Understanding Our Carbon Figures
At Discover Adventure, we're committed to making your travel experiences as sustainable as possible. As part of this commitment, we've introduced carbon figures for each of our trips. Here's what you need to know:
What Do the Carbon Figures Mean?
The carbon figure shown on each trip represents the approximate amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) generated per person for the trip itself. This includes all the key elements of your adventure, such as transportation during the trip, accommodation, food, and activities.
The carbon figures displayed for each trip represent the emissions generated per person for the trip itself, excluding flights because not everyone takes the flights we offer as part of the trip. We wanted to ensure the figure accurately reflects the emissions directly tied to the core trip experience. However, we still offset 100% of the emissions for all flights booked through us.
Flights
The cold, hard truth is that flight emissions are the most significant black mark on overseas travel, including ours - we grapple with this reality all the time.
We've decided to keep flights as part of the package we offer. Most of our customers book their flights with us and travel as part of the group. Keeping the flights in the package keeps us true to our core ethos: adventure is for everyone. For someone new to or nervous about adventure travel, having the whole package handled can make the experience far more accessible. We don't want to add an unnecessary barrier to exploring the world responsibly.
For those who book flights with us, rest assured that we offset 100% of these emissions, too. We achieve this by partnering with SCB Group, a leading low-carbon commodity company, to invest in verified carbon credit schemes that work to counteract emissions.
Why Are We Sharing These Figures?
Transparency is key to responsible travel. By sharing these figures, we aim to help you make informed decisions about your adventure and understand the steps we're taking to reduce our impact on the planet.
If you ever want to understand our calculations or find out more details about the emissions linked to the trip you're undertaking, you can email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
We are learning
While responsible travel has been at the heart of our travels for over 30 years, carbon literacy is still a learning curve for us. We're committed to doing our best with the information and data available, but we acknowledge that the journey isn't straightforward. Despite the growing global focus on tackling carbon emissions, the landscape remains largely unregulated, with many grey areas in the 'rights' and 'wrongs' of calculating and offsetting emissions.
We're not just open to feedback, we actively seek it. We would love to hear from experts and our community on how and where we might improve our current arrangements. Your input is invaluable in our ongoing sustainability journey.
Your Turn
In addition to our efforts, we encourage our travellers to contribute, too. When booking your adventure, you have the option to donate to our partner World Land Trust's "Buy an Acre" program. For every £100 donated, an acre of threatened habitat is purchased and protected in perpetuity, providing a sanctuary for wildlife and aiding in carbon sequestration.
Putting It Into Perspective
To put things into perspective, the average carbon footprint per person in the UK is approximately 12.7 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, which breaks down to about 244 kg per week.
In even simpler terms:
- It is roughly equivalent to driving about 600 miles (965 km) in an average petrol car.
- Or comparable to using electricity to power an average UK home for 8–10 days.
When you start to dig into the numbers, things can seem quite overwhelming and potentially offputting—we completely understand that. While we must confront the environmental costs of travel, it's equally important to recognise its overwhelming positives. Ultimately, we believe travel is a force for good; travel connects us in ways that few other experiences can:
Personally, it offers transformative experiences, builds resilience, and expands horizons. It helps us appreciate different cultures, cuisines, and landscapes, encouraging a deeper sense of global citizenship.
Socially, travel can bring people together. Sharing an adventure builds camaraderie, breaks barriers, and sparks friendships that transcend borders.
Politically, travel promotes understanding. By stepping into someone else's world, we see life from their perspective, creating empathy and starting to dispel prejudice.
Travel can change lives—both yours and the people you meet along the way. We aim to harness that power responsibly, ensuring your journey benefits you and the communities and environments you visit.
