Carbon Offset

A carbon footprint is a measure of the greenhouse gas impact that an individual, business, or event has on the climate. Carbon footprints are measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, or tCO2e.

A carbon offset is a credit for real and verified reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, designed to assist in the mitigation of climate change by “offsetting” an emissions-producing activity through investment in projects that remove or reduce carbon emissions. Many projects have added benefits, such as conserving energy and biodiversity, improving efficiency, and promoting changes in behaviour.

To put it simply, investing in a carbon offsetting program lessens your carbon footprint while minimizing your impact on global climate change.

Flights and automobiles produce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from burning fuel. When released into the atmosphere, CO2 emissions cause air pollution and contribute to the greenhouse effect, leading to global warming and climate change. Carbon offsets provide individuals and businesses the ability to take responsibility for their own climate impact and negate the emissions that cannot otherwise be easily reduced.

Note: Offsets are not a replacement for direct action in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, but they are beneficial when used as a complementary measure.

Although travel is incredibly important in understanding and learning about the world around us, the global tourism industry is responsible for nearly eight percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the David Suzuki Foundation. By offsetting the travel component of your trip (flight or bus), you’re reducing the largest portion of emissions created from your tour while helping to maintain a clean, green planet for all.

One carbon offset represents the reduction of one tonne of CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). The emissions from your flight or bus travel have been calculated using an emission factor approach that takes into account the carbon intensity of specific trips, with further details below:

Flights:

• International and domestic flight distances and carbon offset pricing structures are based on the average kilometres travelled by our customers in the last year for each trip type.
• Emissions calculations include an uplift factor of 8% to account for any indirect routing, stacking at airports, and delays, as well as a Radiative Forcing Index of 1.9x on CO2 emissions.
• Your flight carbon offset purchase is based on your individual seat.

Motorcoach:

• Motorcoach distances and carbon offset pricing structures are based on the average kilometres travelled by our customers in the last year
• Motorcoach travel takes into account an average bus capacity of 44 travelers.
• Your motorcoach carbon offset purchase is based on your individual seat.

Our tours start and terminate at different locations and take different routes and stop-overs, which means calculating the exact cost to offset each and every traveller’s flight at the time of program registration would be virtually impossible.

To ensure we’ve accounted for all emissions produced from WorldStrides Canada travel programs, we’ve worked alongside Carbonzero to create a fixed rate calculation based on best estimates for each of our standard programs: international flight programs, North America flight programs, and motorcoach programs.

As not every flight will be equal, we understand that some trips may be overestimated and some underestimated; however, we believe, based on our thorough calculations and forecasting, that all emissions will be accounted for by the year's end.

Your physical trip—the flight or bus portion of your tour—will be! Through the purchase of high-quality carbon offsets from Carbonzero, you will have mitigated the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the travel portion of your trip, deeming your flight or bus travel carbon neutral.

Please note that carbon emissions from your hotel, meals, and program activities are not included in this offset purchase. To find out more about how you can calculate and offset the emissions from other activities on your tour (or your own personal travel), read below.

If you’re travelling by motorcoach on your upcoming WorldStrides Canada tour, congrats—you’re already enroled in the program! If you’re travelling by plane (North America or international), your Program Leader will make the decision to participate in the program on your group’s behalf. Continue reading to learn how to enrol if you would like to but your group has chosen otherwise.

Great—we fully support your decision! If you would like to enrol in the program individually, please contact our customer service team for assistance. If you and several of your fellow travellers would like to participate, please speak with your Program Leader and they can help register your group. Whether you choose to enrol individually or as part of a group, WorldStrides Canada will match your contribution.

To contact our customer service team, please call the corresponding number: for Brightspark travellers, contact 1-800-267-6425; for Jumpstreet or Educatours travellers, contact 1-800-663-4956; and for Explorica by Worldstrides and all other WorldStrides Canada programs, contact 1-888-378-8845.

When you purchase an offset with WorldStrides Canada, we match your contribution and purchase the offsets on your behalf through our partnership with Carbonzero. Offsets are purchased throughout the year, and our certificates of purchase will be available on this page as we receive them.

Proceeds are directed to the Malawi Safe Water Supply Project and are retired accordingly on the UNFCCC Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Registry. Your purchase of carbon offsets helps to fund the development and operation of emissions reduction projects which would not have otherwise been possible.

