Emissions
How and what do we measure?
Greenhouse gas emissions are categorised into three groups or ‘Scopes’ by the most widely-used international accounting tool, the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol. Scope 1 covers direct emissions from owned or controlled sources. Scope 2 covers indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, heating and cooling consumed by the company. Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain.
- Scope 1: Our vehicles used to transport customers and their luggage.
- Scope 2: The electricity we purchase for company operations and office heating/cooling.
- Scope 3: The accommodation we use, meals purchased, any supporting documentation produced to support a trip.
Reducing our impacts timetable
How do we cut our emissions?
In 2019 we start measuring our impacts and taking actions to reduce waste and emissions:
- Our head office operations were all assessed and comprehensive recycling introduced, green power and power saving devices.
- We began assessing our trips with carbon audits
- We eliminated single-use plastics in every instance save one (where a small plastic wrapping could not be replaced with a less impactful alternative)
- Garbage bags were replaced with compostable alternatives and we helped sponsor a ‘plastic-free’ places in our hometown of Mount Martha, Victoria along with staff volunteer days to clean up local beaches.
- We began our native tree-planting campaigns in our local area
- Clean up the trip with customers promoted for the Camino
- We attained B-Corp certification in late 2019
Reductions
2020-2024:
We implemented a 3-year plan to eliminate documentation across all our trips and further reduce emissions:
- We have developed an in-house walking App that takes the place of the printed paper documents we formerly sent clients ( which on a 45-day self-guided trip could be substantial). We also eliminated the document holders, luggage tags, phrasebooks and postage pouches which also accompanied these documents and replaced them with electronic solutions with less waste. We have stopped printing and posting brochures.
- After COVID suspensions we continued planting native trees, one for every client carried each year
- Our head office operations during 2020-2022 were replaced with remote working for our staff which meant no daily commuting journeys for each staff member.
- Monthly talks which involved domestic business travel were stopped
- Encouraging local suppliers to use less plastics, making changes where we could not effect these reduction requests
- Head office operations were re-established firstly with solar-powered offices then in a new location with green power, recycling of waste, energy-efficient lighting and heating.
Climate emergency alliance
Tourism Declares
Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency All signatories have committed to these five actions:
- Develop a ‘ClimateEmergencyPlan’
- Share your commitment and progress publicly
- Cut carbon emissions through transparent, measurable and increasing reductions per trip
- Work together to encourage suppliers and partners to make the same declaration
- Advocate for change across the industry and call for urgent regulatory action to accelerate the transition towards zero carbon air travel.