Practising Sustainable Tourism in Scotland - Here’s CNDo in action:
C~N~Do has always practised what we preached about sustainable tourism, it is never just all talk.
MINIMISING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT - leaving wee green footprints
Why? Well CNDo have always done it since we started in 1984. Long, long before it became important or fashionable, CNDo's business decisions are made on ethical grounds. We have always been aware of and took account of our environmental and sustainable tourism responsibilities. Our business has been built on these strong foundations and sustainability in practice continues to be our vision.
How? MINIMUM IMPACT – LEAVE NO TRACE – STEAL NOTHING BUT TIME QUIET PASSAGE THROUGH THE COUNTRYSIDE
- Tread lightly / minimal impact in the outdoors - in all aspects
- All CNDo staff to be exemplars of best practice in environmental concerns - show by example, explain why, encourage others to put something back or take part in one of our conservation tasks
- Don't leave litter pick it up
- Leave the countryside better than you find it
- Encourage conservation work through CNDO conservations days. and with others
- Encourage customers to consider joining environmental, conservation, wildlife organisations as a means of putting something back
- In 1990 CNDo became the first Scottish tourism business to dedicate a fulltime member of staff with responsibility for environmental and countryside matters.
- Encourage conservation days and environmental maintenance activities for clubs and getting them to add it into their programmes on an annual basis
- Encouraging clubs to get involved with the NTS Sole Trading Appeal and to adopt a hill
- Path repair and construction - Ben Lomond, Ben Lawers, Whangie, Ochils…
- Bridge building (Ossian, Callander),
- Tree planting & maintenance (long term at Callander crags)
- Flanders Moss - moss work and tree removal
- Maintenance- drystane dyking and fence repair (Atholl)
- Bothy maintenance (Culra, Tarf, Border bothies)
- Countryside clean ups - all over
- Working with clubs, outdoor groups and estates to work together
- Input into the Access Code development
- Involvement with Scottish LINK / National Trust for Scotland / John Muir Trust / McofS Access & conservation / SNH Recreation and access forum,/ National Access Forum, Scottish Landscape Forum etc
- Member of McofS to support their access and conservation work
- Supporter of Scottish Environment LINK to support their conservation, environmental and access work
- Provided talks over the years to a wide range of schools, groups and clubs to raise their awareness of conservation, environmental issues and responsibilities
- For several years now CNDo has been involved in collecting information and asking customers to supply information for Local Biodiversity Action Plan surveys
- Encouraging walking clubs to adopt a local path and get involved with their local BAP
- Distribute environmental and conservation leaflets with our mailing - eg NTS - Sole Trading, Outdoor membership; JMT - Suilven, Schiehallion, Nevis appeals; Knoydart Foundation; McofS Hillphones; Plantlife Juniper survey; Local BAP - surveys red squirrels, badgers, plants etc
- Helped form Activity Scotland to raise awareness of sustainable use of the natural environment amongst other tourism businesses – represented AS on the National Access Forum, Scottish Landscape Forum etc
- Respond to wider consultations eg formation of National Parks and now the Loch Lomond Park Plan, Nature Conservation Bill, Land Reform Bill, Coastal & marine National Park, SPP 6 on renewable energy, etc
- Provide advice and information to students working on projects and MSc / PhD theses related to outdoor tourism, sustainable recreational tourism, wildlife tourism development, etc
- Provided study tours for UK based and international tourism businesses, tourism organisations and enterprise businesses as to what we deem as best practice in how to run a sustainable environmentally responsible outdoor recreation business eg Swedish study tour 1995, Finnish outdoor activities study tour 2002….
- Provided input to the development of Wild Scotland and the initial proposed Code of conduct
- Have always tried to be a positive influence / demonstrate by example to other tourism businesses, enterprise bodies and tourism bodies to be aware of the environment even when they all thought we were daft to be doing so.
- Provided seminars to local business and enterprise groupings about sustainable tourism, environmental responsibilities of outdoor leaders, sustainable recreational tourism in the rural environment, the Green Tourism Business Scheme…
- Taken part in a wide range of workshops, seminars and consultations on a range of access issues, natural heritage and landscape management, wild land, large scale events in the outdoors,…
- We hold a range of environmental, access and conservation resources and literature for ready use by staff, leaders, clients on courses and customers many of whom come along to the office for information and advice. In addition, local businesses and members of the general public do seek similar advice and information from us.
