Most people are aware that driving a car produces exhaust gases that are harmful to the environment. However, other forms of travel – especially air transportation – and other travel-related activities such as lodging, have an adverse impact on the environment as well. To offset the environmental impact for three of the episodes produced, MTV provided the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) with detailed information on the numbers of production crew traveling to and from remote locations, including jet, prop, and helicopter flights, boat rides, SUV miles, and even balloon travel. BEF calculated that 853 Green Tags would offset the green house gases generated for the Tanzania, Chile and Costa Rica/Honduras segments for the entire production crew as well as the show’s host, Cameron Diaz and her friends.

“We have long advocated the use of clean, renewable energy and the purchase of Green Tags to offset the environmental impact of energy use from travel and related activities,” said Tom Starrs, vice president of marketing and sales for BEF. MTV’s Trippin’ raises the bar, demonstrating in real terms how an organization can offset the environmental impact of its day-to-day operations, whether it’s hosting an event, running a generator or flying around the world. We hope other media productions and organizations will follow MTV’s lead and join in the effort to offset their operation’s impact on the environment.”

MTV's Trippin’ provided BEF with detailed information about the three episodes’ modes of travel, number of travelers and hotel stays. Information included jet flight information from Los Angeles to destinations that included Amsterdam, Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam, as well as Detroit and Houston or Santiago and Calama. Other details included the miles traveled using small planes, boats, SUVs and vans, as well as energy use in balloon rides, helicopter tours, diesel generators, office space, and hotel stays. BEF calculated the pounds of CO2 generated by each activity and the number of Green Tags required to offset the gas produced. MTV Trippin’ purchased 853 Green Tags for the three episodes and offset 100 percent of the CO2 generated, or nearly 1.2 million pounds of CO2.

About BEF
The Bonneville Environmental Foundation, a non-profit organization, was established in 1998 to restore watershed ecosystems and further the development and use of new renewable energy resources. Through revenues generated from the sales of green power products, BEF funds projects that restore damaged watersheds and support new renewable energy projects from solar, wind and biomass. BEF pioneered the sale of Green Tags in 2000 and has helped establish national standards for certification and trading. Created by regional environmental groups and the Bonneville Power Administration, the Foundation operates collaboratively with but independent of both.