How Green is your Whitewater?
Join O.A.R.S. and NativeEnergy™ to become part of the solution…
Learn more about our methods of responsible travel or click here to offset now.
The Problem
Did you know that travel-related activities account for about 1/3 of the greenhouse gas emissions worldwide? Or, that every time you fly, your portion of the flight emits nearly a ton, on average, of greenhouse gases? In many cases one round-trip flight emits more carbon than your automobile does in a year! Fossil fuel-based travel is threatening many of the very same fascinating and beautiful places to which we want to travel. What can we do?
How can a gallon of gasoline produce 20 pounds of carbon dioxide?
It seems impossible that a gallon of gasoline, which weighs about 6.3 pounds, could produce 20 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) when burned.However, most of the weight of the CO2 doesn't come from the gasoline itself, but the oxygen in the air.
When gasoline burns, the carbon and hydrogen separate. The hydrogen combines with oxygen to form water (H2O), and carbon combines with oxygen to form carbon dioxide (CO2). CO2 molecule with one carbon atom (atomic weight 12) and two oxygen atoms (atomic weight of 16 each)
A carbon atom has a weight of 12, and each oxygen atom has a weight of 16, giving each single molecule of CO2 an atomic weight of 44 (12 from carbon and 32 from oxygen).
Therefore, to calculate the amount of CO2 produced from a gallon of gasoline, the weight of the carbon in the gasoline is multiplied by 44/12 or 3.7.
Since gasoline is about 87% carbon and 13% hydrogen by weight, the carbon in a gallon of gasoline weighs 5.5 pounds (6.3 lbs. x .87). We can then multiply the weight of the carbon (5.5 pounds) by 3.7, which equals 20 pounds of CO2!
Visit www.fueleconomy.gov for more information
The Solution
Of course there are many benefits of sustainable travel and we are not suggesting that people stop traveling. But offsetting the damage we do to the planet through travel-related activities would be a huge victory in the battle against global warming. To this end, we are pleased to announce our innovative new partnership with NativeEnergy™ Travel Offsets, an organization dedicated to fighting global warming through the support of Native American, farmer-owned, charitable-purpose renewable energy projects that create social, economic and environmental benefits.
"The last few years have represented a period of change in our country – an awakening to the significance of sustainability – where ‘being green’ is not only cool, it’s expected. At O.A.R.S., we’re thrilled to see such progressive movement, but then again, conservation is the foundation of our company and the lifeblood of our future, so let’s hope the new attention to environmentalism isn’t just a fad; let’s hope it’s here to stay."— George Wendt, President & Founder of O.A.R.S.
How O.A.R.S. Offsets Your Adventure
We’re proud of the fact that most of our trips are inherently low carbon-emitting, but we want to go further to offset the impact of our adventures. So, O.A.R.S. will pay to offset the carbon releases from the vehicles used to transport our guides and gear, any internal trip flights and all passenger transportation included in your trip, any propane we use on your trip and all of the electricity consumed by our office and operations facilities.
The process is a simple one: First, NativeEnergy™ calculates the greenhouse emissions that result from your adventure (from the day you arrive to the day you leave). Then, we offset these emissions by purchasing “Green tags” also known as Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). By purchasing Green Tags to offset or neutralize the carbon emission impact of your travel, you help “do-no-harm” to the planet while providing financial resources to develop new renewable energy projects such as wind farms or farm methane projects.
Each year O.A.R.S. purchases a share of the estimated renewable energy credits (RECs) to be generated by the Owl Feather War Bonnet Wind Farm over its operating life, helping bring critical up-front funding to the project and enabling construction. The wind farm, being built on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, will reduce CO2 emissions when its clean, renewable energy displaces energy that otherwise would have to be generated by burning fossil fuels. NativeEnergy™’s emphasis on high-value, high-quality carbon offsets means we effectively offset the global warming impact of our energy use.
Each year O.A.R.S. purchases approximately 2000 tons of carbon offsets from NativeEnergy™ which has the same global warming offset impact as keeping 330 average cars off the road for an entire year.
For nearly 40 years O.A.R.S. has been committed to being a leader in the field of sustainable travel. Our goal isn’t simply to be one of the most environmentally responsible tour operators in the world, but to continually raise the bar and challenge other companies to raise their standards as well. From escorting congressional staffers, eco-celebrities and politicians on the waterways of the Western U.S. to establishing a model business for ecotourism operators in Fiji, O.A.R.S. is professionally committed to the cultural and environmental well being of the places we visit.
Through partnerships with environmental organizations such as Grand Canyon Trust, Idaho Rivers United, Hells Canyon Preservation Council, Alaska Wilderness League, Friends of the River, The International Ecotourism Society, Leave No Trace and NativeEnergy™ Travel Offsets, O.A.R.S. is committed to reducing our impact on the natural world and actively supports awareness, deeper appreciation and preservation of rivers and wild places.
Now in our third year of carbon offsetting, O.A.R.S. voluntarily offsets 100% of the carbon emissions that result from all of our trip-related activities from the day you arrive on your trip until the day you leave. The only aspect of your trip that we won’t automatically offset is your air and/or land transportation to and from the starting point of your trip.
How You Can Get Involved
We ask that our guests consider offsetting the air and/or land transportation portion of their trip (from their home city to the starting point of the trip). It’s easy to do and surprisingly inexpensive (For example, the cost to offset round-trip air travel from NYC to Flagstaff, AZ is only $12 per person). It’s also an easy way to help our environment and feel good about how you travel. If you choose to do so, O.A.R.S. will match your contribution, dollar for dollar, up to a combined 100% of your transportation and energy use impact.
1. Select your adventure
When you book any adventure with us, you can feel good about how you travel because you know that the harmful greenhouse gas emissions that result from the trip itself will be automatically offset by O.A.R.S.
2. Decide if you want to offset your travel
This is, of course, completely optional, but if you decide you’d like to participate we’ll make it extremely easy for you.
3. Log-on to our website
In conjunction with NativeEnergy™ we’ve created a unique online carbon calculator that tells you how much greenhouse gas will be emitted as a result of your flight or land transportation between your home city and the starting and ending points of your trip. Simply click here to find our carbon calculator and enter your total miles traveled by plane, train or automobile (or even bus) and the calculator will do the rest.
4. Make payment for your carbon offset amount
When you proceed to checkout, NativeEnergy™ will calculate the total cost to offset your trip, less the 50% that O.A.R.S. is chipping in and it’s as simple as that. You can enter the payment directly through the website or if you prefer you can send a check to NativeEnergy™. In some cases, contributions may be tax deductible.
Click this button to
access our carbon calculator
Have you run the wild ones?
Join O.A.R.S. on 
