SUSTAINABILITY IN TOURISM IS BIG BUSINESS. SOME OF IT IS LIKE SITTING IN TRAFFIC AND CURSING IT WHEN YOU ALSO PART OF THE PROBLEM, BUT OTHER ASPECTS HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO WORK WITH A REAL REDUCTION IN CRAP – BOTH TANGIBLE & SOCIAL – IN MANY PLACES COMPARED TO A DECADE AGO. BY RUNNING TRIPS TO GENUINE WILDERNESS, ANY IMPACT WE MAKE IS GLARINGLY OBVIOUS, AND BEING THE ONLY PROVIDER OF THE TRIPS WE RUN WE HAVE NO BLANKET INDUSTRY OR ANYONE ELSE TO BLAME. THE IMPACT WE MAKE POINTS DIRECTLY AT US AND OUR WAY OF RUNNING THINGS.
A POPULAR THING RECENTLY HAS BECOME THE PROLIFERATION OF PLEDGES, WHERE A COMPANY OR INDIVIDUAL DECLARES THE THINGS THEY WILL DO TO MAKE THINGS BETTER. IN THE HANDS OF PEOPLE WANTING AN EASY WAY AROUND THEIR BEHAVIOUR IT’S EASY SATISFACTION, BUT FOR BUSINESSES IT CAN BE A REAL BLUEPRINT FOR HOW TO REDUCE THEIR OPERATING FOOTPRINT. EVEN IN HEAVILY TRAFFICKED AREAS LIKE EVEREST & CONCORDIA, IF EVERYONE OPERATING OUT THERE DID THESE THINGS IT WOULD MAKE A CHANGE – THE WORD BEING ‘IF’…..
A POPULAR SET OF 10 PLEDGES HAS BEEN PUT OUT BY THE WORLD TRAVEL AND TOURISM COUNCIL WITH THE INTENTION OF MAKING ‘SUSTAINABLE TOURISM’ SIMPLY THE ONLY FORM OF TOURISM. WHETHER THAT’S REALISTIC EVERYWHERE WE DON’T KNOW BUT FOR OUR TRIPS TO TIBET & THE NORTH SIDE OF K2 IT IS. BELOW IS THE LIST AND HOW FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITIONS APPLIES THEM
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1) I PLEDGE TO DEMAND TO SEE THE ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL POLICES OF THE COMPANIES WITH WHICH I BOOK MY TRAVELS
WE PUT ALL THIS ON THIS SITE SO IT’S THERE FOR ALL TO SEE AND ARE OPEN TO DISCUSSING IT. NO NEED TO DEMAND IT AS WE PROMOTE IT AS ONE OF OUR MAIN ATTRIBUTES.
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2) I PLEDGE TO READ UP ON & UNDERSTAND THE LOCAL CULTURE IN THE DESTINATION I AM TRAVELLING TO, & PROMISE TO RESPECT MY HOSTS, THEIR WAY OF LIFE, & THEIR WAY OF DRESS BY PACKING APPROPRIATELY
WE KNOW THE GROUPS WHOSE LANDS WE TRAVEL THROUGH ARE NOT AS WELL KNOWN AS SOME OF THE GROUPS ELSEWHERE SO ARE HAPPY TO POINT YOU TO RESOURCES TO FIND OUT ABOUT THEM. THE NATURE OF OUR TRIPS, THROUGH HARSH ENVIRONMENTS, LENDS ITSELF TO APPROPRIATE DRESSING RE ISLAMIC & NOMADIC CULTURE. WE REMIND PEOPLE THAT THE CULTURAL ELEMENT ISN’T JUST WITH THE KYRGYZ, TIBETAS & UYGHERS BUT WITH CHINESE CULTURE AS WELL.
