With all that is currently going on and covid-19 restrictions, we cannot follow through with our usual summer plans of going far away for a couple weeks. In the circumstances, what we are left with is a staycation or necessary travel to the green list countries. If you don’t know what I mean by staycation, it means holidaying around your country. For example, if you live in Dublin and book a week holiday in Clare. Lots of people are engaging with the idea of a staycation and who can blame them when a lot of people have found themselves being couped up in their homes with their initial summer plans being cancelled. In this article today, we are going to talk about the topic of carbon offsetting and how although many of us have heard the term regarding air travel, you can also carbon offset your staycation.
What Is Carbon Offsetting?
Simply put, carbon offsetting is essentially the action or process of compensation for CO2 emissions arising from industrial or other human activity by taking part in schemes that are designed to make equivalent reductions of CO2 in the atmosphere. To break that down, it is a practice of putting funds toward organisations which help the environment by lowering or reducing carbon emissions. For example, a restoration project. Once you have offset the carbon and it results in net zero carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere, it is referred to as carbon neutral. In other words, offsetting means buying carbon credits equivalent to your carbon impact. This means you can compensate for every tonne of CO2 you emit by ensuring there is one tonne less in the atmosphere.
How Does This Apply to My Staycation?
Now that you know what carbon offsetting is, you may be asking “how does this apply to my staycation?”. Well, think about it, when we go on our holidays, we often plan various activities to do or we have some kind of itinerary. Most of the time, the places we want to visit won’t be outside our front door, we will have to drive or take buses or hop in the taxi. Although some may plan to cycle, not everyone wants to. Well, although you are not hopping on the plane, you are still traveling and emitting CO2. Therefore, this is where the carbon offsetting comes in because you can offset all those taxi trips, bus journeys and car rides.
How Do I Offset My Carbon?
You can buy carbon credits from quite a few organisations but the one we would recommend is Vita Ireland. This is because we know they are legit and certified to be selling real carbon credits. Another great thing about taking the route of buying carbon credits from this organisation is that they are an NGO who work to fight hunger and climate change in Africa. In other words, they help those who are most affected by climate change and who have caused the least amount of damage by providing them with the basic needs that every person requires such as water, food sources and so on. They have many programmes in Ethiopia and Eritrea and the money you spend on carbon credits with Vita Ireland goes back into their programmes to help these people who are struggling.
Essentially by buying carbon credits from Vita Ireland, you not only offset your carbon but you also help people in Africa who are most affected by climate change and who are the least to blame for climate change. These credits are available to both organisations and individuals who wish to offset their carbon. They have a carbon calculator on their website whereby you enter in your carbon footprint and then you purchase the equal number of offsets to become carbon neutral. It is the quickest way to achieve emission reductions and the only way to achieve carbon neutrality. Choosing to offset through this specific organisation means that you will support the best practice projects that deliver value for the environment, for you and most importantly for the disadvantaged communities in Africa. Offsetting your carbon is not only quick, it is also easy, especially with Vita’s carbon calculator if you are not the greatest at maths.
A Word Of Caution
It feels necessary to point out a few things. Just because we have a means to offset our carbon does not mean we should increase our travel or take trips for the sake of it. We should still make a conscious effort to travel in different ways, via walking or bike while keeping the environment in mind. Carbon offsetting is not the solution to our issues regarding the environment, rather it is a helpful tool that can be used for the travel you must take that is unavoidable. And, yes a staycation definitely falls under this right now as we all deserve one for being couped up in our homes for so long! So, don’t take advantage of carbon offsetting, simply offset your carbon when you cannot avoid taking a trip or when you have earned a well-deserved break!
Enjoy Your Staycation Carbon Neutral..
There you have it, there are many ways you can offset your staycation. Carbon offsetting is not limited to air travel, you can offset those taxi trips, car trips and bus rides. Although carbon offsetting is not the solution to our climate problems, this is one thing you can do for a trip that is unavoidable. We recommend that you choose an organisation like Vita Ireland to offset your carbon. By doing this with Vita, you can really help people who are struggling as a result of climate change. Plus, you get some feel-good from doing it, right? If not, there are many other organisations you can offset your carbon with, just ensure you review them first and ensure they are legitimate. Enjoy that staycation carbon neutral!
