Here’s how we’re stepping up for climate and community in 2022 (and beyond)

Dear Adventure.com reader,

Since 2017, Adventure.com has been focused on the idea of using travel and adventure as a force for good—for individuals, for our environment, and for communities around the world.

That might sound sentimental, but in the face of our current climate crisis, we think it’s more important than ever to champion alternatives to more mainstream and carbon-heavy forms of tourism—an industry responsible for eight percent of global carbon emissions, and which contributed some $9.6 billion dollars to global GDP in 2019 (the last full year before the pandemic). 

Responsible travel isn’t rocket science, nor do we think this stuff needs to be restrictive. It should be fun. And it shouldn’t be a niche concept anymore: it should be the default setting.

As the world continues to reopen, and its most famous sights and most spectacular wild places must once again bear the brunt of our collective (and deeply instinctual) desire to go places and do things, protecting the places and communities we visit is literally the least we can do.

Responsible travel isn’t rocket science, nor do we think this stuff needs to be restrictive or tedious in any way. It should be fun. Really fun. And it shouldn’t be a niche concept anymore: it should be the default setting.

So, what are we doing about it?

For a start, we’re committed to sharing stories that we believe will help move us towards a more conscious and curious future of travel and adventure. Initiatives that help shift the aforementioned billions of dollars into more responsible, deserving and community-oriented hands. You know, like the story about the formerly homeless guides who now host tourists on unique (and brilliant) tours of London. Or the one about the Indigenous operators who are using tourism to help protect Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Or the Dubrovnik locals who are determined to cling on to their town’s identity in the wake of an overtourism crisis.

Outside of the ‘good stuff’, we’ll also continue to share stories about weird, wild, interesting or otherwise remarkable adventures; as well as interviews and profiles with our favorite chefs, photographers, activists, artists and outdoorsy-types; and offbeat guides and explorations from way out yonder. (And a little less way out yonder).

Secondly, we’re going to great lengths to reduce the carbon emissions associated with our activities. That means we’re looking to commission writers and photographers who are already in or have already been to a region they wish to write about. It means we’re keen on stories that require minimal flying, and prioritize human-powered or public transport (within the bounds of safety and common sense). It means that we’ve come up with a set of Contributor Impact Guidelines to help our people minimize their negative environmental impacts while maximizing their positive social impacts.

On the business side of things, it means we’ll only be partnering with brands and organizations that put people and planet before profit. It means we’re proud to be signatories for the Glasgow Declaration for Climate Action in Tourism, which is focused on getting travel and tourism organizations to tangibly reduce their emissions.

We’re reducing our own emissions as much as possible (you can read more in our sustainability and Contributor Impact Guidelines), and we’re offsetting any emissions we can’t stamp out. Our carbon offset units are provided by our parent company, Intrepid, and are generated from activities that prevent, reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions from being released into the atmosphere.

This whole thing is a journey for us. And we won’t always get it right. We probably don’t even have it right right now.

Speaking of Intrepid, Adventure.com is 100% funded by (but editorially independent of) Intrepid, the world’s largest travel B Corp. If you’re unfamiliar with B Corp, it’s basically a rigorous certification reserved for organizations that have proven themselves to be taking their commitment to people and planet seriously. Intrepid is 100% carbon neutral and is one of the only travel companies in the world with science-based emissions reduction targets. Adventure.com is also on the road to becoming a B Corp ourselves, so watch this space.

Thirdly, through our Pay it Forward subscriptions, our readers can literally help create a more equitable future of travel by supporting our charity partner, the Intrepid Foundation. From helping to educate young women in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains to assisting community reforestation efforts in Kijabe, Kenya, the Intrepid Foundation supports grassroots organizations that are improving livelihoods through sustainable travel experiences. Think of it like the world’s most impactful magazine subscription. Because that’s basically what it is.

This whole thing is a journey for us. And we won’t always get it right. We probably don’t even have it right right now. What’s important for us, and for our contributors, and hopefully for you, is that we’re committed to getting better. And over the coming months and years, you’ll see a number of initiatives from us that will help us make good on that commitment. This is just the beginning.

We want to engage you, our readers, in this conversation as much as we possibly can. You can send your thoughts, feelings, jokes or complaints directly to hello@adventure.com at any time (please allow up to a week for a response).

We’ve worked very hard on these stories, and we hope they spark your imagination, give you some potent (and responsible) ideas for your next adventure, introduce you to some resolutely badass individuals, make you feel deeply and profoundly connected to someplace that you have never been, prove to you beyond all reasonable doubt that positive change is possible, or otherwise make you feel something.

See you out there.

Oliver Pelling, Meera Dattani and Lauren Steele
The Editors
Adventure.com

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Adventure.com strives to be a low-emissions publication by reducing emissions where possible. Carbon emissions generated by the movements of our staff and contributors are carbon offset through our parent company, Intrepid. You can visit our sustainability page and read our Contributor Impact Guidelines for more information. While we take our commitment to people and planet seriously, we acknowledge that we still have plenty of work to do, and we welcome all feedback and suggestions from our readers. You can contact us any time at hello@adventure.com. Please allow up to one week for a response.