THE BIGGER PICTURE
If you haven’t heard about the effect that climate change is having on our glorious planet Earth then listen up, the signs are all around you and the planet needs your help! The recent Internal
In many ways the snowsports industry has gone from strength to strength since it began with improved technology and accessibility, however it’s impossible to ignore the changing climate when many resorts across Europe haven’t seen a full season of snow since the 80s.
If the world continues business as usual it’s predicted that by 2100, the overall snow cover in the Alps will decline by 70% and there will be almost no snow below 1,200 meters (the average height for ski resorts).
Even though that may seem like a long way off, some of the lower alpine resorts have already been forced to close because of such poor conditions.
We can’t escape the fact that snow cover will recede over the coming decades but as climate change is outrunning our technical abilities to adapt, slowing (and stopping) global warming is the first port of call.
If we can keep global warming to below 2°C as planned, then the loss of snow cover could be kept to 30% instead of that hideous 70% we just mentioned.
THE ACTION PLAN
The business sector accounts for around 70% of carbon emissions globally and, alone, the outdoor sector worth $800 billion (bigger than the world’s top 3 fossil fuel companies combined). So while we only make up a very small portion of this sector, our ability to influence change is far greater than our individual footprint. As an industry that literally needs the earth and as governments set net zero target dates, it is time for organizations like ours to stand up for it and make pledges towards reducing our carbon impact.
WHAT IS WASTELAND TRAVEL DOING?
Wasteland Travel are proud to be an official partner of Protect Our Winters, contributing to their POW 360 fund that allows them to continue their work and advance their mission to accelerate the transition to a carbon neutral society.
In 2021 Wasteland Travel took the POW Pledge, committing to reducing our carbon emissions and becoming Net-Zero by 2040.
Wasteland Travel’s Pledge
- 100% Renewable Electricity
October 2025 - 100% Renewable Heat
October 2025 - Zero emission vehicles
January 2030 - Reduce Unavoidable CO2 Emissions
Plan By December 2023 - Target for Net Zero
January 2040
- Divest from Fossil Fuels
Approach Companies by October 2022 - Ask Supply Chain to take the POW Pledge
August 2022
We have made the POW Pledge to help protect the environment our industry depends on by taking action to Net Zero. We call on the industry and other organisations to do the same. There’s POWer in numbers.
Pensions
At Wasteland Travel we’re proud to have signed up to Make My Money Matter and Count Us In’s Green Pensions Charter, which launched in 2021. At this critical moment in the fight against climate change, we’re delighted to join this ambitious declaration to ensure we make all our money matter.
As a first step, we’ve ensured our pension contributions are in line with our wider sustainability targets.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Here at Wasteland Travel, we advocate for the IMPERFECT ACTIVIST, and when it comes to individual action, every little bit counts.
‘No one is too small to make a difference’ – Greta Thurnberg
The option to donate to Protect Our Winters has been added to all our booking pages, so to contribute to this worthy cause, the process is super easy!
You will also have the option to ‘Carbon Offset’ your booking too, either contributing a fixed amount or an amount depending on your trip’s footprint.
Go Flight free!
Most of our trips include coach travel as an inclusion within your base package. In recent years, many of our customers have opted to exclude this from their booking and purchase flights through 3rd parties. While we understand the benefits of flying, for example, the shorter travel time, flying has one of the greatest carbon emissions in transport.
By ditching flying and joining your fellow students on the coach, you could be reducing the carbon emission for your trip by 6/7 times.
You can also look at travelling by train to resort too. The train has huge benefits too, including short travel times, great scenery and it’s as equally as sociable!
Shop Responsibly!
If you are looking for new gear, make sure you have checked out the brand first and make an informed decision regarding their position on sustainability.
For those of you who are skiing for the first time and don’t have your own ski gear, you may find it more eco-friendly to rent your Ski Outerwear with Prefitted, rather than buying new and only wearing it once a year! Check them out HERE for all your rental options.
We have some guidelines which you can choose to abide by while in resort. They may seem small, but they really do add up — power in numbers and all that.
- If you smoke, invest in a pocket ashtray; if you don’t, call people out when you see them throwing cigarette butts off the lift (this counts as litter).
- Get a flask so you’re not buying products using single-use plastic.
- Take your rubbish off the mountain with you.
- Return your lift pass (as a rule, they’re recyclable).
- Use the recycling bins in town.
- Bring your own shopping bags to resort.
- Use eco-friendly ski/board wax — anything that goes on your skis will be left behind on the mountains and trickle down into the lakes and surrounding ecosystems.
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We also have some general guidelines to help reduce your carbon footprint on a daily basis which our friends over at Protect our Winters strongly advise:
- Measure with the aim to reduce your carbon footprint 20% each year.
- Eat less red meat.
- Take public transportation whenever possible.
- Reduce your energy consumption at home: use energy-smart appliances, change to energy-saving light bulbs, take shorter showers.
- The single best thing we can do for the planet as individual consumers is to keep our stuff in use longer – repair, repair, repair!
- Educate yourself! Why not look at Carbon Literacy courses available across the UK to see how you can take meaningful action.