SUPPORTING LOCAL RURAL / REMOTE COMMUNITIES
CNDo’s commitment and support for local communities is absolute. By using local accommodation and local shops and suppliers, we have put £millions back into rural communities since 1984, at times this has made the difference between staying open and closing. By choosing to run some holidays out of season, we have helped local communities during their quiet spells.
- Use local shops, goods and suppliers when out with groups.
- Use smaller, rural / remote accommodation where possible. Over 90% of our accommodation providers are now members of the GTBS, together we continue to do our bit.
- Over the years have supported local communities in the buying/managing of land eg Knoydart Foundation, Island of Eigg, Assynt Crofters, Gigha, Harris Crofters, etc.
REDUCE - RECYCLE – RE-USE – BIODEGRADABLE – RENEWABLE - FAIR TRADE – ORGANIC – LOCAL
Out and about
- Make use of recycling facilities when out and about or bring the stuff back for recycling
- Don't waste food
- Bring back bottles, plastic, etc from trips if no local recycling facilities on route
- Remove litter from countryside
- One of our easier walking trips includes staying at an eco-hostel to let customers experience staying sustainably in a sensitive environment and hopefully go home with some ideas
- Encourage customers to be sensitive to the outdoors e.g. taking home their own and other litter
- Ensure clients are wildlife aware - passing through the countryside quietly so reducing wildlife disturbance
- Leaders act as peripatetic Ranger / naturalists when out with groups
- Provide ongoing training and continuing personal development for staff and leaders including a focus on wildlife, conservation and environmental awareness, etc
- Use of local, fair-trade or organic products where possible
- Use Greencity Wholefoods and local market for supplies for trips if at all possible
- Sourcing of organic vegetables from local suppliers
- Encourage staff to cook meals from scratch with good wholesome food and not use packaged/prepared/instant meals
- When out with groups encourage joint use of washing machines to minimise wasted use
- Encourage staff and groups not to waste water when washing / washing up
- Encourage staff and groups not to waste energy
- Utilise local transport providers where possible - local ferries, baggage transfers, rail network for some tours, etc
- Pick up from local rail and bus stations and encourage the use of public transport to get to us.
- Encourage car sharing of clients.
- Staff are encouraged to walk, use bikes or public transport or car share where possible
REDUCE - RECYCLE – RE-USE – BIODEGRADABLE – RENEWABLE - FAIR TRADE – ORGANIC – LOCAL
Back at base
- All stationary, cartridges are from recycled sources
- Re-use or recycle paper, envelopes and packaging where possible
- Plastic, polybags, cans, bottles, cardboard, ink cartridges, computers, office equipement in fact just about everything is recycled where at all possible
- Green waste is composted - by taking it home just now - until we can convince landlord to put in a compost bin
- Wood waste is used for kindling
- We have encouraged our landlord and local businesses to be more proactive in recycling - now have separate paper and card collection and recycle ink cartridges
- We re-distribute items for other businesses
- Helped badger local council to take up recycling of paper, cardboard, plastics etc
- Instant hot water supply, heating is time and thermostat controlled,
- Light fittings cleaned annually, gas space hater serviced annually
- Thermostat at 19c - wear an extra layer, provided through annual clothing allowance
- We check energy consumption of any new electrical equipment we buy
- Always check prices of comparable recycled goods and obtain where close to or better than price of ‘normal’ goods.
- Green / low or no phosphate Ecover / biodegradable washing up and cleaning materials used in office and if we are supplying it for trips
- We have provided the local collection point for recycling, at present we're the collection point for stamps and phones for local business - money goes to charity.
- Have recently reviewed our energy policy, especially within our premises we have moved to a better - more energy efficient office with double glazing, lower ceiling, less wasted space...
- Energy efficiency is reviewed annually
- Utilise e banking and supply chain BACS payments to save on paper cheques and envelopes
- Encouraging clients to utilise the email for communication and website for finding out about our activities - reduces paper/energy waste of communications
- Ensuring website is as interactive and informative as possible from the client point of view - eg info about travel to Stirling, local accommodation, public transport links are all easily found on the website
- A review of our print material has resulted in a smaller format, one which uses less materials but provide the necessary information
- Supply chain sourcing - Paramo/Nikwax have an exemplary environmental policy and philosophy
- Paramo clothing is manufactured by a single mothers' co-operative providing well paid jobs, housing, education and health facilities to a deprived area of Columbia.
