Tag Archives: carbon offset scheme

Air travel was once a point of contention in green circles. The possible consequences of emitting toxic and greenhouse gasses at high altitudes are not fully understood, and are very difficult to measure. However, in response to the concern several airlines have demonstrated sterling social responsibility by putting measures in place to reduce carbon emissions before official regulation came into play.

British Airways [NYSE: BAY] was the first airline to initiate a voluntary carbon offset scheme, which it introduced in 2005 amid rising concern about aviation pollution. BA’s “Carbon Offset Scheme” is available to passengers during the booking process. It is an entirely voluntary program letting passengers make donations to offset the share of the carbon dioxide that their flight generates. BA calculates the carbon emission through a CO2 emission calculator that generates an estimate of the carbon produced during the journey. Money raised helps to fund hydro-electric power plants and wind farm projects around the world. In addition, BA also voluntarily reassessed their carbon footprint in 2008 by applying the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Standard and their calculations now include direct and indirect emissions, such as those from their suppliers.
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