New Year’s Resolution: Carbon Neutral (Or, Better)

As we close the book on 2019, here at Backcountry Journeys we look back and give thanks on a very happy, healthy and successful year that is coming to an end. At the same time, we are looking forward to the coming year with anticipation and excitement for all of the wonderful adventures awaiting us. As such, it is time for a big New Year’s Resolution!

We love our planet and want nothing but the best for its future.

It is time for action.

Backcountry Journeys was founded by Russ Nordstrand, a man who has spent his entire life working and recreating outside. As a lover of the natural world, Russ has developed an appreciation for protecting the natural world, in addition to spending time with it.

As nature photographers, we all take something special provided to us by our earth, whether it be that moment as we sat with our camera on the edge of a spectacular seascape, complete with dramatic skies and crashing waves; or the excitement we had from a curious White-faced Capuchin monkey swinging on a vine through the jungle canopy, right in front of our lens. It is our hope that every person who travels with Backcountry Journeys will leave their tour not only with fantastic images but also with a deeper appreciation for the natural world they’ve just visited.

Humanity dictates that we fight for and protect what we love. And the things nature photographers love are a part of our endangered planet.

It is through this recognition that Backcountry Journeys announces today that in an effort to do our part in taking action to combat human-enhanced climate change, that we will move towards becoming carbon neutral (or better) in 2020 and beyond!

What exactly does this mean?

It means that going forward Backcountry Journeys will invest in projects around the globe that reduce emissions for the same amount (or more) as what is released into the atmosphere as a result of our business practices. We have folks from all over the world who travel using aircraft and vehicles, etc in order to get to the places where we hold photo tours. During the course of our tours, we utilize vehicles and other necessary resources that leave a carbon footprint. There is not much of a way around creating some sort of impact, however, we can invest dollars into offsetting this impact.

And with no additional cost to our guests. We would only like for you to feel good knowing that the carbon impact of your next photo tour with Backcountry Journeys is being offset.

More details will come later, but for now, we are excited to inform our current, and future, guests of this new and worthwhile goal!

Kenton Krueger has spent the past several years guiding backpackers, hikers and photographers into the wild places of the American West such as Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, Katmai, Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks, as well as internationally in Costa Rica & Brazil. In addition to backpacking and camping, his adventures include rock climbing, exploring the slot canyons of southern Utah, mountain biking, and bagging 14ers in Colorado’s San Juan Mountain Mountain Range. Kenton is a trail runner, former pilot, and has had several of his writings and photographs published in the Omaha World-Herald newspaper. Kenton looks forward to utilizing his years of guiding experience, combined with his passion and experience behind the lens to provide memorable and unforgettable experiences at the wild places we will visit together.