Carbon offset programs are often directly connected to tree replantation activities. One of EXO’s major areas of contribution is towards tree planting and we also provide the opportunity for travellers to plant a tree in some of our destinations.

The EXO Foundation therefore, has now chosen to tackle the second main cause of deforestation; household use of fuel and wood for cooking and boiling water.

The EXO Foundation has worked hard to impact the social factors that will assist the overall environmental benefits, as we need to keep in mind both are closely interlinked, environmental issues are or will soon become social issues. This was achieved by supporting three social enterprises developing ceramic water filter systems in Cambodia, Laos & Indonesia, where water remains one of the main causes of disease and poverty.

Water treatment solutions contribute to reducing CO2 emissions and other health hazards, while also reducing the pressure on forests and saving households money by decreasing fuel purchases and creating new rural employment opportunities through local production and distribution.

In Cambodia 25% of the population do not have access to safe water and 58% lack access to proper sanitation. Waterborne disease is the second highest cause of death for children under 5.

EXO Travel’s investment in Cambodia Hydrologic water filters will support:

• 44 water filters produced and in use.
• 43 tons of emission reductions.
• More than 75 tons of wood fuel saved in 1 year.

In Laos 80% of households boil their water to make it safe to drink. Terra Clear’s goal is to provide 100,000 locally made purifiers by 2019.

EXO Travel’s investment in Terra Clear water filters will support:

• 33 water filters produced and in use.
• 43 tons of emission reductions.
• 6 hectares of avoided deforestation.

Nearly one out of two Indonesians lacks access to safe water, and more than 70 percent of the nation’s 220 million people rely on potentially contaminated sources.

EXO Travel’s investment in Nazava water filters will support:

• 130 water filters produced and in use.
• 43 tons of emission reductions.

* Water filter projects based in different countries generate different amounts of carbon savings due to different fuel usage rates for water boiling (biomass vs. gas). In Cambodia one filter results in 0.98 tons of CO2e saved, Laos is 1.32, Indonesia is 0.33

NEXUS is a cooperative that initiated an alliance of eight development organizations from across seven countries that committed to using carbon finance to tackle poverty and climate change and supporting project developers. They select and follow up social enterprises working in providing technical easy solutions to rural households such as improved cooking stoves, water filters and biogas projects.

Discover more projects that the EXO Foundation are supporting.