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Tourism Should be Green
 

Although tourism covers everything from a trip to a baseball game to the annual Caribana parade in Toronto, much of our multi-billion dollar tourist industry is based on getting back to nature.  Nature-based tourism depends on a healthy environment, and therefore it should be a leader in promoting environmental awareness and environmental responsibility.

There are two ways to approach environmental responsibility in tourism:

Ecotourism -- Tourism operations and activities that are designed around low-impact ecological experiences and based on environmental principles.

Environmental Excellence  -- ensuring that conventional tourism operations and activities are carried out in an environmentally-responsible and sustainable fashion.

Ecotourism

Most ecotourism companies, naturally enough, offer tours to exotic locations such as the Amazon rainforest or Costa Rica.  The Eco Source Network is an international network of ecotourism tour operators, ecolodges, travel agencies, and consultants. Although they do not publish criteria for membership in the network, they have a good list of eco suppliers are all individuals and companies who strive to decrease their negative impacts on the planet, and increase their positive impacts.  

What is not addressed in international ecotourism is the ecological impact of flying to exotic locations around the world.  For a truly environmental vacation, why not try "bioregional ecotourism" -- exploring nature in our own backyard. 

Environmental Excellence 

Within Ontario, the members of the  Northern Ontario Tourist Outfitters Association offers a wide range of activities, including ecotours along with the traditional fishing and hunting operations. 

The Northern Ontario Native Tourism Association offers fishing, Native Culture Experiences, snowshoeing & dog sledding, soft adventure, polar bear & beluga whale watching, and river trips in freighter canoes.  

Internationally, Green Globe 21 is a worldwide certification program dedicated to helping the Travel & Tourism industry around the world develop in sustainable ways - ways that improve the environment, well being and the way of life for local people and for visitors.

From the Green Globe 21 website, here are some tips for international travel:  

• Choose Green Globe 21 member companies and destinations whenever you can - we guarantee they care as much about creating sustainable tourism as you do.     

• Buy locally made food, drink and other items in preference to expensively packaged imported goods. Fresh food from local markets is best of all.    

• Respect the fragility of some paths, countryside, buildings and ancient monuments. Treat them with care.   

• Ask hotels to change your bedding & towels only when really needed - cutting laundry pollution.   

• Use local public transport if you can or better still, hire a bike - it can be fun!   

• Find the genuinely local-made souvenirs if you can.  

• Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints.    

• Observe any local rules requiring wildlife to be left undisturbed.   

• Use all local recycling facilities to dispose of waste responsibly.

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