Why I’m offsetting the carbon from my wine trips

Scottish Field wine columnist and drinks blogger Peter Ranscombe explains why he’s using Trees for Life to offset the carbon dioxide emissions from his wine trips.

SOARING above the clouds in an aeroplane is both a wonder and a privilege that I never want to take for granted.

Travelling the world to visit winemakers and write about their wines is a blessing and an honour, and it’s a joy to share their stories in the printed Scottish Field magazine and on The Grape & The Grain drinks blog.

Yet the Earth is in the grip of a climate emergency and I feel more than a pang of guilt every time I step onto an aircraft, aware of the impact that my journeys are having on the planet.

That’s why I’m paying Trees for Life, a charity based in Findhorn near my hometown of Nairn, to plant Scots pine and other native species in the Highlands, the place I was born and raised and to which I return whenever I can.

Scots pines hold a special place in my heart – they’re my favourite trees and are home to some of my favourite species, including red squirrels, capercaillie and ospreys.

Growing up with such iconic species in nearby Strathspey cemented my choice to become a corporate partner of Trees for Life and use the charity to offset the carbon dioxide emissions from my wine trips.

I work out how many miles I fly and then calculate how many tonnes of carbon equivalent have been generated as a result of my journeys.

I then round up the figure to the nearest tonne and buy four trees to offset each tonne of carbon.

Each tree costs £6 – but it’s not about the money.

It’s about planting trees that will remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and pump out oxygen.

It’s about creating a habitat for the wildlife species that make my heart soar whenever I see them.

And it’s about protecting not only our environment here in Scotland but also the vineyards that are already being affected by climate change.

Find out more about the grove of trees that’s being planted to offset my carbon dioxide emissions at http://bit.ly/Wine_Trees

And read more about my adventures around the world at https://www.scottishfield.co.uk/category/grapegrain/