- Paramo garments are far more long lasting than normal outdoor clothing - no in-built obsolescence
- Encourage customers to use biodegradable proofing products for waterproofing of boots and clothing
- We provide a service for selling second hand walking items (boots, ice axes, etc)
- We provide a service to recycle second hand outdoor gear through various charity networks
- Try to use GTBS members where possible and encourage others to become members or at least be aware of the issues
BEING FAIR WITH ALL – CUSTOMERS – SUPPLIERS – COMMUNITIES – THE ENVIRONMENT
In Jan 2007 CNDo launched the Carbon Offset Scotland project to support the first of a range of Upland Peat restoration projects in Scotland. Peat is the ideal Carbon sink for the Scottish climate. Restoring degraded peat bogs will help to return them to full efficiency as natural storage for Carbon. These projects are local, achievable and supporters can get actively involved in NTS work parties. Alternately, they can make donations to help offset their travel pollution. Either way, by supporting the scheme, people are gaining an understanding of their own ecological footprint and trying to do something positive about it.
- Encourage customers not to have mobiles switched on when out in the countryside as this is very intrusive to others and the environment
- Encourge people to arrive by public transport. All are encouraged to use the Carbon Offset Scotland scheme as a means of balancing their travel pollution.
- Have always provided a day walks scheme to get locals, of all abilities, out walking learning about and exploring their countryside
- Provide outdoor skills courses to encourage individuals to gain the skills to become independent and be aware of their environmental responsibilities in the outdoors
- Utilise 1 mini-bus rather than 10 to 15 separate cars
- Rendezvous in Stirling for trips further north so minimising fuel wastage / excessive car use
- Review of our vehicle policy resulted in our changing from running our own minibuses into using vehicle hire for the main part - this is a far better use of natural resources. Hire vehicles are diesel but being new have the most efficient engines so minimising emissions.
- Trips are planned to try to minimise energy consumption, integrating activities where possible.
- 10 years ago, encouraged landlord to but in bike racks and shower for use of all the small businesses in the Park to encourage walking and cycling to work
- Although we do not own any land, we provide free advice information to accommodation providers and clients about home-based renewable energy resources especially microgeneration, such as home based wind turbines, ground source heat pumps, small scale hydro, Photovoltaic cells, LPG conversions, heat exchange boilers, etc
- NNA courses include core environmental elements
- CNDo are providers of the John Muir Award, as stand alone with schools and in conjunction with other activities
- Deliver NGB award courses which include environmental training and where we can put especial effort to ensuring higher than expected standards of instruction for future leaders for ourselves and other providers
- Minimal impact wild country backpacking journeys
- Wild country journeys for the older / less able walker (Road to the Isles, Wild West Fringe etc) to enable people of many abilities to enjoy the wilder places.
- Enabling less able people to get out for example working over the years with Guide Dogs for the Blind Adventure Group; Visually impaired groups from the UK and abroad, Muscular Dystrophy, mental health recovery group etc
- Enabling individuals with less ability to enjoy the outdoors - visual, hearing, physical (recovering from cardiac problems, stroke..) or mental problems etc to join our scheduled programme where possible or to put on something special for them.
- Providing meeting space for small groups - MCofS Access Committee, Scottish Canoe Assoc. Access group…
Now and near future
- We are in consultation with our landlord about installing a microturbine above our unit to reduce our business energy footprint.
- We are in consultation with our landlord to swop over to "green electricity" for the whole of the Enterprise Park
- Trying to encourage landlord to install PV and a couple of microturbines onsite and possibly a ground heat source pump and so become to become the first Stirling landlord to be energy neutral!
- Trying to encourage local hire company to go down the LPG road, this may become more feasible as LPG becomes more available over the country
- Encourage the setting up of a car share scheme in the Stirling area
- Inputting to the local access forum to develop path and cycle networks around the Stirling area.
- Work together with locals to develop a Circuit of the Ochils path
- Encourage the local council to finalise the cycle routes out of Stirling to the Trossachs / Callander network of tracks
Energy Saving Trust www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
Sustainable Communities Initiative www.sci-scotland.org.uk
We can all do our little bit - and it can be fun!
The C~N~Do Scotland team
