World Tourism Day: Sustainable Energy

by Marcela Torres

Today marks the celebration of the 2012 World Tourism Day (WTD) under the theme “Tourism & Sustainable Energy: Powering Sustainable Development”, with the aim of highlighting tourism’s role in a brighter energy future; a future in which the world’s entire population has access to modern, efficient and affordable energy services.

Through this blog, we have highlighted several initiative or issues related to energy sustainability in tourism. One outstanding example is the construction of the first sustainable Visitor Center in a protected area in Chile, in the Soncor Sector (Chaxa Lagoon) of the Los Flamencos National Reserve in the Atacama Salt Flat. The project included the architectural design and construction of the Visitor Center, incorporating techniques such as reuse of grey water and electricity generation through solar panels and wind mills.

We have also analyzed the international trend of travelers preferring “green hotels”, highlighting the opening in Santiago of Chile’s first green hotel which, among other things, using solar panels to provide electricity for its rooms and promotes recycling among its staff and guests.

In terms of transportation, we have covered topics such as the use of biofuels by airlines, regarding the implications of increasing costs of fuel and energy in the future. We have also talked about green transfers, thanks to an article republished from The Travel World blog which describes the experience of Green Path Transfers as a global provider of eco-friendly airport and intercity transfers.

Finally, we’ve provided useful tips for tourists to reduce their carbon footprint while traveling, through measures such as saving unnecessary energy expenditure when they’re not at home, avoiding disposable batteries and choosing day flights which use less fuel and emit fewer amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

We celebrate this World Tourism Day inviting everyone to contribute to a greater sustainability in the industry!

Green Transfers for All!

This article was published by our friends at The Travel Word, who have agreed to its republication here. View the complete original article on their blog.

by WHL Group

The word of mouth is encouraging: More and more travelers are being responsible. Ever greater numbers are taking seriously the importance of hitting the road with more than just pure business or pleasure in mind. They may not think of themselves as fitting cleanly into some of the niche tourism categories – ecotourism, sustainable travel, responsible travel, local travel, voluntourism – but the mindful choices they’re making are meaningful.

Fittingly, the industry has been slow to respond. Some sectors have, however, been even slower than others. One of them – in which there appears to be a need for a global steward – is airport and intercity transfers. You know, ground transportation. What you need when you land at an airport and want to get to town – often your very first introduction to a place – or what you may desire when you’re ready to travel between destinations and don’t wish to rely on public transport.

Into this breach has stepped Green Path Transfers, which launched as a global provider of eco-friendly airport and intercity transfers. The newest subsidiary of the WHL Group, Green Path Transfers answers the needs of leisure and business travelers seeking cost-effective ways to reduce their carbon footprints. Through GPT’s straightforward online booking system, travelers and businesses can now hit the road confident that, for rates equal to those of other global providers, their transfers are in good hands and that they’ve made a beneficial earth-conscious choice.

Powering a Green Engine

In keeping with a vision to help build a sustainable and responsible travel industry, Green Path Transfers is on a mission to go green. In contrast to other global transfer-service providers, some with green leanings, the company has taken a novel approach to building its network of quality local operators.

This involves placing significant emphasis and focus on partnering with transfer companies that are already using low-carbon-emission vehicles, wherever possible, to operate transfers. Green Path Transfers has therefore only recruited established, service-minded transfer operators with a demonstrated commitment to a greener future, either through their pioneering use of zero- or low-emission vehicles or their movement toward adoption of sustainable practices and clean technology.

The green technology currently in use by Green Path Transfers partners includes:

• Vehicles powered by recycled vegetable oil by Portland, Oregon’s ecoShuttle and San Diego, California’s Wherever Shuttle;
• Engines running on renewable, non-toxic and all-natural fuels like biodiesel and ethanol in Colorado’s Vail Valley by Green Limousine, and Il Viaggio Travel in Costa Rica;
• Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicles (ULEVs) and alternative-fuel cars using compressed natural gas (CNG) by Los Angeles-based Naturalimo;
• Hybrids on the streets of Toronto under the Eco Taxi label.

