The Airstream experience is nothing without the natural world outdoors. We travel beyond the city, out into the quiet, the solitude, and the majesty of the natural world. But our world faces numerous environmental challenges. Now, Airstream and the National Forest Foundation have partnered on the Caravan to Carbon Neutral. A two-pronged, industry-first initiative to neutralize estimated carbon emissions created by the driving and towing of the company’s products, and offer travelers the ability to offset the environmental cost of hitting the road. Read on to learn how Airstream is sequestering the estimated carbon from the travel of all Airstreams manufactured in 2022 and learn how to purchase your own Carbon Reduction Kit.
Click Here to Purchase Carbon Reduction Kits
As a commitment to the environment, Airstream will directly underwrite the planting of enough trees by the National Forest Foundation (NFF) that are projected to help sequester the estimated carbon generated by the first year of driving of all new Airstream travel trailers and touring coaches manufactured in 2022. That figure also includes the estimated carbon emitted during the manufacturing and transportation of Airstreams from the Jackson Center, OH production facility to dealerships nationwide in 2022.1
Nearly every Airstream owner asked (96%) in a 2020 Airstream owner survey is concerned about the state of the environment. Said one survey participant:
“When people travel with their Airstream, it keeps them more in touch with nature and humanity. This raises their awareness of the importance of having a healthy environment.”
"The Airstream community has a symbiotic relationship with nature and the environment," said Bob Wheeler, Airstream President and CEO. "This program brings an innovative solution to Airstreamers who want to neutralize their estimated carbon footprint from driving their Airstream and contribute to a more beautiful natural world."
The estimated trees required to sequester the targeted carbon was calculated using Airstream sales forecasts for 2022, findings from an internal customer usage study, greenhouse gas equivalency calculators developed by the Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Transportation Statistics fuel efficiency estimates for gasoline-powered vehicles, publicly reported estimates from Mercedes-Benz2, an Airstream aerodynamics study, and tree carbon sequestration estimates from the United States Department of Agriculture.
Caravan to Carbon Neutral also allows any Airstream owner to help sequester additional carbon emissions through the purchase of “Carbon Reduction Kits” from the National Forest Foundation through Airstream's e-commerce website, Airstream Supply Company. Each Carbon Reduction Kit purchase is tax-deductible, with 100 percent of the proceeds directly supporting the NFF’s tree-planting program:
- Funds the National Forest Foundation's efforts to plant 50 trees, sequestering an estimated 25 tons of carbon over the course of their lifetime
- Equal to an estimated 62,000 miles driving a passenger car
- Kit includes one 2022 Caravan to Carbon Neutral 5" x 4" Decal
- Tax-deductible donation through the NFF
- Funds the National Forest Foundation's efforts to plant 100 trees, sequestering an estimated 50 tons of carbon over the course of the tree's lifetime
- Equal to an estimated 124,000 miles of driving a passenger vehicle
- Kit includes one 2022 Caravan to Carbon Neutral 5" x 4" Decal, plus a 2022 virtual badge on Airforums.com
- Tax-deductible donation through the NFF
- Funds the National Forest Foundation's efforts to plant 250 trees
- Those trees will sequester an estimated 125 tons of carbon over the course of the tree's lifetime
- Equal to an estimated 310,000 miles of driving a passenger vehicle
- Kit includes one 2022 Caravan to Carbon Neutral 5" x 4" Decal, a virtual badge on Airforums.com, and a 2022 Caravan to Carbon Neutral 12" x 18" Flag
- Tax-deductible donation through the NFF
Purchasers of Carbon Reduction Kits will be recognized with custom decals, flags to display on their Airstream, as well as other virtual signifiers, including a badge in AirForums.com, an online resource for Airstream owners.
“We are dedicated to leaving our natural world better than we found it. Addressing the causes of climate change is central to that mission. Transportation accounts for an estimated 28% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., so this is an area where we have a responsibility and an opportunity to lead,” said Wheeler. “Research shows that RV vacations can produce less carbon as compared to similar airline/rental car/hotel itineraries. But we felt that we needed to do more. The beauty of this effort is that we are both capturing carbon and helping to enhance our National Forests, which are popular outdoor recreation destinations for all Americans.”
Bob Wheeler is an executive committee member on the board of directors for the non-profit National Forest Foundation.
“We are excited to help Airstream and their customers reduce carbon footprints as they explore our National Forests and public lands,” said Mary Mitsos, National Forest Foundation President & CEO. “This program invites Americans to get involved and give back by planting trees and supporting our forests for future generations.”
The carbon sequestration initiative opens a new frontier in our efforts to reduce its overall environmental impact. Other efforts include that the electricity at our production facility in Jackson Center, Ohio is offset by renewable energy credits purchased through Jackson Center Municipal Power's EcoSmart Choice program. In addition, Airstream vehicles are Certified Green by TRA Certification, Inc, a third-party rating based on resource consumption, energy efficiency, water efficiency, and indoor air quality during the manufacturing process.
Airstream’s innovative designers and engineers are continually seeking new materials to reduce vehicle weight and developing more efficient processes to reduce the resources required to build a “silver bullet.”
We are also developing new concepts and partnering with global experts to reduce the resources used while camping, whether at a campsite or off-the-grid. We continue to focus on sustainable travel, including ways to make it easier for electric vehicles to tow an Airstream and further electrification of all of Airstream’s travel trailers.
Click below to learn more about the Caravan to Carbon Neutral initiative.
1 Carbon sequestration is facilitated through the National Forest Foundation’s (NFF’s) existing tree planting program. NFF has committed to use best efforts, along with the United States Forest Service to complete tree planting within twelve (12) months of receipt of funds; carbon sequestration estimates through tree planting are calculated using the value of .5 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) sequestered per tree over its estimated lifetime of 100 years.
2 Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions estimates from Mercedes-Benz are submitted to the EPA on a yearly basis. For model year 2019, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter fleet GHG emissions is reported at 485g CO2 per mile. As of January 12, 2021, model year 2020 data is not yet available. Actual GHG emissions may increase when the chassis integrated with the Airstream product due to increased weight, differences in drag, and other potential factors.
