Ensemble Travel Group has partnered with Cool Effect, a Bay Area-based nonprofit focused on fighting the climate crisis, to help the independent travel agency network offset its carbon emissions. Ensemble made the announcement at its recent 2019 International Conference, themed Travel With Purpose.
Ensemble said that it will incorporate Cool Effect’s Travel Offset Tool into its platform for members in order to allow them to offset the carbon footprint of their air travel. Ensemble also partnered with the nonprofit to offset its carbon footprint for the conference.
The announcement came during a panel discussing the topic of Responsible Travel and the Advisor: The Front Line for Purposeful Travel. Discussing the importance of sustainable travel, Cool Effect’s Director of Marketing, Jodi Manning, spoke on the panel. “Carbon emissions from travel are only increasing - with air travel alone projected to hit one billion tons in 2020 - so it’s crucial for the industry to take steps in reducing carbon pollution,” Manning said.
As part of the agreement Ensemble offset all attendee travel and the footprint of the conference through Cool Effect’s Jacundá Forest Reserve carbon reduction project, which is based in Brazil. The project protects carbon-sequestering rubber trees in the Amazon rainforest while providing jobs to the local community. In addition, Cool Effect assisted Ensemble are integrating the Travel Offset Tool into their site for their members to offset the carbon footprint of air travel.
“Travel takes an incredible toll on our planet and it’s important that we do our part in leading this industry to making more sustainable decisions,” said David Harris, CEO of Ensemble Travel Group, in a written statement.
The Jacundá Forest Reserve project ensures sustainability and socioeconomic development with a variety of benefits, including job creation, sustainable crops and farming techniques, protection of 16 endangered flora species and 14 endangered fauna species, and construction of new houses with improved quality of living, Ensemble said. The reserve is one of many projects on the Cool Effect platform that verifiably reduces greenhouse gas emissions and benefits local communities.
Cool Effect is dedicated to working with businesses and organizations of all sizes to reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change. The nonprofit has now reduced over one million tons of carbon from the atmosphere through support from individual contributions and from its partners, such as Ensemble.
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