Visit Bend Is Carbon Neutral Certified

Visit Bend has forged a strategic partnership with CarbonHero to become Carbon Neutral Certified. In pursuit of this certification, Visit Bend has acquired and retired 588 metric tonnes of carbon offsets from the Zumwalt Prairie Carbon Cooperative Project. This certification ensures the neutralization of emissions, effective from 2022 onward.

Learn How

How Visit Bend Became Carbon Neutral

1. Calculated Carbon Emissions

CarbonHero collaborated closely with Visit Bend to thoroughly understand the complexities of their organization. Our team then created a customized method for calculating carbon emissions, specifically designed for Visit Bend and considering their unique operational aspects. The assessment looked at all aspects of Visit Bend’s emissions, covering Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This included events, marketing, services, how employees commute, office utilities, expenses, and other factors that contribute to their overall carbon footprint.

1. Calculated Carbon Emissions

2. Selected Carbon Offset Projects

Visit Bend, with CarbonHero’s guidance, chose the Zumwalt Prairie Carbon Cooperative in North East Oregon. This project focuses on preserving grasslands and working with ranchers to use regenerative grazing methods, contributing significantly to carbon sequestration. The project is supporting conservation easement on 22,000 acres of land on three private ranches safe from turning into farmland by supporting conservation agreements. This prairie is highly biodiverse and home to many rare, threatened, and endangered species.

2. Selected Carbon Offset Projects

3. Retired Carbon Offsets

This project went through verification by the Climate Action Reserve (CAR), an independent third-party organization crucial for accountability in the carbon credit market. CarbonHero facilitated Visit Bend’s purchase of carbon offsets equivalent to the carbon emissions. The final step in this journey was the retirement of the carbon offsets, officially solidifying Vist Bend’s Certified Carbon Neutral status.

Metric Tons

of Carbon Offsets since 2022

Metric Tons

of Carbon Offsets since 2022

3. Retired Carbon Offsets

Learn About The Project

Zumwalt Prairie Carbon Cooperative

Visit Bend, with CarbonHero’s guidance, chose the Zumwalt Prairie Carbon Cooperative in North Eastern Oregon, a conservation easement project that is preserving over 22,000 acres of crucial grasslands from development or destructive agriculture. The owners of the land have partnered with The Nature Conservancy to control the easement while the ranchers have agreed to practice no-till regenerative grazing. The Zumwalt Prairie, being the largest intact bunchgrass prairie in North America, plays a crucial role in carbon sequestration. Similar to tropical rainforests, its extensive root systems, and below-ground carbon storage make it a valuable asset in the fight against climate change.

About The Partnership

Visit Bend

Visit Bend is the official tourism organization for Bend, OR and is responsible for promoting tourism and travel to the Bend area. They believe each trail, cafe table, mountain vista, and lakeside patch of grass should be a welcoming place for everyone. Their team cares deeply about Bend, the place they live, play, raise families, and call home. They’re passionate about caring for the wild places, and the community, and sharing them with people from all walks of life.

It is with this belief in mind that Visit Bend has forged a strategic partnership with CarbonHero. Visit Bend’s investment into the Zumwalt Prairie Carbon Cooperative is one part of a multi-year strategy that includes measuring, evaluating, reducing, and offsetting annually. By becoming Carbon neutral, Visit Bend is taking proactive steps to protect the environment, preserve our natural landscapes, and ensure a vibrant, sustainable future for generations to come.

Carbon Hero

CarbonHero certifies brands as Carbon Neutral, driven by a mission to arm businesses with the tools to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. Our approach involves meticulous measurement of carbon emissions, followed by the selection of optimal carbon offset projects, and finally, we facilitate the acquisition of carbon offsets. To showcase their commitment, brands receive a Carbon Neutral Certified Badge, which they can proudly display on products, websites, and marketing materials.

Join CarbonHero in the journey towards environmental sustainability and corporate responsibility.

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