Measure your Carbon Footprint

If you’d like to offset the carbon emissions associated with your ski trip, here is some information to help you. The process is fairly simple, and you’ll be compensating for your emissions and contributing to a unique project that is providing sustainable livelihoods for farming communities in Bolivia.

Reduce your footprint where you can

The first step is to take a look at your travel plans and consider where you might reduce your footprint. The biggest environmental impact of your trip is likely to be that of your transport choices. For example, driving in a full car to the Alps instead of flying can cut your carbon emission by a factor of four. Taking the train is even better; emissions would be cut by a factor of around 16.

There are other things you could consider too. Perhaps you can combine a work trip with your ski holiday. Or if you will be going on two or three ski tours, is it possible to run some of them together rather than travel backwards and forwards from home?

Measure your carbon footprint

Next, you’ll calculate the carbon emissions associated with your trip. Here is an excellent calculator that makes it very simple to work that out. The calculator uses emission factors published by the Department for Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs.

The calculator has separate tabs for you to enter your train, bus, car or flight information. For trains, buses and cars you’ll need to know the distance you are travelling, which you can easily work out on google maps. For flights, you enter the two airports you are travelling between. If you want to get precise, you could include your ground transport to and from the airports.

Some trips might include a helicopter. For these, you’ll need to find out the model of the helicopter and then record how long the return flight is. The Central Rockies Traverse Canada, Expedition Report has an example of how to calculate helicopter emissions.

Offset your carbon emissions

Now that you know the footprint of your trip, you can offset those emissions. You can do this on this page.