There is much we can at home to influence our imposition on earths fragile climate but nothing quite beats the hands on approach.
Rather than wait for governments to organise and facilitate planned protocols for combating climate change, people are volunteering to go back to camp in the name of conservation. CAMPS is an international travel consortium for ethical journeys without compromise, helping connect the eco-minded with opportunities to serve a cause. Projects incorporate a variety of restoration initiatives including planting trees in Kenya and more recently at CAMP Borneo teams have been hard at work developing a prototype bio-gas collector (using your rear to save the atmosphere).
In Kenya CAMP have maintained a long-standing relationship with WWF WWF to protect local forests and support alternative ways for communities to create an income without having to cut trees down. They have helped transform the local Farmer’s Center at Muhaka into a hub of innovation where community activities focus on finding alternative eco-friendly fuels like jatropha a biofuel to replace paraffin in homes. CAMP is also piloting an organic charcoal briquette project in the region.
Companies supporting the hands on approach reinforce the provision and education of reducing carbon emissions in rural communities.
In the Ukunda region of Kenya, East Africa co2balance are working with local social groups to replace the use of open fires for cooking with energy efficient cooking stoves. The energy efficient stoves are made entirely in East Africa and utilise the ‘Rocket stove’ technology which offers a good balance between cost, life expectancy and efficiency. These stoves reduce firewood consumption by half and save in the region of 3.05 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year, 15.25 tonnes over the 5 year life span, in comparison to traditional cooking methods.
In addition to the saving in greenhouse gas emissions, the reduced need for firewood and the burning of rubbish leads to a corresponding reduction in the amount of time spent collecting cooking fuel. The recipients of the energy efficient technology also gain considerable co-benefits such as reduced costs and a considerably improved environment from a health and safety perspective.
This is one example of co2balance seeking projects with a wide range of additional benefits to the receiving community, including health, financial, social and environmental. In this way, they can maximise the project’s achievements beyond simple carbon saving.
In and around the Tsavo ecosystem CAMPS has united with co2balance to arrange various meetings with key community leaders and as such have helped facilitate the construction of over 400 stoves in individual homes with plans for another 1200!
The journey with CAMPS is concentrated on lightening our load on earth, their balancing beliefs constitute responsible travel from beginning to end. Start by off-setting your flights and end by embracing the opportunity to enhance rural communities- building efficient utilities, sharing inspiration in innovation, imparting knowledge, encouraging self-sustaining principles and taking a hands on approach to climate change.
Youth have new hope with CAMPS school expeditions. Our growing generation wear the burden of a withering world but taking a hands on approach allows them to experience the positive influence their actions can have on the environment.
CAMPS offer fully-supported expeditions to Africa and Asia that run for 1-4 weeks throughout the year, offering premium experiences for hundreds of UK and International schools. Their expeditions provide the opportunity of a lifetime for students and teachers and the chance to make a profound and lasting impact on disadvantaged communities and wildlife without compromising safety and security.
Learn more about CAMPS and co2balance projects.