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3) I PLEDGE TO LIMIT MYSELF TO A 3 MINUTE SHOWER PER DAY IN AREAS WHERE WATER IS SCARCE
BEYOND THE TRAILHEAD WATER IS WORTH MORE THAN GOLD TO US. RATHER THAN A TIME LIMIT YOU WILL GET AN AMOUNT IN RELATION TO THE ENERGY NEEDED TO GENERATE IT AND IT’S YOURS TO DO WHAT YOU WANT WITH. THE SMART CLIMBER WASHES THEIR SOCKS AND BASELAYER AT THE SAME TIME.
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4) I PLEDGE TO MINIMIZE MY USE OF PLASTIC AND TO DISPOSE OF IT APPROPRIATELY. NEVER ON THE STREET, NEVER IN THE OCEANS.
WITH OFTEN NO RESUPPLY, WE HAVE VERY LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES TO GENERATE A LOT OF PLASTIC. THERE ARE NO LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS SELLING $10 BOTTLES OF COLA UP AT BASECAMP. WE FIND TOO, THAT WHEN YOU HAVE TO CARRY EVERYTHING UP A GLACIER AND DOWN AGAIN PEOPLE BECOME VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE PACKAGING THEY CAN CUT OUT. WE BUY A LOT IN BULK FROM WHOLESALERS AND REPACK IT TO BE MORE EXPEDITION FRIENDLY. AS IT’S NOT NEPAL WE DON’T FESTOON OUR CAMPS WITH PRAYER FLAGS.
4.5) I PLEDGE TO MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF STAND-ALONE BATTERIES I USE
MORE PERTINENT TO OUR TRIPS IS REDUCING THE NUMBER OF STAND-ALONE BATTERIES THAT PASS THROUGH US. BEYOND SINGLE-USE BATTERIES, RECHARGABLE BATTERIES TOO END UP BEING LOST OR MISMANAGED. ON OUR TRIPS WE REQUEST TEAM MEMBERS BRING GEAR WITH INTERNAL RECHARGABLE BATTERIES FOR GENERAL USE, A SMALL SET OF RECHARGABLE BATTERIES AND CHARGER FOR USE ABOVE BASECAMPS, AND JUST ONE SET OF SINGLE-USE BATTERIES KEPT FOR BACK UP.
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5) I PLEDGE TO BUY LOCAL – INCLUDING FOOD, EXPERIENCES & GUIDES
ASIDE FROM CLIMBING GEAR THERE’S ALMOST NO NEED TO BRING ANYTHING IN FROM OUTSIDE CHINA. WE DON’T IMPORT FOREIGN FOOD JUST FOR OUR TRIPS, ANY IMPORTED STUFF COMES FROM LARGE WHOLESALERS. THE TRIPS WE DO ARE UNREPEATABLE ELSEWHERE, HAVING LITTLE IN COMMON EVEN WITH OTHER HIGH ALTITUDE CLIMBING TRIPS AND BEING NOTHING LIKE THE NOW-STANDARDIZED 8000m EXPERIENCES THAT ALL USE A COOKIE-CUTTER FORMAT. FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITIONS GUIDES ARE ALL LOCAL, WITH ANY FOREIGN LEADING ROLES BEING DONE ONLY WHEN THERE’S NO LOCAL OPTION.
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6) I PLEDGE NEVER TO TAKE PART IN ACTIVITIES THAT WILL CAUSE HARM TO ANIMALS
THE WORKING ANIMALS (CAMELS, HORSES & DOGS) THAT DO THE PORTAGE ON OUR TRIPS ARE VALUABLE FAMILY ASSETS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HERD THEM AND LIVE LIVES THAT MAINTAIN CENTURIES OLD TRADITIONS. WHILST THIS LIFE MAY BE HARD, THEY ARE CERTAINLY NOT SIDE SHOWS AND ABUSED. THE LOADS THEY CARRY ARE STRICTLY GOVERNED UNDER A SERIES OF COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AND WHEN NOT WORKING THEY LIVE IN THE COMMUNITIES THEY WORK WITH.
