Our News
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March 2010
BVCO partners with The Raceway for carbon neutral karting
BVCO has started working with The Raceway, a leading go-karting venue in London's Docklands, to allow patrons to offset the emissions of session a the raceway. For just 11p per person you can offset the emissions from fuel use. You can learn more about The Raceway and carbon neutral karting in the latest news section of their website: http://theraceway.com/go-karting-news.aspx
September 2009
Congratulations to Sarah Outen!
Sarah Outen has completed her incredible journey of rowing solo across the Indian Ocean, with the trip fully offset through BVCO. We would like to congratulate Sarah on this amazing accomplishment and wish her much rest and good wishes. In Sarah's words, "... I rowed across the Indian Ocean. Alone. Just me and my little boat. Australia to Mauritius, I covered over 4,000 miles of open ocean, broke 2 oars, ate over 500 bars of chocolate and still lost 20kg bodyweight. It took me 124 days and earned 3 world records. Raw and elemental – just as adventure should be." You can learn more about her journey and see more photos at Sarah's website: http://sarahouten.co.uk/
July 2009
Which? Independent review compares Carbon Offset providers.
Which? completed a review of 17 leading offset providers and rated each on various factors including ease of use of the website, how much information is given in terms of project details, transparency of financial data, and price. BusinessGreen.com just published an article that gave details of the review and states,
"Of the 17 companies covered by the investigation, Climate Care, Blue Ventures Carbon Offset, Pure and the World Land Trust were highlighted as providing the most relevant and easily accessible information."
You can read the BusinessGreen.com article here, or look at the full results of the Which? report here.
March 2008
Solar Subsidies article in Resurgence Magazine promotes BVCO work in Madagascar
Ruth Rosselson, a freelance writer who specialises in low-impact lifestyles, healthy living, travel and environmental issues has just published an article about BVCO's work in promoting and distributing solar and fuel efficient stoves made by ADES in southwest Madagascar. She writes:
"THE SOUTH-WEST OF Madagascar is one of the driest regions of the country. It is characterised by spiny forests and strange baobab trees – unique ecosystems which, like the rest of Madagascar, are under threat from deforestation. Around three-quarters of all cut wood is turned into charcoal and used for cooking, costing some families up to a quarter of their monthly income..."
Access Ruth's article, in its entirety, here...
February 2008
Green Gap Insurance that helps communities
Mapfre Abraxas is partnering with Blue Ventures Carbon Offset to offset emissions associated with their “Green Gap Insurance Policy”.
October 2008
BVCO has teamed up with Jumeirah and Sirius
Jumeirah and Sirius are a luxury hotel and resort company and its associated rewards and recognition scheme. Members may now use their accumulated Sirius points to purchase fuel efficient and solar stoves for communities in need through BVCO. Find out more here.
September 2008
BVCO proudly partnered with Gogreen4schools.
Gogreen4schools aims to provide schools with high levels of income that is dedicated to fighting global warming, while simultaneously offsetting emissions. The program helps schools, communities and the global environment simultaneously. Visit their website here
May 30th, 2008
ADES opens a third stove workshop in Madagascar
Since its opening on May 30th 2008, ADES’ third stove centre, in Moron-dava, has been churning out stoves to fill a strong community need. The new workshop is directed by Mr. Eugene Zafindratsity, a well re-spected community member with strong ties throughout Morondava. The workshop has recently hosted events for local women’s groups to help promote stoves, as well as demonstrations for the military. This pro-ject is currently financed through a £2 / traveller contribution by the Adventure Company.
May 2008
Oxford University Climate Change & Caving Expedition to Chile Offsets entire journey for all members with BVCO
The Oxford University Madre de Dios Speleo, Chile 2008 expedition took place over 5 weeks in March and April this year. The 6 expedition members, headed up by Chris Day of the Earth Sciences department, Oxford University, travelled to Chile for climate change research purposes.
The aims were:
Cave exploration: to locate, explore, and survey caves along the northern shores of Madre de Dios and neighbouring islands.
Recovery of speleothems (or cave formation – see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speleothem) for climate change studies.
Film-making: The group travelled from the UK by plane each emitting 1.9 tonnes of carbon dioxide for each leg of the journey. They then sailed over 1000km by ferry to the caves contributing to 0.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide each; along with the reconnaissance trip this amounted to a carbon footprint of 23 tonnes of carbon dioxide. The expedition’s footprint has been fully offset through BVCO and the South Africa fuel efficient and solar stove programme.
For more information see http://www.earth.ox.ac.uk/~chrisd/mdds08/.
April 2008
BVCO begins partnership with Eco Hotels of the World
The Eco Hotels of the World is an independent guide to eco hotels around the world. The site offers reviews of hotels across the continents and rates them on a 'green star' system based on; energy use, water use, disposal, eco-activeness and protection of the local environment.
Watch their website for news of new eco-tours and BVCO offset options with them- www.ecohotelsoftheworld.com.
March 2008
20/03/08 - Industry watchdog Which? commends Blue Ventures’ Carbon Offset
Blue Ventures’ innovative non-profit carbon offsetting programme has been highly rated by companies watchdog Which? in its new report on the UK carbon offsetting industry.
The report, which looks at the rapidly-growing carbon offsetting market and regulations governing the industry, compares 13 offset providers across UK, highlighting the often bewildering confusion that consumers face when choosing a carbon offsetting option. Blue Ventures Carbon Offset (BVCO) scored 5 out of 5 for the quality of project details and information provided, and 4 out of 5 for ease of use of its website.
