The smile on the faces of satisfied tourists will be broader if they have made their trip carbon-footprint-neutral. They can do this by contributing to a tree planting programme in Africa , sponsored by First Festival Travel.

Customers of this sports and festivals guided tours firm are invited to pay £10 to offset their carbon footprint created by travel. This fee goes to a properly authenticated re-aforestation scheme on the slopes of the Rift Valley, in Kenya.

ìWe are tour operators who want to have fun, but to observe and participate in other cultures' festivals without altering them,î says First Festival managing director Steve Hegh. ìIt's only one step from our philosophy ëleave nothing but footprints' to saying ëmake those footprints green.' This is not compulsory. It's a feel-good thing, and festivals and sport are about feeling good about yourself and your world.î

Travellers who take part pay £10, which will fund the planting of a tree by Escarpment Environment Conservation Network. This group is replanting areas recently destroyed by logging, wood-fuel taking, warfare, and overgrazing.  The result is not only scarring of a once beautiful environment, but degradation of water supplies and loss of forest-sourced food.

The fresh forest planting has three goals:  Provide animal habitat; offset CO2 emissions; reduce poverty by supplying work opportunities and food.

First Festival Travel, formerly trading as BACKPACKER Co. is based in Acton , London . As well as its major tours to Munich 's Oktoberfest and Pamplona 's San Fermin, plus international sporting events, it runs numerous small tours to folk festivals around UK and Europe . Its goal is to introduce new products, especially for the more thoughtful young people who come from New Zealand , Australia and Southern Africa for their ìoverseas experience.î

ìGlobal warming is an issue, and increased free carbon is part of it,î says Steve.  ìThe Carbon Footprint ô movement, to which we subscribe, is a way for the travel industry to meet the demands of the traveling public, and act responsibly towards the earth.î

What is a ë carbon footprint' ?
A carbon footprint is the measure of your impact on the environment in terms of the green house gasses you produce. It is measured in units of carbon dioxide ( CO 2 ).

Who is Carbon Footprint Ltd.?
Carbon Footprint Ltd is a family business, set up on their recognition that there was no easy source of practical advice for busy people and companies wanting to ëdo their bit' to preserve the environment. Carbon Footprint Ltd's mission is to educate and inform how people can make the right choices both at home and at work, save on waste and make sure that future generations will inherit a world we can be proud of. For complete details on this company please visit their website www.carbonfootprint.com

How does pledging a tree assist in offsetting my carbon footprint?
Trees reduce CO 2 by a process known as carbon sequestration. Carbon sequestration is when trees breathe in CO 2 and exhale harmless Oxygen. Each tree planted ëoffsets' your environmental impact by ëbreathing' in about 730kg of CO 2 emissions over its lifetime. It's estimated that the average person needs to save about 7000kg of CO 2 per year. So planting just 10 trees each year is one strategy for achieving this. And of course, even if you pledge just one, it is one step closer isn't it!

What are the other advantages of pledging a tree and why in Kenya ?
Your tree pledge will help to support local disadvantaged African communities in the Great Rift Valley in Kenya and provide wildlife habitats in addition to offsetting your carbon emission. All trees planted are native to the Great Rift Valley and are planted on owned and managed land, where they are protected by local legislation. They are carefully planted and managed to live their natural lifespan and meet their biodiversity targets. The planting project employs members of the local community. This allows disadvantaged people, including orphans and those living with HIV/AIDS, to work, reduce poverty, and look toward a brighter future.

Trees also provide a habitat for wildlife, encourage biodiversity and beautify landscapes.

How do I pledge a tree in Kenya ?
When you book any tour through First Festival Travel you are given the opportunity to offset your carbon footprint and pledge a tree in Kenya . Simply select ëYes' on your online booking form and enter the number of trees you would like to contribute. The cost per tree is £10.00 and this will be added to your booking payment. Once the payment has been processed you will be emailed a Certificate of Pledge . First Festival Travel chooses to email this certificate as opposed to post it as it is the more carbon friendly method!

First Festival Travel understands that environmentally-friendly travellers may want to volunteer a tree contribution even if they are not traveling with us. People can do so by clicking here and selecting the ëPledge a tree in Kenya ' booking option.