Offsetting Carbon Emissions

Green Path Transfers further neutralizes any presently unavoidable emissions by 100% carbon offsets through reputable organizations like atmosfair and Blue Ventures Carbon Offset. This responds to the company’s recognition that “many of the local suppliers we work with are just starting the journey to using carbon-neutral transfer vehicles and hence we have decided to work with two organizations we believe offer innovative and extremely accountable/transparent offset options, in order to fully offset 100% of the emissions produced by our transfers.”

These partnerships with third-party carbon-offset organizations bring added peace of mind to travelers with the knowledge that their trips are helping to fund meaningful clean-energy projects worldwide. From solar energy programs in India to hydraulic irrigation systems for rural farmers in China, the initiatives Green Path Transfers supports through its carbon-offset partners extend far beyond tree planting.

Meeting Consumer Needs

“It’s crucial for us to embrace green and cleaner technologies and modes of transport for the long-term health of the planet,” says Adrian Cordiner, CEO of Green Path Transfers. “As transport is a main emitter of carbon, it’s a natural place to start in order to try to make a dent in global carbon emissions.”

The company recognizes, however, that its chosen green path is a long and challenging one. “We started this business because we want to change the way transport is done, whilst also making sure we offer unparalleled service and extremely competitive fares,” says Cordiner. “We are passionate about a greener future for the planet, and we love working with like-minded customers, operators and organizations to help shape that future!”

Local service providers and partners are chosen and vetted based on their ability to meet local and international green certification standards. To that end, Green Path Transfers has put in place a range of incentives and supports to move all local partners toward a greener future that includes upgrading their fleets to include any lower-carbon options available to them.

“Every little bit helps,” Cordiner adds. “We believe that, by being an industry leader in the use and support of cleaner technology, both in transfers and through offsets, we will inspire others to follow suit.”

THE TRAVEL WORD

The Travel Word is a blog that showcases responsible, sustainable and local travel. It is committed to inspiring mindful and independent travelers headed off the beaten path with local businesses making responsible and sustainable decisions about their destinations. The Travel Word is the online mouthpiece of the WHL Group, the largest local-travel company in the world.

Biofuels for more eco-friendly flights

Air Bus plane.
© Air Bus

by Marcela Torres

Air travel has broadly been identified as a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and an important factor in climate change issues. This raises questions as to the implications of increasing costs of fuel and energy in the future and the need for tourism to be seen in the wider context of environment, resources and mobilities if it is ever to become sustainable.

Although some say planes only contribute between 2 and 3 percent of global emissions, airlines are aware of the criticism and have been tackling the problem for several years. The results? Last month, Boeing performed the first-ever transatlantic crossing of a commercial jetliner using renewable, biologically derived fuel. And this week, Lufthansa and Airbus launched the world’s first daily passenger flights using sustainable biofuel.

But the road to sustainable air travel has not been always been easy or voluntary. When the European Union adopted the Directive to include aviation in its Emissions Trading Scheme in January 2009 many airlines complained that it would hamper their operations in the region.  How does emissions trading work? Passengers and companies contribute to some conservation project to offset their carbon emissions, which are sold on a carbon market.

Some airlines such as Qantas, Air New Zealand, Virgin Atlantic, and Continental voluntarily created their own carbon offset programs to allow passengers to reduce their environmental footprint when flying even before any regulations were passed. They were certainly pioneers in the field, but questions quickly were raised about how much should tourists pay per ton of avoided carbon dioxide and about the need to favor reduction of emissions instead of offsetting schemes.

Many expected science and technology to play an important role. Tourists see scientists as key actors in providing up to date information to allow government officials to make the right decisions, while the industry relies on technology to solve the problem of carbon dioxide emissions without reducing flights.

The one big truth is that airplane travel is here to stay and that the search for biofuels to replace fossil fuels is a positive step in the right direction. Some view this progress with skepticism and criticize that the trials by Boeing and Airbus only use a percentage of biofuels in combination with kerosene. Others warn against the amount of water that will be required to irrigate crops used to produce biofuel and whether or not the increasing need for biofuels will motivate more deforestation to grow crops.

It’s a problem difficult to solve. But the fact that the air travel industry is making efforts to actually reduce emissions instead of just offsetting them is a good sign that times are changing and sustainable tourism may be possible after all.