Read more on the Malawi Safe Water Supply Project your money will help support.

In partnership with Carbonzero, WorldStrides Canada has selected the Malawi Safe Water Supply Project because this intervention is expected to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, aligning with global efforts towards climate change mitigation and environmental preservation. This project also greatly increases the quality of life for members of local communities across Malawi. We feel strongly that this project meets our sustainability and global citizenship goals as an organization, as well as the goals expressed by our partner educators.

The Malawi Safe Water Supply Project meets the Gold Standard as a program that certifiably reduces greenhouse gas emissions. This project also meets the standards of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) protocols developed by the United Nations. This UN-run carbon offset scheme recognizes high-quality offset programs that help to support the global transition to a clean energy economy. These high-quality programs must meet several important metrics, including:

• Permanence – this project must demonstrate a continued benefit of offset without risk of reversal.
• Leakage – the effort to reduce emissions within this project must be proven to not cause an increase in emissions elsewhere.
• Sustainability – this project must demonstrate no negative environmental or social impacts.
• Additionality – this project must demonstrate a further reduction in emissions besides reductions that would otherwise occur.

In addition, bodies that certify projects in developing nations have other requirements for gender-aware design and focus on the livelihood of local communities. The impact of the Malawi Safe Water Supply Project extends beyond climate mitigation to tackle pressing social impacts, adding an even greater value to the carbon offsets.

WorldStrides Canada is committed to supporting sustainable travel, and we believe it is only by working together as one that we can truly make an impact. We feel it is important for both the company and the consumer to take equal responsibility for carbon emissions, which is why we’re matching each and every contribution made by our participants.

Carbonzero was selected as our offset partner because they are a Canadian company that supports our goal of sustainable travel. A top performer in the David Suzuki Foundation and Pembina Institute report Purchasing Carbon Offsets: A Guide for Canadian Consumers, Businesses, and Organizations, Carbonzero has led the way in setting industry standards for verified emissions reduction offsets in Canada. All Carbonzero offset projects adhere to internationally recognized standards and programs, including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO); Clean Development Mechanism (CDM); Verified Carbon Standard (VCS/VERRA); Gold Standard; and Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Standards (CBBA); with a strong focus on energy efficiency, renewable energy, nature-based projects, and waste management. Carbonzero is the official offset partner of WestJet Airlines and is engaged in energy conservation projects with Patriotes and Pointe-de-L'île School Boards in Québec, in addition to other projects throughout Canada.

With extreme weather events caused by climate change occuring more frequently and with greater intensity, in addition to the rise of eco-anxiety following the pandemic, it’s clear that we need to prioritize action over words. The statistics speak for themselves: the global tourism industry is responsible for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions—and we at WorldStrides Canada recognize that we play an active part in these emissions.

Every day, we work with teachers and students whose communities have been impacted by climate change. We see, understand, and agree that we need to do our part to counter the negative effects of global warming, such as the recent flooding in British Columbia and the Alberta wildfires. Education is at the heart of everything we do, and it’s imperative for us to learn and educate others about climate change and its negative effects. We’re committed to showing our travellers different ways of mitigating these effects by offering solutions to better adapt for the future and long-term sustainability.

Our main focus with Choose Earth is to offer carbon neutrality, but there are many other actions you can take to make a positive impact and lean into sustainable tourism. These include slow tourism (choosing one important trip instead of four smaller trips), ecotourism (focusing on the outdoors and conservation), zero waste (choosing suppliers who implement zero waste policies), implicating local communities, de-marketizing to better manage tourist influx (choosing a destination off-the-beaten-path), raising awareness, engaging visitors, and educating others on how to partake in responsible tourism.

Though we’ve made efforts over the last decade to increase sustainability in our Canadian offices, this is the first time we’re launching a Canada-wide initiative and incorporating a matching scheme to offset our travellers’ emissions. We’re extremely proud to join in on this worldwide effort and to continue offering life-changing moments for generations to come.

Yes! Carbonzero offers a personal carbon calculator that measures greenhouse gas emissions associated with activities such as the operation of a vehicle, home heating and electricity, and air travel. Once you've determined your carbon footprint, you have the option to purchase carbon offsets to mitigate all or a portion of your calculated emissions.