BVCO provides offsetting solutions through the provision of fuel-efficient and solar stoves to poor rural communities in Madagascar and South Africa. In addition to the emissions reductions made, the stoves provide environmental, economic and health benefits to partner communities. Operated as an entirely non-profit venture to support conservation and community development projects in the developing world, BVCO also offers a carbon footprint consultancy service to help businesses and individuals reduce their personal carbon dioxide emissions.
The Which? report highlights the inconsistency and uncertainty of the carbon calculators used by certain UK offsetting providers, with different companies often calculating differing carbon footprints for the same scenario. For this reason BVCO uses the UK government’s carbon calculator, ensuring total transparency in all emissions calculations.
BVCO supports a review of the UK government’s stance on aircraft emissions regulations, and uses its own calculator for air travel emissions in order to include the effect of radiative forcing; an increase in the greenhouse effect of emissions produced by the burning of fuel in the upper atmosphere.
Which? emphasises that offsetting companies need to be as explicit and transparent as possible in the information they provide to consumers, to enable customers to make more informed choices. The report’s high rating for BVCO recognises the programme’s governing ethos of clarity and accountability, and will undoubtedly strengthen BVCO’s work providing offsetting solutions that help communities and the environment.
For more information see:
Defra Code of Best Practice for Carbon Offset Providers
UK government carbon calculator
February 2008
BVCO and Coral Cay Conservation (CCC) join to offset emissions
BVCO and Coral Cay Conservation (CCC) launch project to offset emissions from CCC's volunteer's travel. Volunteers are invited to sponsor a stove in the community of Ampassilava.
Ampassilava is a small community on the West coast of Madgascar. This will be the first of a series of projects that CCC will enable through finance to mitigate the carbon emissions of staff and volunteers.
Find out more here.
BVCO carbon audits parent company Blue VenturesThe carbon footprint of Blue Ventures was assessed by BVCO to be 217 tonnes of carbon dioxide during the year of 2007. 30% of this was from travellers’ flights and 30% from cooking activities for project personnel.
Blue Ventures has required all international project personnel to offset flights with BVCO since the beginning of 2007 and is now working to reduce cooking emissions through the BVCO solar and energy-efficient stove programme. Blue Ventures is looking at a number of renewable energy sources to run electrical equipment, diving compressors and water pumps, and hopes to reduce its carbon footprint by 20% in 2008. For further information see http://www.blueventures.org/newspress_recent.htmYou can download the report here.
January 2008
The Adventure Company partners with BVCO to sponsor the community of Morondava.
The sponsorship, brought about through a £2 contribution per traveller, will fund 300 stoves in the region helping households to increase their available income, improve household air quality, reduce time spent collecting wood and reduce local deforestation.
Solo Indian Ocean Rower to offset her carbon with BVCO
Sarah Outen, who will be attempting to row solo from Western Australia to Mauritus in Spring 2009 will be offsetting her carbon emissions with BVCO. She is attempting to become the first woman to make this crossing as well as the youngest and fastest person.
She is dedicating her venture to her father, who died in June 2006, and is aiming to raise £20,000 for the Arthritis Research Campaign due to his sufferings with rheumatoid arthritis. if you would like to supportt Sarah please visit www.sarahouten.co.uk.
October 2007
23/10/2007 - Remodel Consultants International Ltd became carbon neutral.
This organisation's carbon footprint was calculated to be 12.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide; and recommendations were then made to reduce their impact.
Remodel works to improve healthcare manufacturing systems; business, operational, and capacity planning. This trade makes them used to improving efficiencies; making them good candidates to sucessully reduce their footprint next year.
September 2007
05/09/2007 - Endaba offsets entire output
Endaba is a company which is about organisational performance through people and is the latest company to go carbon neutral with BVCO. Endaba are experts in turning successful businesses into exceptional businesses, offering consultancy, intelligence, and executive recruitment services.
Endaba has offset the entirety of their output with BVCO, calculated to be seventeen tonnes of carbon for the year 2006/7. Click here to find out more about BVCO and our services.
05/09/2007 - Local Nights Out, an online entertainment information website, offsets it's carbon with BVCO.
Local Nights Out is an example of another ethical organisation reducing their carbon emissions by utilising energy saving techniques, such as shared webhosting in this case, and then offsetting the remainder of their necessary carbon emissions with BVCO. You can find out more on how we consult with companies to reduce emissions and invest in our carefully monitored offsetting projects here.
July 2007
21/07/07 - BV staff members demonstrate solar cookers in Andavadoaka.Initial orders have been taken for energy efficicient stoves in Andavadoaka, Madagascar recently as a public demonstration day was held with great success.
Locals had a chance to cook with the stoves, as they would do at home, and take part in various promotional events, including the chance to win a solar stove. BVCO, in partner with ADES, will continue to roll out and maintain the stoves in Andavadoaka.
08/07/2007 - Easyshift.co.uk removals go carbon neutral with BVCO.
The north London removals company has agreed to work with BVCO to reduce their carbon footprint, and then offset the remainder with BVCO
The company currently produces an average 4.16 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide each year. Now with the help of the BVCO, this amount will be totally offset for 2006, with reductions in emissions made this year and the remaining amount again offset within the BVCO programme. For the full press release, please click here.
July 2006
15/07/06 - ADES Co-President, Heinz Vetter, explains the solar stove project in Madagascar.
He talks about the local production of the stoves, and explains where the stove project was at in mid-2006 (before BVCO was established). This audio interview gives a good summary of ADES' project before BVCO was established.
ADES has been producing solar stoves since 2001 and, with the help of BVCO, is currently in the process of rolling out the stove program across southern Madagascar. To read more about our stove project, please visit our projects page.