Carbon calculator

This Carbon Calculator, supplied by Climate Friendly, enables you to calculate the emissions produced by your international flights. Simply insert your departure and destination points. Your emissions will be calculated along with the cost to 'neutralise' your journey.

These credits are used towards schemes that reduce greenhouse gases by an equivalent amount. Climate Friendly's carbon credits are sourced exclusively from new renewable energy projects that create electricity without any greenhouse gas emission.

For more information on Climate Friendly and how carbon credits work, click here.

Becoming a climate aware business

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard (GHG Protocol) developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) together with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) categorises greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into 3 scopes.

• Scope 1: All direct GHG emissions - all emissions generated directly by the company (typically petrol, diesel, refrigerant leaks, process waste and emissions).

• Scope 2: Indirect GHG emissions from consumption of purchased electricity, heat or steam.

• Scope 3: Other indirect emissions, such as the extraction and production of purchased materials (brochure paper) and fuels, transport-related activities in vehicles not owned or controlled by us, electricity-related activities not covered in Scope 2, outsourced activities, waste disposal, etc.

To be classified as a Climate Neutral business under these standards Gecko's has committed to achieving scope 1 & 2 by the end of 2008. The concept of this is that if all businesses achieved scope 1 & 2 then scope 3 will be achieved automatically. For example, if a taxi company is climate neutral then our purchases from them will be too.

In addition, Gecko's has chosen to neutralise all work related flights. Travelling by aeroplane is one of the most significant generators of greenhouse gases, by neutralising these emissions we ensure that our tours have the lowest possible impact on the environment. Starting in 2009 we will neutralise the emissions of all transport and accommodation used on tours worldwide.

What do we do in our offices?

• We currently use 100% green energy in our Gecko's offices worldwide.

• An independent audit is currently being conducted on our office in order to make sure we reduce our emissions to the extent possible.

• All our office paper is 100% post consumer recycled and is again recycled through the waste stream

• All the printers we use for Gecko's travel brochures are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) accredited and operate under high environmental standards.

• All the paper we use comes from sustainable forests and is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) accredited, i.e. is produced by paper mills that adhere to strict environmental management systems

• We endeavour to fly less for business, and achieve more on each trip.

• We neutralise all Gecko's work related flights.

What are we doing in our overseas operations?

• Gecko's is promoting a set of guidelines for all our accommodation providers overseas on how to reduce their impact on the environment. We will work with our accommodation suppliers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

• Gecko's is looking at the design of all tours with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions resulting from our operations. This will sometimes mean more use of ground transport, such as trains and buses, and fewer flights.

• What we cannot reduce we will offset, which means that all transportation and accommodation included in a Gecko's tour will be offered as climate neutral from 1st January 2009.

FAQs

What is global warming?
Global warming, also known as climate change, is a change in our climate that means less stable weather, unreliable rainfall, more severe weather events and often higher temperatures. This impacts on peoples' health, water supplies, farm production and natural ecosystems. Unchecked, it will impact on insurance costs as fires and floods become more severe. Acting now is our best chance to slow global warming.

What causes global warming?
Global warming is caused by the rising level of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. CO2, or carbon dioxide, is one of the major greenhouse gases contributing to global warming. The energy we use day to day comes from burning fossil fuels, which emits CO2 into our atmosphere. Which means every time we boil a kettle, travel to work or use a computer, we are contributing to global warming. The average CO2 emissions for each Australian is 28 tonnes per year, enough to fill 65,000 wheelie bins with greenhouse gas.

How can I help stop global warming?
We probably can't stop global warming, but one way to slow it is to reduce our carbon emissions - turning off appliances, cycling or walking more, using less power. But if we go one step further, and neutralise our emissions by purchasing carbon credits from renewable energy projects, we can help the renewable energy industry grow, put more green energy into the power grid, and really make a difference to global warming. This is the embodiment of our philosophy: Reduce, Renew and Offset.

What is renewable energy?
Renewable energy is energy that comes from an unlimited power source, such as wind and solar. Renewable energy is also clean energy, which means no greenhouse gases are released in its production.

What is a carbon credit?
Carbon credits are like certificates that represent a reduction of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Projects that prevent the generation of greenhouse gases or remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere earn these credits, which can in turn then be "sold" to other businesses and individuals to "offset" the emissions they generate. One carbon credit is the equivalent to a saving of one tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2).

The funds received from the sale of carbon credits enable renewable energy companies to cover the additional cost of generating renewable clean energy. Essentially they balance out the higher cost of green energy production allowing it to compete with traditional coal generated power. Climate Friendly's carbon credits are sourced exclusively from new renewable energy projects that create electricity without any greenhouse gas emission.

This means when you neutralise your emissions with Climate Friendly you are going a step beyond canceling your emissions - by buying carbon credits from clean renewable energy sources you are accelerating the transition to a clean energy future and investing in the technologies that provide long term solutions of global warning.

What is GreenPower?
GreenPower is the Australian Government accredited green power. Climate Friendly is an accredited GreenPower supplier. This means that when you neutralise your carbon emissions with us, you are buying accredited green energy credits from renewable energy projects to match your emissions.

If it is specifically your electricity use you are neutralising (rather than car or air travel), you can also think of it as putting clean, renewable energy back into the grid to replace the fossil fuel energy you have used.

Climate Friendly does not sell green energy credits bundled with your electricity, as your current electricity supplier might. We sell you green energy credits that, when matched against your current electricity use, becomes 'green power'.

Buying Climate Friendly's green energy credits separately from your current electricity supply is a fully accredited way to obtain GreenPower and earn the GreenPower tick of approval.

(The term 'green power' refers to power that is produced by a renewable energy source rather than from fossil fuel.)

Our two products are

Our 100% Australian product

Our 50% Australian/50% International product is made up of

Why do I pay more for green power?
If you are paying us to neutralise your electricity use, you will still keep your existing electricity supplier. The Climate Friendly fee is in addition to your electricity bill. At the moment renewable energy is more expensive to produce than fossil fuel-based power. Your funds pay renewable energy companies the price difference between renewable energy and your current fossil fuel energy.

However, Climate Friendly's green power costs up to 60% less than the usual extra cost of green power and offers the same quality. We make this possible by choosing projects that have cost-effective ways to save greenhouse gas. We also incorporate projects from around the world into our carbon credits mix to drive your environmental dollar further saving more CO2 per dollar.

I already buy green power through my electricity supplier. Why do I need Climate Friendly?
Climate Friendly doesn't only give you the opportunity to neutralise the electricity you use in your home or office, but you can also neutralise the carbon emissions from driving your car, your air travel, or any other item or event you wish to neutralise.

Also, the green power you purchase through your electricity supplier may not be climate neutral. Many green power products are made up of a mix of accredited and non-accredited green power. Most non-accredited green power sources are not climate neutral because they are business as usual and don't actually reduce Australia's current carbon cloud.

Climate Friendly's GreenPower is both premium quality and good value.

How is my money spent?
On average, two thirds of the climate neutral fee goes directly to our projects. The balance goes to the essential costs of providing a retail carbon credit service, including education, green jobs, newsletters, customer support, printed materials for customers auditing costs. This balance is similar to other retail carbon offset companies.

Is my purchase tax deductible?
If you are a business or sole trader, then business-related purchases are tax deductible and the GST (Australia) is fully rebated. If you are an employee, ask your company about whether they would consider creating a climate neutral salary package for staff.