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10 Reasons Why We Are "Eco"

To us, being "eco" means educating our guests, contributing to the community, offsetting our impact, and leaving the enivornment a bit better because of our trips, not despite them.

How do you know your tour company is acting responsibly and promoting sustainable travel? Ask the following questions:

Here are Small World Journeys’ answers:

 

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1. Carbon-Neutral Company.

We are proud to say that we are a carbon-neutral company--a rare find in the travel industry. Small World Journeys pays to offset the carbon emissions that result from all of our office activities and our trips. Through Sustainable Travel International (STI), our emissions are calculated and offset by our financial support of sustainability projects around the world, all of which are in the Climate Care™ portfolio.

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Small World Journeys supports Sustainable Travel International (STI), a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting responsible tourism and supporting sustainable development.

STI is addressing global climate change by educating others about how to reduce CO2 emissions. This is acheived by supporting high quality, high impact carbon offset and renewable energy projects around the world.

Small World Journeys has chosen to fund sustainability projects in the ClimateCare™ portfolio through STI. ClimateCare’s™ offset projects occur in developing countries, must reduce greenhouse gas emissions as per the Kyoto protocol, and must be in line with the “Project Design Document” of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). These projects are also inspected and verified through independent third parties that are accepted by the United Nations.

For more information on carbon offsetting and how you can offset the emissions from your air travel, please see: www.sustainabletravelinternational.org

 

 

 
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2. Small Groups.

Our regularly scheduled guided small group trips are limited to 10 guests. This limit means intimacy, a low impact, and the flexibility to adjust our activities according the desires of the group. Small groups also mean you can forge a one-to-one relationship with your guide and make friends with other travellers from around the globe.

 
Laura and Laurie Tree Planting

3. Re-planting the Rainforest.

Thanks to our partner, Rainforest Rescue, a 5 square metre plot of Daintree Rainforest is adopted in our guests' names. This helps to preserve areas of the rainforest that have been damaged. Each guest receives a certificate to take home, indicating where their plot is located, and explaining why it is such a special gift to the rainforest. On Educational Adventures, students even have the opportunity to do the planting themselves.

 
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4. Driving Short Distances.

A Small World Journey is about getting to know a place intimately. This is why we don’t spend hours in a bus. We have time to dig deep into a destination, and spend our time outdoors enjoying ourselves. This also means minimising our need for fuel and contributing to a healthier planet.

 
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5. Keeping the Tourist Dollar Local.

We use locally-owned accommodation whenever possible along with restaurants, outfitters and local guides to keep income in the community. We also buy our produce from local farmers. This support is crucial to keeping the tourist dollar circulating in locally, which benefits the community as a whole.

 
Rainforest Education

6. We Educate.

A large part of ecotourism is about learning. Our pre-departure information is extensive, in order to best prepare and inform our guests of the various positive or negative effects they could have while traveling with us. Our guides have a strong background in the natural sciences, and stay up-to-date on current environmental and cultural issues, helping our guests to more deeply know their destination. They teach not only about local flora, fauna and natural history, but about the subtleties of culture, etiquette, and language in Australia.

 
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7. Promoting Indigenous Culture.

Essential to our journeys is the perspective of Australia’s indigenous peoples. On our Small Group Trips, we learn about the traditions of the Kuku Yalanji through an aboriginal guide. On our Educational Adventures, students can spend several days learning with an aboriginal family or in an indigenous community. We also encourage our guests to purchase locally-made indigenous crafts and art as souvenirs

 
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8. Five Percent of Net Profits to Environmental Groups.

We have committed at least 5% of our net profits each year to support non-profit environmental conservation organisations. We supply our guests with detailed information about the non-profit organisations to whom we give, so guests may also offer their support if they choose. In 2012 we made financial donations to Rainforest Rescue to help save the Daintree Rainforest, Mulgrave Landcare, Kuranda Envirocare and to The Fitzroy Island Turtle Rehabilitation Centre.


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9. Limited Paper Usage, Recycling and Composting.

We endeavour to be as paper free as possible in our operations. Therefore, we made a conscious decision not to produce a multi-page brochure to advertise our trips. Although people often like to “hold something in their hands”, we believe that our guests will understand and support our decision not to do so. In addition, our correspondence is sent electronically, unless guests specifically request otherwise. We also reuse our paper, recycle, and at our office we compost our organic material.

 

10. Local Knowledge.

There is no substitute for local knowledge, and no better way to support the community than by creating jobs for local people. Your trip is shaped and guided by people who know, love, and live in Cairns, Sydney, the Red Centre and other destinations you may visit in Australia. We offer our international guests 24-hour in-country emergency support, so you can take comfort in the fact that we are always here to help