This Earth Day, Hopper Celebrates Planting 35 Million Trees Through its Hopper Trees Program

As we approach the busy summer travel season, this Earth Day we recognize the impact that travel has on the global environment.

Today, we are living in a climate emergency. At 1.2 degree Celsius of warming, we are already experiencing the devastating impacts of the climate crisis first-hand. Brutal heat waves, vicious wildfires, historic drought, and record breaking storms. Communities around the world are already experiencing impacts connected to a hotter world, from prolonged drought, record-breaking storms, and hurricanes to severe storm surges. 

Despite the many positive social and economic advances travel brings to us all around the world, the impact on our planet remains top of mind for us at Hopper. While our customers, who are predominantly millennial and Gen Z, are eager to explore the world, they are equally interested in making a difference to better our environment. In fact, according to a Pew Research Center study, Gen Z are among the most concerned about climate change and among the most engaged with both climate content and making actual personal change among adults of all ages. At Hopper, we are committed to doing our part and continuing making forward progress toward a more sustainable future on behalf of our customers.

How are we doing our part?

Hopper believes we all have a role to play when it comes to taking meaningful action for our planet. This Earth Day, we are proud to celebrate the steps we’ve taken through our Hopper Trees program. Since the launch of this program in 2020, we have funded the planting of over 35 million trees on behalf of our customers and currently have planting sites in Kwale & Tana Delta, Kenya, Mozambique, Madagascar and Alberta Canada. 

In 2023, we partnered with veritree to take real, verifiable restorative action. Through this partnership we are planting real, verified trees that support communities, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration. Through the veritree platform, we’re able to monitor as trees are planted and see the impact they are making on their respective communities and ecosystems. 

We are dedicated to embedding sustainable decisions into every booking made on the app. Guided by the EPA’s Center for Corporate Climate Leadership Emission Factors report, for every flight, hotel, rental car or rental home booking made on Hopper, we automatically plant trees on behalf of our customers in an effort to help offset CO₂ emissions – without any cost to our users.

To learn more about the Hopper Trees program, visit https://www.hopper.com/trees. 

How can you travel more sustainably?

Simple tips on how to lower your impact while traveling this spring & summer:

• Fly direct! Booking a non-stop flight to summer destinations can save both time and lower the environmental impact of your air travel!

• Stay local! Hotels and vacation rentals often offer lower rates to locals, than to business travelers or those visiting from out of town. Make your next trip a staycation to reduce the environmental impact.

• Carpool! Consider skipping lines at security and opting for a scenic road trip to your destination. Carpooling with friends and family can lower the impact of your individual travel and lead to amazing summer adventures.

• Book with Hopper! For every booking made in the app, we’ll plant 2 trees for any flight, hotel, rental car or rental home purchase.

Plan ahead for sustainable alternatives:

• Bring a refillable water bottle or coffee mug: Stay hydrated on your trip and reduce single use plastics!

• Take the bus: Travel to and from the airport using good old public transit, instead of a car or taxi.

• Pack sustainably: Bring your own soaps and lotions so you won’t need to use the single use bottles offered at hotels. You reduce your single use plastics, and get to use your own favorite products!

• Be a local: Look out for restaurants offering locally sourced food and buy products from small businesses.