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Carbon Neutral FAQs

climate change

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Carbon Offsetting and neutrality

Carbon Offset trips

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Carbon Offset Flights

Where does my money go?

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Intrepid's Business Operations

Standards

What else can I do?

climate change

What is climate change?

Climate change is the term commonly used when talking about global warming. The Earth is like a giant greenhouse, but instead of having glass panes which trap heat, it has gases such as methane and carbon dioxide. As the sun's rays shine on the Earth this blanket of gases traps some of the heat - which has the effect of warming the planet and keeping it at a relatively constant level. Without it the Earth would either get too hot or too cold.

When greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere by human activity like burning fossil fuels and clearing land, it's like constantly adding more glass layers to the greenhouse, ultimately raising the temperature inside. If we don't reduce greenhouse gas emissions, there is a risk that the Earth will heat to a level which could seriously affect life on our planet. For more information on what is climate change, please go to Australian Conservation Foundation's website.

Human induced climate change has its sceptics but increasingly scientists are confirming what we know as global warming and the relation of human activities to it. To learn more about the consensus being reached globally regarding the science of climate change please see the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's website.

For information that has inspired us to act please see the website of An Inconvenient Truth with Al Gore.

Why the focus on carbon dioxide and not other greenhouse gases?

Greenhouse gases include methane, nitrous oxide and halocarbons but the mostly commonly referred to greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide (CO2) so it has become the standard measure of greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gases are released every time we turn on the light at home, switch on our computer, take a flight or drive the car.

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Carbon Offsetting and neutrality

What does it mean to be carbon neutral?

There is no internationally agreed upon definition for "Carbon Neutral". Australia has recently defined carbon neutrality under the National Carbon Offset Standard (01 July 2010) "as a situation where the net emissions associated with a product or an organisation’s activities are equal to zero through the acquisition and cancellation of carbon offsets that meet additionality criteria."

The general principle: to have a "Carbon Neutral" product or service means to have zero net CO2 emissions for the activities assessed.

How dose Intrepid maintain its carbon neutrality?

Being carbon neutral involves calculating Intrepid's climate-damaging carbon emissions, avoiding, reducing and seeking a less carbon intensive alternative where possible and then balancing the remaining emissions through a carbon offset activity. Intrepid follows a project plan which describes the activities and milestones necessary to keep Intrepid carbon neutral year after year.

What is carbon offsetting?

Carbon offsets are a way for individuals and businesses to balance out their greenhouse gas emissions by allocating funds to emission reduction programs e.g. . if your flight emits 4.14 tonnes of CO2, you can balance out these emissions out by purchasing 4.14 tonnes of carbon credits from carbon offset programs which work on avoiding or absorbing CO2 emissions, such as sustainable (renewable) energy initiatives or tree planting.

Carbon Neutral diagram

Why do companies charge different amounts for offsets?

A tonne of carbon can vary greatly in price due primarily to two reasons:
1) the cost of producing the offset and
2) ) the assessment boundary and method used in determining how much greenhouse gas was produced in a specific activity which then determines the number of offsets required.

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Carbon Offset trips

What is a Carbon Offset trip? What has been assessed and offset?

A Carbon Offset trip means that the assessed emissions for each of these trips have been offset through the purchase of carbon credits representing reductions in greenhouse gases of an equivalent volume. If a Carbon Offset Trip emits 1.3 kg of CO2 per passenger per trip, Intrepid purchases and surrenders 1.3 kg worth of carbon offset credits.

The main emissions of our trips being - transport, accommodation and waste were assessed from 38 of our most popular trips globally. The data from these assessments was then used to extrapolate the carbon emissions across our entire trip portfolio by trip style and region.

So in short, it is the extrapolated emissions from our transport, accommodation and waste that are offset in our carbon offset trips.

