Offset the carbon from trips
AFTER James Hughes and Thomas Silcock left their homes behind at the age of 18 to pursue unpredictable journeys around the world, they became addicted to the sense of total freedom that came with travel. Putting themselves in as many different shoes as possible became a hobby and the desire to immerse themselves in different environments and cultures became a way of life. But a question arose. How could they do something to support a way of life that had given them so much? The answer was to offer others the chance to simultaneously explore and conserve the planet. Their brainchild, Gone West, was born.
The company has been evolving since 2008, and still has a long way to go, but it offers travellers and businesses a platform designed to create a direct relationship between them and the natural environment, and to reduce their environmental harm. When you book a trip through Gone West or one of its affiliates, the firm will plant enough trees to offset the resulting carbon emissions. Businesses, too, can offset their annual emissions.
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Gone West believes travel shouldn’t be a selfish act, whether commuting, backpacking around the globe or taking a short trip. Users can keep track of their carbon footprint and give back to the environment. It’s simple: Gone West calculates the emissions from your trip or business and sends the data to its reforestation team, who work around the clock in the UK and elsewhere to plant enough trees to offset the environmental damage. Businesses in the travel industry who offset their carbon are added to Gone West’s “green list”, helping people book more ethical trips. And the more you reduce your carbon footprint, the cheaper travel becomes: flying less generally means using cheaper transport options. The goal is to remove the travel industry’s carbon footprint.
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