Ecotourism is as popular as ever, but how small of a footprint are we really leaving behind? According to a survey released last week by carbon offset provider ClimatePath, eco-travelers are skeptical as to the legitimacy of eco-tour operators, industry greenwashing and the efficacy of carbon offsets.
The scenario goes something like this: wWth words like “low-impact” and “sustainable travel,” you buy your 10-day rain forest eco-tour package that includes rain forest sojourns, some local diving, full lodging and meals. You take care of the airfare yourself — opting for Hotwire — as they’ll split the difference on your offsets with their partner TerraPass. (To make up for your flight’s 3,000 lb. footprint, you buy some offsets for around $20, which Hotwire matches. TerraPass then uses those credits to invest in an ongoing cattle methane capturing project, which in theory neutralizes the damage caused by your flight.)
As for the rest you’ll have to take the word of your tour operator. For instance, how concerned are other lodgers with water conservation and energy efficiency? Are your hiking guides sensitive to trail overuse? According to the survey, consumer fears of eco-legitimacy are far from unfounded. The results showed that most proprietors don’t monitor the impact of their activities, few get eco-certified and even fewer use carbon offsets as part of their package offerings.
So here’s the deal: If you’re truly concerned about your travel impact, obviously scratch the jeep and canopy tours. Beyond that, ask your tour operator if they use carbon offsets to neutralize the carbon-producing parts of your journey like transportation and lodging. If they don’t, either find one who does, or purchase them yourself. To help determine which company to go with, use ClimatePath’s five simple questions. They promise that by the time you hang up the phone, you’ll know whether or not your provider is suitably concerned with honest sustainable travel.
If you want to take it a step beyond mere travel, and measure the carbon footprint of your entire lifestyle, you can use either TerraPass’s or ClimatePath’s carbon calculators. Either company would be more than happy to open your customized offset portfolio and get you on the path to carbon neutrality.
Photo courtesy of Pfly, via Flickr.