Earth Day Essentials – The Tourism Industy Wakes Up

Today North America celebrates Earth Day (March 20th for the Euros I hear). This is one of the greenest days of the year, and a great time to reflect on how much the Tourism Industry relies on the Planet’s natural resources for sustenance. This is not a feel good, ‘I love Mother Earth’ post, but rather a resource that the tourism industry can use as a reference and reflection point.

Practical Ways that travel suppliers can get involved:

• Sustainable Travel International – Turn Key Programs
  
• Green Globe – Internationally recognized certification program
  
• Green Tourism Advice – Great top tips and case studies for accommodations and tour operators

Back Ground information on Earth Day and related topics:

• Earth Day Wiki – a good overview of the history of Earth Day
• Environmental Accounting Wiki – This new approach to accounting incorporates externalities and gives the full picture of corporate impact on the environment, worth looking into.
• UNWTO Sustaiable Developmensin Tourism – Great news and reports tracking the efforts that the UNWTO is undertaking.

Personal Goals:

I for one, am making little changes, I have sold my car and only walk, bike or take the bus. Here are some of my future goals:

• Limit my garbage to 1 grocery bag per week.
• Recycle everything that has the potential to be recycled.
• Support local produce (BUT I LOVE BANANAS!!)

How about you, do you have any great resources that you use to guide your environmental strategy? How about your personal goals, what changes are you making in your everyday life?