  • Transport - Intra-trip travel will be offset. This includes flights included as part of the trip, As direct emissions from transport makes up the vast majority of the emissions when travelling, offsetting this component is vital!
  • Accommodation - Whether you are staying in a hotel, or in a tent, Intrepid has included the emissions from your accommodation in our offset trips.
  • Waste - While we will attempt to reduce waste in all ways possible, recycling is not accessible in all countries we visit. We have therefore, also considered emissions generated through the average disposal of paper, plastic and glass bottles, other plastics and food scraps from the regions we travel to... no lettuce leaf unturned!

Are all of Intrepid's trips carbon offset?

Yes all Intrepid branded trips (where Intrepid has pricing control) are offset. Please note: Trips which do not display carbon offset information (either on our website or our brochures), are not offset.

How can I tell which Intrepid trips are offset?

When you click onto one of our trip names, a carbon offset trip logo will be displayed on the right hand side and a carbon emissions amount displayed in the trip overview box for trips that are being offset. Please note; Where the carbon offset information is not displayed, the trip is not being offset.

How much does the trip offset cost? How much more do I pay?

No, these trips come with the offset embedded into the cost. The offset is as much a part of the trip as any other element included in the trip such as accommodation, included meals, transport etc. Given the average cost of the Carbon Offset trips is between $0.19 AUD and $0.54 AUD per day, we expect that our travellers will continue to choose these trips and also benefit from the knowledge that their money is being invested into some great projects which not only benefit the environment but communities too.

Can I choose not to pay for the offset?

No, these trips come with the offset embedded into the cost. The offset is as much a part of the trip as any other element included in the trip such as accommodation, included meals, transport etc. Given the average cost of the Carbon Offset trips is less than 66 cents per day, we expect that our travellers will continue to choose these trips and also benefit from the knowledge that their money is being invested into some great projects which not only benefit the environment but communities too.

Is Intrepid also reducing the emissions on its trips?

Absolutely! We conducted our first set of detailed assessments on 38 trips in 2008 and featured these in our 2009 brochure and have rolled the offset trips to cover most of our portfolio. We are now armed with information which helps us develop reduction strategies that target areas where we can reduce carbon emissions. Eg. possibly switch transport type, increase use of public transport or bicycles, use less carbon-intensive accommodation or look to reduce the amount of waste we produce. Most importantly, we will look to work with our providers to help them understand the importance of reducing their emissions so that they not only reduce the emissions of Intrepid trips but the on-going operations of their own businesses.

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Carbon Offset Flights

Why are flights so bad?

Not only do planes release a lot of greenhouse gases, they also release it in the delicate upper atmosphere where its impact is far greater.

Is the carbon offset payment compulsory?

No. Intrepid gives our passengers the option to add a carbon offset cost to their airfare.

Climate change is a huge issue and to tackle it we all need to get behind the solutions. We understand that by adding a carbon offset payment to our airfares, we may be increasing the cost and that you may find slightly cheaper flights/trips elsewhere, but we hope you will join us and choose a greener way to fly; after all, the cost compared to the airfare is minimal and the benefits are immense! If you want to purchase a Carbon Offset Flight please ask your agent or consultant to add it to your quote.

Why and how is Intrepid carbon offsetting flights?

Aviation is now the fastest growing contributor to greenhouse gases and it's a sad truth that by flying to the destinations we love so much, we're actively contributing to climate change. Not only do planes release a lot of greenhouse gases, they also release it in the delicate upper atmosphere where its impact is far greater. By choosing to book a Carbon Offset Flight from Intrepid you can fly in the knowledge that your flight is offset through Cleaner Climate and you have greatly reduced the impact of your holiday.

How is the carbon offset calculated for flights?

The carbon offset amount is calculated using published scientific data on aircraft emissions. Intrepid currently uses the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) methodology. DEFRA is leading UK Government site which provides emission factors for air transport. Intrepid intends to use Australian emissions factors once they are released. Intrepid also recognizes that flights also emit other damaging greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, not just carbon, and has accounted for this by adding in what is known as a Radiative Forcing Index (RFI) to our calculations.

