corridor in the Wheatbelt in Western Australia. This allows us to support projects closer to home and contribute to the restoration of native habitats.
Although offsetting our emissions feels good, we also want to understand where our emissions come from. It’s important to be aware that emissions are present in everything we consume, from groceries to transportation. By accounting for all types of emissions, we can make informed decisions and offset our entire carbon footprint.
Our personal carbon footprint as a couple is 16.95 tons of CO2e, while our business’s carbon footprint is 18.19 tons of CO2e. Just for reference: Per Person in Australia avg 15.48 metric tons and the world average 4.79 metric tons. Alot of our buiness and even personal emissions have come from flights (ouch!)
We have offset 35.12 tons of CO2e, but we know we need to continue reducing our emissions in the future.
As a small ecotourism business, we are committed to finding ways to reduce our emissions and operate more sustainably. We encourage others to also act by reducing their carbon footprint and considering investing in carbon offset schemes like Carbon Neutral and Gold Standard.
Offsetting our emissions is just one step towards a more sustainable future. Our business and us as the owners take actions by educating others on our tours about climate change and carbon caputre. We are also constantly looking at ways we can improve our overall environmental footprint. We want to care for the country we live on and contribute to a bright future for all on this incredible planet Earth that we call home.
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Jamie and Sebastian
