The potential for voluntary carbon offset programs in the Canadian snow-based outdoor recreation industry

Abstract

Popular snow-based, wintertime activities in Canada and elsewhere such as alpine skiing and snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling require cold, snowy winters to support those practicing these pastimes, but ironically, participation in these activities often accelerates climate change through reliance on fossil fuels. This paper, based on a review of scientific literature, attempts to address this irony by suggesting practices that may contribute to the growth of voluntary carbon offset (VCO) sales in the outdoor recreation industry as currently few outdoor recreation businesses in Canada offer VCO programs. The paper highlights the potential link between outdoor recreation participation and environmental concern, identifies socio-demographic groups of interest for targeted advertising campaigns, and identifies approaches for designing VCO programs and increasing VCO purchases. A strategy for increasing VCO purchases in the outdoor recreation industry is for outdoor recreation businesses to offer VCO programs themselves rather than outdoor recreationists purchasing VCOs through providers unrelated to the outdoor industry. Through recreation activities important to a person, the outdoor recreation industry can facilitate an outdoor recreationist's environmental concern and behaviour. Furthermore, VCO programs provided by outdoor recreation companies would be more visible and accessible to outdoor recreationists who might then be more likely to purchase VCOs. Outdoor recreation companies can increase their VCO sales by: marketing to people with certain characteristics (younger ages, higher education, low carbon diet, appreciative outdoor activity participation, and existing awareness of VCO programs), addressing barriers that adversely affect current offset schemes, considering both willingness to pay (WTP) when setting offset prices and alternative explanations of individuals' WTP to offset the greatest volume of CO 2 , and ensuring a positive purchase situation.