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Where does my money go?

For Carbon Offset Flights...

There is no silver bullet for stopping unwanted climate change, rather it takes many initiatives and multiple different steps. To date, we have invested in renewable energy, energy efficiency and bio-sequestration projects in Australia and around the world in order to support multiple technologies and a range of communities. Refer to where does my money go (flights) for more information.

For Carbon Offset trips...

Intrepid has sought to acquire a mix of projects across regions that our trips travel to. We have done our best to also acquire a range of technologies such as run-of-river hydro and waste heat recovery. We have ensured that the offsets we purchase are genuine and highly credible. While standards may vary from each other, the standards endorsed by Intrepid Travel demonstrate competency in additionality, verification, permanence, visibility and also co-benefits. Refer to where does my money go (trips) for more information.

Do I get to choose which offset project my money is invested in?

Not now, however we hope that our travellers will see something in our diversified portfolio which they would not only be willing but quite possibly very proud to invest in.

What guarantee do I have that the money is being sent to offset projects and Intrepid is not keeping it?

All the projects to which your funds will be allocated are independently verified to ensure your money is used for abatement projects. A strong auditing framework is essential so that you can be confident that your money is really making a difference. As we only purchase offsets which have been accredited under the most stringent offset standards currently available, we are sure that the money is going to the right place. Offset projects are independently verified by organisations such as SGS and Bureau Veritas Certification Holding who ensure that the offsets are of the highest quality. Intrepid will work closely with our offset providers to assess our own auditing needs and ensure we are transparent in our carbon reduction and offsetting activities.

Does Intrepid Travel profit from carbon offsetting?

The cost of the carbon offset is factored into the trip price. The trip price you pay, similar to many other travel companies, covers expenses like overheads and agent commissions plus a small contribution to the company's profits. However, any money we make from the offsets on our trips is minimal and goes toward an independent review of our carbon program. Intrepid did not include offsets on our trips to generate additional revenue. It stemmed from our commitment to responsible and sustainable travel and to the future of our planet.

Is the carbon offset payment a tax?

No. The carbon credits required to offset an Intrepid adventure are considered an "element" of the trip and have therefore been embedded in the cost of the trip much like accommodation, included meals and activities etc.

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Intrepid's Business Operations

Has Intrepid assessed its own business operations?

Intrepid assesses its own business emissions from our domestic and global operations. These assessments feed into our broader carbon reduction plan of Measure, Avoid/Reduce, Assess and Offset. For more information on our carbon management plan, see www.intrepidtravel.com/ourtrips/rt/climatechange.php

Which emissions have you assessed in your business operations?

We assessed emissions including:

  • power
  • natural gas
  • transport (sales cars, business flights, taxis and any other form of public transport taken in the course of doing business)
  • business accommodation
  • office paper and marketing collateral
  • waste and recycling

We also assessed the paper consumed for our brochures.

We will continue to use the data collected to refine our reduction strategies. In 2009 we conducted a detailed lifecycle assessment of our operations to ensure that we were capturing all of our material emission sources. We have been increasing our in-house sustainability for many years now and continue to make reductions to our carbon emissions.

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Standards

What standards do you use to conduct your assessments?

Greenhouse gas emissions generated as a result of stationary energy use, transportation and waste generation and disposal were assessed in accordance with the GHG Protocol (A Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard Revised Edition, World Resource Institute & World Business Council for Sustainable Development - 2007). Information relating to energy use and waste generation and disposal rates were based on data provided by Sustainability Victoria and the United Nations Statistics Division. Emission factors were derived from a number of sources including the Department of Climate Change (DCC) and Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change.

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What else can I do?

Take up the climate change challenge

Climate change is one of the most urgent problems of our time, so making a personal commitment to reduce your 'carbon footprint' is a big step in the right direction to achieving a healthier environment. Take up the climate change challenge - an easy tip every week.

 
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