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7) I PLEDGE TO NEVER VISIT SITES OF RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL IMPORTANCE TO LOCAL PEOPLE IF THEY DO NOT WISH IT. IF I AM ALLOWED TO VISIT THESE PLACES, I AM COMMITTED TO SHOWING MY RESPECT AND BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY
TIBET IS OVERWHELMINGLY BUDDHIST SO INTERACTION WITH MONASTERIES, SHRINES AND MONKS IS COMMON PLACE AND THEY MAKE THINGS CLEAR TO US. LIKEWISE THE ISLAMIC TRADITIONS IN XINJIANG ARE CLEARLY ON DISPLAY AND THE LOCALS OPEN ABOUT INFORMING US OF THE RULES. WE ASK THAT CLIMBERS DON’T MIX POLITICS WITH RELIGION AS SOME AREAS WE VISIT ARE ALREADY SENSITIVE, AND SITUATIONS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS MORE SUBTLE AND COMPLEX THAN THEY HAVE BEEN REPORTED OUTSIDE.
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8) I PLEDGE TO OFFSET THE CO2 IMPACT OF MY HOLIDAY
WE DO THIS FOR YOU BY BUYING CREDITS FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT DIRECTLY DEAL WITH EMISSIONS. LIKE MANY WE ARE CAUTIOUS OF THE OFF-SETTING INDUSTRY, BUT BY SUPPORTING PROGRAMS THAT REPLACE TOXIC OLD STOVES FOR CLEAN-BURNING ONES, EVEN IF THE OFF-SETS ARE UNREALISTIC THE RESULT ISN’T.
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9) I PLEDGE TO EDUCATE MYSELF, MY FAMILY & MY FRIENDS BASED ON MY EXPERIENCES AND MY KNOWLEDGE OF RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL, AND TO TALK TO OTHER EXPERIENCED TRAVELERS IN AN EFFORT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WORLD & SUSTAINABLE BEST PRACTICE
NO ONE CARES OF YOU CLIMBED EVEREST THESE DAYS, BUT THE NORTH SIDE OF THE KARAKOAM & REMOTE TIBET STILL GENERATE A LOT OF INTEREST WHEN DISCUSSED BY OUR TEAM MEMBERS. WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO THEIR RESEARCH THEN PRESENT ON THE TRIPS WE DO BECAUSE WE SEE OURSELVES AS THE EXAMPLE OF GOOD PRACTICE IN AN INDUSTRY WITH A BAD REPUTATION. DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR LOCAL CREW – PEOPLE FAR FROM JADED REPRESENTATIVES OF A DINOSAUR TOURIST INDUSTRY – ARE ALWAYS EYE-OPENING AND PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO MATTERS OFTEN DISTORTED IN THE MEDIA. THE MORE PEOPLE THAT CAN SEE FIRST HAND AND EDUCATE OTHERS THE BETTER.
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10) I PLEDGE TO GIVE FEEDBACK TO TRAVEL PROVIDERS, TO ESTABLISH DEMAND FOR SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES & SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL, AND ASK FOR MORE SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL OPTIONS IN MY RECOMMENDATIONS. IF A TRAVEL PROVIDER IS NOT PROVIDING ME WITH SUSTAINABLE OPTIONS, I WILL DEMAND TO KNOW WHY & ENDEAVOUR TO MAKE A CHANGE
FIRE AWAY. OVER THE COURSE OF A TRIP YOU WILL BE PLENTY INVOLVED & HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO SEE HOW THINGS WORK, WHERE WE ARE GOING WITH THEM & WHAT CAN BE DONE BETTER. ALREADY WE HAVE STRIPPED THE EXCESS FROM OUR TRIPS SO THEY OPERATE LEANLY, EFFICIENTLY, SUSTAINABLY & WITH INTEGRITY – BUT WE SEE ALSO WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE. WE SEE A BIGGER PICTURE IN ALL THIS, OF DOING THIS RIGHT BEFORE THEY GET MESSED UP ENOUGH TO NEED TO UNDO, AND THE MORE PEOPLE GIVING MOMENTUM TO THIS THE BETTER. WE INVITE PEOPLE TO SEE JUST WHAT SUSTAINABLE EXPEDITIONS TO REAL WILDERNESS ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE.
