New York City (TAN): Eco-friendly exploration received a major boost with American ship-based travel company Lindblad Expeditions declaring it will become a carbon neutral company this year.
The company’s investments will offset 100 per cent emissions from their ships, all land-based operations, offices, employee travel, and measurable emission contributors, Lindblad said.
Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Lindblad Expeditions Sven Lindblad said: “As a company, recognizing that global climate change is arguably the greatest threat humanity has ever faced, we all need to urgently step up our efforts whether big or small.”
[ALSO READ: Sri Lanka tries to bring back tourists to the island with a food tourism campaign]
“Our goal is to reduce and offset our carbon footprint, and to commit to carbon neutrality throughout the many layers of our business. It has become increasingly more apparent that we, human beings, and our planet which sustains us are out of balance. Climate change and its resulting impacts on global biodiversity and human health and livelihoods has provided a clarion call and awakening. The message is clear; we must rebalance and rebalance urgently.”
American television network National Geographic, Lindblad’s partner, too has been trying to identify greenhouse gas emissions associated with its travel programmes, and reduce its effect by offsetting carbon emissions that cannot be removed.
[ALSO READ: US: Delta opens new Sky Club at Austin airport]
“We are thrilled with Lindblad’s commitment to be a carbon neutral company,” said Nancy Schumacher, Executive Vice President Travel and Tour Operations of National Geographic Partners.
She added: “We recognize that travel contributes to the overall human footprint that affects the Earth’s climate, and have been actively working to reduce this impact over the past decade, investing more than $1.5 million in verifiable carbon offset projects. We look forward to working together to spur further climate action.”
Lindblad collaborated with Swiss sustainability financing solutions provider South Pole to develop six carbon project investments focused on renewable energy reforestation, and community-based projects in six countries that Lindblad-National Geographic travelers visit. The investments are in alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
[ALSO READ: US: Fast food chain Taco Bell to launch a resort this summer]
Amy Berquist, Vice President of Conservation, Education, and Sustainability, at Lindblad Expeditions, said: “We are always looking for creative and meaningful ways to support the health of the environment and the people and ecosystems reliant on it. Committing to carbon neutrality is a natural extension of our core beliefs, especially in the face of increasing threats posed by climate change.”
So far, Lindblad has removed single-use plastics from its fleet last year, implemented a sustainable seafood programme aboard the fleet for many years, sourced and served local, organic produce to guests, made crew uniforms from recycled plastic, built ships that lower emissions and increase efficiency, and authorised supply chain solutions to eliminate plastic.
The company, along with National Geographic, raised over USD17 million as voluntary traveller donations in the regions they explored together since 1997, which are spent in conservation, education, research, storytelling, and technology projects funded by the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund. The fund’s objective is to sustain the oceans, coastlines, and coastal communities.
