Sustainable Finger Lakes employee Sasha Paris (pictured here) and her mother traveled to Indonesia for a once-in-a-lifetime visit to some of Earth’s healthiest remaining coral reefs. The voyage to and throughout the vast archipelago involved 11 plane flights, and they chose to offset their carbon emissions through the Finger Lakes Climate Fund (FLCF). Using the FLCF website, they calculated the total carbon cost of their flights and donated to counterbalance their impact.
Diving and snorkeling in Sulawesi and Papua, above many-colored expanses of living corals teeming with fishes and invertebrates, they were keenly aware that they were bearing witness to an imperiled remnant of what the world has lost. Long protected by remoteness and the high biodiversity that has provided some resilience in warming seas, these priceless reefs are threatened by development and tourism which is shaped and mitigated on local and regional levels. At the global level, climate change and ocean acidification from carbon emissions contribute to these challenges– including activities like their own travel.
Why choose the FLCF? “We are very grateful for the FLCF as a venue to offset our emissions in a measurable, demonstrable way while helping people in our own communities to live more safely and comfortably,” Sasha explained, “A win-win that counters the cultural narrative of sustainability as human needs versus the environment.”
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Since 2010, we’ve awarded 106 grants—but 2024 has been our most impactful year yet! This year, we awarded 17 grants totaling $38,679 💰, offsetting 2,177 tons of CO2 emissions 🌍.
We need your help to replenish these funds for the coming year. 🌱 Offset your holiday travel today ✈️ to help us continue supporting families and communities in 2025! 💚
Donate here: https://fingerlakesclimatefund.org/donate/
For businesses and organizations: Explore our tiered benefits and join us as a Finger Lakes Enterprises for Climate Action (FLECA) member! Learn more: https://fingerlakesclimatefund.org/business-offsetters/
