Why choose to offset
Mountain communities are increasingly experiencing detrimental impacts from accelerated climate change. The global climate science community agrees that in order to slow this trend, both immediate and longer-term CO2 reductions and removals must be made at scale.
Your offset makes a real, measurable CO2 reduction, and helps communities and biodiversity become more climate resilient.
Hospitality emissions–seeing the bigger picture
It’s becoming more common for hospitality brands to measure and offset emissions that come from their operations, with a focus typically limited to Scope 1 (direct emissions from burning fuels like gasoline and natural gas) and Scope 2 (indirect emissions that come from using grid supplied electricity).
But not including Scope 3 (indirect emissions from everything else that makes a hospitality experience possible), and guest travel emissions–can grossly underestimate a hospitality brand’s true climate impact.
Learn more about emission scopes and the GHG Protocol standard
Land travel
It’s common for mountain sports enthusiasts to drive SUVs and larger vehicles. Gasoline emits roughly 20 pounds CO2 per gallon when burned, so a round-trip drive of 700 miles @ 20mpg emits about 700 pounds CO2.
Hotel stays
The average hotel room night stay across the US emits about 40 pounds CO2 per night, and vacation rentals typically go unmeasured. This varies based on the carbon intensity of the electricity grid a property is connected to.
Air travel
Flights are typically the biggest source of emissions for travelers. A round-trip flight in the US (coach seat) can emit up to 1.3 metric tonnes CO2 per passenger. Direct flights typically emit less than flights with a stop.
MTS 2021 - Estimated Attendee Travel Emissions
How your offset makes an impact
Carbon offset projects provide measured removals and reductions of CO2 that meet robust global standards.
Nature based carbon offset projects like forest and grasslands protection, and reforestation–are commonly developed by non-profit conservation groups to provide an additional revenue source that helps fund their mission.
Your offset enables the non-profit Southern Plains Land Trust to purchase and conserve at-risk, biodiverse grasslands in Colorado, and manage it in compliance with the Climate Action Reserve’s Grasslands Protocol*.
*Climate Action Reserve (CAR) is one of the world’s leading authorities in the design and verification of carbon offset project protocols–including compliance projects approved by the California Air Resource Board. Photo credit: David Bell.
Offset your MTS 2021 attendance based on your starting point
From West
On average attendees will emit 1,356 pounds CO2–that will take 27 mature trees a full year to capture and store*
$9.05
From Central
On average attendees will emit 1,929 pounds CO2–that will take 39 mature trees a full year to capture and store*
$12.88
From East
On average attendees will emit 2,745 pounds CO2–that will take 55 mature trees a full year to capture and store*
$18.33
Other efforts helping to improve MTS 2021 sustainability
Transport efficiency
NSAA is proactively coordinating and promoting the use of a hired shuttle service for attendees to help improve transport efficiency. *Choosing this shuttle service instead of individual rental cars avoids emitting an estimated 5,990 pounds CO2. It would take 120 mature trees an entire year to absorb that much CO2.
Waste reduction
Flaik is providing all attendees with reusable, durable cups–helping reduce single-use waste not just at MTS 2021, but also when you head back home. According to the UN environment programme, nearly 500 Billion single use cups are used globally each year–a number that is expected to continue increasing.
Renewable Energy
Big Sky Resort is making 100% of their energy use carbon free by purchasing Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). *Every Megawatt hour (MWh) of grid supplied energy used by the resort is offset through the purchase of a REC–representing one MWh of energy generated and delivered to the grid from a renewable resource.
