We're very proud to be part of this trail by Climate Vision in Cornwall. Here, founder Luci Isaacson BEM MSc FRGS, talks in depth, for the first time, about what it is, and why it's already proving to be hugely successful. As a travel company booking flights, our company has a carbon footprint. Previously, we offset these with Climate Impact Parters, supporting projects all over the world. But we wanted to help projects here in the UK, where we're based. So since last year, thanks to Climate Vision and their innovative project, we've begun to work directly with a farmer. He invoices us and we pay him towards the cost of Herbal Ley seed and towards his labour costs, as mentioned in the film, and he/Climate Vision calculate how much carbon we can offset our emissions against the flights our clients use. This is known as a nature-based solution. We pay for this in advance, and invite our clients to offset each time they buy flights from us. It's not compulsory and if they decline, we cover the cost to ensure that every flight is offset. Offsetting is, of course, not perfect, but for the moment, this is where we are and we feel it's a really positive step forward. For a long time we've wanted to find projects in the UK we can help, and this is one we're very proud to be supporting in its trial phase - something we've not been able to talk about until now. We believe that these nature-based solutions are the way forward. By helping to restore depleted areas of nature, we're directly helping to improve soil on farmland, which then holds more moisture during drought, helps to improve food security, locks more carbon into the soil, improves biodiversity and helps prevent runoff and flooding that often comes from farmland. The video is well worth a watch. There will be more to say, and opportunities for more businesses to get involved, when the trials finish and more farmers see the value and join in.
To watch the short film on this, grab a cuppa and click here.