Action Fund
Ashland Climate Travel Donations
Traveling? Consider donating to the Ashland Climate Action Fund — a simple carbon offset alternative to support local projects that reduce pollution in Ashland.
Why Consider Your Travel?
Many of us are deeply concerned about climate change and the impact our actions have on the well-being of future generations.
At the same time, many of us love to — or need to — travel.
But because of the fuel used by planes, cars, and trucks, traveling generates a lot of pollution.
When you donate to our Action Fund, your dollars stay in our community, supporting climate action projects where you can actually see the difference your gift makes.
How the Action Fund Works
There are two ways to participate:
1. Choose a dollar amount that feels right to you. You can contribute any amount. If helpful, we have provided suggested ranges based on common travel scenarios in the Travel Guidelines below.
2. Calculate your emissions. You may also choose to calculate your travel emissions using a reputable carbon calculator (such as the CoolClimate Calculator from UC Berkeley) and offset your emissions at a rate of $20 per metric ton of CO₂.
Suggested Travel Guidelines
| Type of Travel | Suggested Amount |
| Short flight (1 person, roundtrip under 1,000 miles) | $10-$20 |
| Cross-country flight (1 person, roundtrip) | $30-$50 |
| International flight (1 person, roundtrip) | $60-$100 |
| 100-mile car trip (gas vehicle) | $2-$5 |
| Weekend event travel (family of 4, regional drive or short flights) | $25-$75 |
Ashland Climate Collaborative is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization — your donation to our Action Fund is fully tax-deductible!
Where do your dollars go?
Ashland Climate is working to reduce climate pollution from the biggest drivers of emissions in Ashland: transportation, home energy, and food waste.
We also support work on wildfire resilience, conserving water, and more.
We are making a big difference already. Every time we help someone replace a gas furnace with a ductless mini split, that’s 5-8 tons of carbon saved each year!
Examples of measurable impacts include:
Our Community Compost Action Team reduces methane by diverting tons of food waste from the landfill
Our Streets4Everyone Action Team improves bike infrastructure such as bike lanes and safety bollards
Our Electrify Ashland Now Action Team switches appliances from gas to electric thanks to our home energy coaches
Our Streets4Everyone Action Team teaches 4th and 5th graders how to bike via our PedalPower program
Our Board and Staff motivate people through community presentations and workshops
Are these Carbon Offsets?
Our Action Fund is not a carbon offset program. Because of the nature of our work, we cannot calculate exact greenhouse gas reductions in the same way certified carbon markets do.
A carbon offset is a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in one place that compensates for emissions created somewhere else.
Certified carbon offsets must meet strict standards. They must be:
- Measurable – Emissions reductions are quantified with data
- Additional – The reduction would not have happened without the offset funding
- Verifiable – Third-party experts validate the project
- Permanent – The emissions reduction is long-lasting
Because our work focuses primarily on education, behavior change, and community mobilization, participation in our Action Fund does not constitute the purchase of certified carbon credits.
If you are looking specifically for third-party verified offsets, you might like to explore established registries such as Gold Standard, Climate Action Reserve, and Verified Carbon Standard (Verra).
You can buy carbon offsets that fund programs and projects around the world — or, if it makes sense to you, you can fund an effective local organization working towards reducing pollution right where you live.
Actions We Can Take – Together
Thank you for considering a donation to our Action Fund. Even though there’s no single solution to the climate crisis, there are many meaningful actions we can take together.
To address the scale and urgency of this challenge, we need systemic change in transportation, housing, food, energy. Even though it may be impossible for any of us to reduce our personal climate impact to zero, there are impactful things we can do together!
Act
Reduce pollution in your daily life by cleaning up your transportation, your home appliances, and composting food waste. Think about building a resilient community as you consider your water usage and take steps to protect your homes from fire.
Advocate
Support climate action in our town, share your story and ways you are making a difference. Lend your expertise to the cause.
Invest
Support local climate solutions, contribute financially, and align your money with your values.
We’re working toward a future where climate-smart choices are the default in our lives. Until then, thank you for doing what you can!