Renewable Juneau is thrilled to share its latest Juneau Carbon Offset Fund partnership – Above and Beyond Alaska has joined the team! “The Juneau Carbon Offset Fund just makes sense for a local tourism business like Above and Beyond Alaska. We’re excited to add carbon offsetting to our ever expanding list of sustainability measures,” said founder and General Manager Becky Janes. “Everything we all do has an impact and the Fund allows our summer guests to not only recognize this impact, but to take positive local action in response.”
Above and Beyond Alaska has been a local tourism leader in sustainability for nearly twenty years. As far back as 2004, Above and Beyond Alaska began reducing waste by implanting a company-wide recycling program. All cardboard, mixed paper, plastic, aluminum, tin cans, and glass is collected at all company locations and transported to local recycling facilities. In 2015, Above and Beyond Alaska replaced all disposable plastic bottles with reusable aluminum water bottles. And, Above and Beyond Alaska enjoys a carbon-free headquarters, heating its office spaces from the surrounding air via air-source heat pumps, the same emissions-slashing and cost-cutting heating equipment installed in every Fund income-qualified home.
“Partnering with Above and Beyond Alaska means a great deal to the Juneau Carbon Offset Fund. Tourism is such an important economic engine for Juneau, yet with most everything, it has its issues,” shares Andy Romanoff, Renewable Juneau board member and project director for the Fund. “Above and Beyond Alaska’s proactive partnership brings Juneau visitors an opportunity to connect with Alaska in a new and meaningful way. This is a win-win for Juneau. Not only will Above and Beyond guests assist the city in reaching its climate, energy, and housing affordability goals, they will aid in directly eliminating carbon production while cutting heating bills for income-qualified homeowners by 50% or greater. Now, travelers can play a part in bringing these goals closer to being realized.”
What do recipients of the Fund support think about all of this? One recent applicant and heat pump recipient shared that, “We have noticed our house is much warmer and it feels like there’s a tropical breeze blowing through. The heat pump heats our bedrooms more efficiently too, more than the old diesel stove did, which is great! No more space heaters and so far, no need for oil. Our recent electric bill was only up $20 from the same month last year and of course, no new oil bills! Thanks so much to all who support this great program!” – Kelly Dunivan, Juneau Carbon Offset Fund heat pump recipient, family of 4
And, stay tuned!! The Juneau Carbon Offset Fund has more news on the way! Seven (7!) new homes have been approved just this last month. And, supporting businesses have renewed their annual offset commitments! Details coming…