Tourism, ecotourism and environmentally friendly schemes! some examples?

Question

I would like to know some examples of environmentally friendly schemes that have been used or could be used, such as placing recycling containers etc

Thanks

Answer 1

It looks like most of the major tour operators have some kind of environmental program in place by now. Some of the more popular ideas are to offer passengers the option of buying Green Credits/Carbon Credits to offset their travel and pollution impact. These can be either investment in alternative sources of energy (like wind, solar etc) or helping people in poorer nations to switch from using fossil fuel to using replacable energy to cook and heat (e.g. by replacing their stoves and heaters). Alternatively, they will have a program to invest in the environmental protection of an area that would be impacted by their programs, and/or by supporting research into environmental concerns.

At airports and a growing number of attractions you will see recycling bins, and hotels (I saw this in Western Canada recently) now place recycling bins (the size of a small trashcan) in their rooms. The reality is that when it costs money, people are less enthusiastic about doing something for the environment. If they see an advantage, either for their prestige or money-wise, they are more likely to do it. Convenience is also a big factor, and getting people into the habit of recycling. Giving an incentive is always motivating, whether it is a cash reward or the knowledge that the proceeds of recycling go to a 'good' cause.

Some of my coworkers have an issue with using their own coffee container when they go to a coffee place such as Starbucks - they think they may not want to clean their own container every day, or they are concerned that it's not hygienic. They would rather waste the container the coffee comes in, and/or plastic cutlery because that is, to them, guaranteed germ-free.

We are talking about bringing our own containers for take-out food - to use less styrofoam or plastic ones, and to bring our own durable bags to carry the food out, instead of the restaurant's plastic bag. This becomes very inconvenient because we would have to plan ahead of time, and most fast-food lunches are not pre-planned (!). I use an aluminum water bottle, which is recyclable if it ever gets to that point, and use a water filter at my sink at home to fill it instead of buying plastic water bottles. However, e.g. on a motorcoach tour, it is not practical for passengers to carry their own refillable water bottles - at least not until they can refill it somewhere safe.

Sometimes, things which are advertised as environmentally safe and friendly in use and disposal are using toxic substances in the production process. I would love for legislation to mandate that everything we buy is labelled with a 'lifecycle cost' - which would take into consideration everything from the raw material to the transport, the manufacture, the transport to where it is being sold/used, to its durability, and finally, the cost and effort of breaking it down in recycling. This would show the consumer the true impact every product has on our environment.