What does “Carbon Free Tourism” mean?
The main purpose of the Carbon Free Tourism Certification is to develop sustainable tourism inside the natural preservation area APA Itacaré/Serra Grande and transform it into a pioneer destination model, where environmental conservation is linked to socio-economical development of traditional farming families.

Who takes part in it?
The basic idea is to neutralize all CO² emissions generated by operations of the local tourism companies that join the Carbon Free Certification Program: Inns, Hotels, Resorts, Restaurants, bars, Laundries and so on.

How does it work?
The funds gathered through the program are redirected to the traditional small-scale farmers situated inside the Itacaré-Serra Grande Environmental Area. They receive a monthly financial aid called "Bolsa Conservação", to produce and plant the seedlings of the trees which will neutralize CO² emissions of the program contributors.

Can tourists also neutralize their emissions?
Yes! Tourists themselves will also be able to off-set the carbon footprints generated during their holidays. Most certified tourism facilities will inform you about how to take part in the program.

So, a carbon-free destination ...
That’s it! In a Carbon-Free Destination, everybody working with tourism neutralizes their CO² emissions. The "Carbon Free Tourism Certification" seal exposed in Inns, Hotels, Restaurants, Bars etc. gives evidence to all the tourists that they are in a different type of destination!

This innovative tourist identity is what we want to build for the APA Itacaré/Serra Grande: a truly carbon-free destination.

So thats it on Carbon Free destination?
No! The construction of a Carbon-Free Destination is a large scale process, which also includes searching solutions for other important problems, such as the garbage treatment, for example.
Our goal is to involve entrepreneurs, the community and government in the construction of a tourism identity that is led by environmental conservation and sustainable development of the traditional populations.

Get to know our movement

The Movimento Mecenas da Vida (“Patrons for Life Movement”) has carried out a micro-scale work of afforestation and neutralization of CO² emissions along with traditional farming families inside the Natural Preservation APA Itacaré/Serra Grande, especially in the town of Taboquinhas, in the São Gonçalo region.

The families receive a monthly stipend called “Bolsa Conservação” to produce and plant seedlings of trees in disafforested areas in their properties. In this manner they practice environmental conservation as well as preservation of our landscapes and our biodiversity. This work originated the idea of joining CO² neutralization through reforestation with the enhancement of our tourist destination.

Understanding the neutralization of CO² emissions

Global warming is directly related to the increasing concentration of carbon dioxide (CO²) in the atmosphere. These high levels of concentration are an after-effect of the CO² emissions generated mainly from the consumption of electricity and cooking gas, as well as production of garbage, burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and burning of forests.

In the face of the escalating global warming, it has become imperative to reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide in our planet’s atmosphere. However, in addition to reducing emissions of this gas, it is also possible to implement it's neutralization. As part of the latter modality, CO² emissions from industrial processes, corporate activities, events, and the population’s activities in general are being compensated.

One way to neutralize these kinds of emissions is by planting trees. Trees capture the carbon in the atmosphere during their growth through the process of photosynthesis. As more trees are planted, more CO² will be removed from the atmosphere, thus decreasing our contribution to global warming.