Responsible Travel
RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL
On this page:
Responsible Travel
Responsible Travel
Today tourism is one of the world's largest and fastest growing industries and it can have very positive and very negative impacts on its hosts. When we travel we benefit by the exposure to new and different cultures and ways. It is equally important to us that when we travel to different parts of our amazing planet that our exchange is always a mutual one and that we make a positive contribution to people and places that we visit along the way.
These days ‘Responsible Travel' and ‘Sustainability' are hot topics. Responsible Travel is not about donating large sums of money to charity (at least not without thoroughly researching the long-term intentions or effects of the charity) or merely following the status quo.
We believe Responsible Travel is about taking time to think about how our actions can benefit or how they impact the people, communities, economies, environments and eco-systems we visit, and then use this to make a difference (or sometimes more appropriately - how we can NOT make a difference). We are constantly considering our actions and how we and the people who travel with us can improve our impact on the places we visit.
Please see our Travelling Responsibly Policy below, and the following ways in which you can help us to make a difference in the countries we travel in and maybe in your homes as well...
Please note: Our Responsible Travel Policy is an open document. Please feel free to comment or make any suggestion as to how we may be able to improve.
Escape Adventures Responsible Travel Policy
"The land is the property of a great family, some of whom are living, a few of whom are dead, and most who are yet to come."
Social Impact
We recognize that the cultures and communities we visit can be fragile and require an ongoing commitment from us to ensure that we have a lasting positive effect. Tourism, when carried out in a responsible manner, can be a real help to local communities providing income, positive cultural exchanges and the financial incentive to protect their natural environment.
- Small Group Size - Our groups REALLY are small! With a maximum of 10 in any one group we minimize our impact on the small communities that we visit.
- By travelling as a small group we can truly have a positive interaction and social exchange with the people we meet and visit.
- By travelling by bike, up close and personal we develop relationships with local communities and families on our trips where our bikers from all over the world can meet and engage one to one with local folk enabling us to learn about and respect local culture and ways.
- Many places have special spiritual, sacred or historical significance. Treat these areas with respect. Learning about places you visit will help you understand and respect the value they hold for others.
- Learn some of the local language. Learning a few phrases and greetings in the country you visit shows respect to the people and helps to break down cultural/social barriers.
- When meeting and interacting with people who have or appear to have much less (material possessions and opportunity) than we do - it is tempting to want to ‘give' and share what we have with them. We also like to think about - ‘What are the short and long term effects of aid/charity or even the simple act of giving food - on local communities?', ‘Who actually benefits or feels good?' Usually the answers to these questions are complex. Think about them before you go ‘giving' things away.
- It's quite easy in a small, simple community to appear an arrogant rich foreigner, so be aware of the feelings of other people, and try to avoid giving offence.
- Always ask permission before taking pictures of people, ritual events or special places like shrines. If people seem reluctant or look away then DO NOT take a picture. Be careful not to cause offence through your thoughtlessness.
Economy - Trading Issues
Local standards of living are usually very different from our own, so we need to realize that our economic power is great and we should not abuse it.
- We like to support the economies of the places we visit - by buying locally made products, using local accommodations, restaurants, markets and support small businesses. (Buying locally made products also decreases the environmental cost of importing).
- We employ local drivers and guides in the countries we visit.
- Choose locally made crafts and support local skills, not simply buying on price but on value to you: bargaining for a lower price for both souvenirs and services is often the accepted and expected custom, but don't drive a hard bargain just for the sake of it.
- We always give the opportunity to try local food and specialties. Many rural areas around the world are under threat from a reduction in their agricultural base and by eating locally produced goods we help the local farmers as well as the local economy.
Environmental Impact
The number of people getting out into the outdoors and enjoying recreational activities is growing rapidly. With this rise in ‘environmental traffic' comes an increasing impact on the natural environment, damaged plants, unsightly rubbish, eroding shortcuts, polluted water and deteriorating facilities. The environment is our home, the home of billions of animal and plants species and the home of future generations is a delicate and highly threatened foundation. Today it is essential that we change our habits at home and in the way that we live and travel and adopt a more caring attitude to the environment. Here are some of the things we do at home and on our trips to help conserve the natural environment:
Tree Planting:
In an effort to contribute towards CO2 emissions caused by air travel our bikers make to join us: for every person who travels to join one of our biking holidays - we plant 10 trees; in addition to this for every 1000 km that our support vehicles travel we plant 10 trees!
In 2009 we have established a relationship with the Keep Golden Bay Beautiful Committee and our trees will be planted in the Takaka River Oxbow Wetland Project in Golden Bay, New Zealand. The project aims to revegetate the Takaka River Oxbow Wetland with permanent lowland alluvial mixed podocarp/broadleaf forest. The function is to improve the water quality into the Takaka River and aquifer system, and improve the lowland wetland habitat in the Takaka River catchment - increasing numbers of freshwater and endangered fish species.
Waste Products:
- We always remove ALL rubbish from the places we ride and camp and deal with it in the most appropriate way: Reuse what can be reused, recycle what can be recycled, compost all compostables (or feed them to domestics goats, pigs or chickens) and aim to minimise items put into landfill. Tip: Did you know that putting food scraps in landfills produces methane; a climate-changing gas?
- When shopping avoid ‘single use packaging'. As much as possible only buy products packaged in reusable, recyclable or better still NO packaging.
- Say NO to plastic supermarket bags. Use cardboard boxes or reusable carry bags to transport shopping.
- When there is a toilet available - use it; but when there's not we bury waste at least 50 metres from populated areas and water sources, at least 150mm deep. Burn toilet paper in a ‘burn can'.
Conserving Natural Resources:
- Never use charcoal (which is responsible for mass-deforestation in many parts of the world, and is illegal in some places); we avoid campfires to help prevent deforestation. (There are some places where wood is purpose grown and replanted for fire wood - for the occasional campfire - but it is important to carefully check the source of firewood).
- Buy locally made produce which reduces the environmental cost of importation.
- We aim to educate our bikers - about the effects of buying products that come from endangered species, or products that are destructive to wildlife or the environment.
- Protect plants and wildlife. Flora and fauna is unique to various parts of the world and are national treasures. Damaging or removing plants not only destroys part of the environment but is also illegal in some parts of the world. Many areas are fragile and may take years to recover from damage. So stay on the tracks or find a way around without damaging plants.
- By visiting National Parks and wildlife protection projects we can help to contribute to (and become more informed about) the conservation of threatened wildlife.
- Use campsites where provided, use equipment that doesn't damage the environment. Cutting areas for tent poles and sleeping areas is not necessary. We keep camping sites compact and leave areas as we find them (or better!).
- When washing ourselves or cooking utensils, take the water and wash well away from the water source, drain used water into the soil so that it is filtered before re-entering the source. We use biodegradable soaps and detergents when possible.
- We have an Environmentally Conscious Office - To avoid paper waste we aim to use as much computer technology as possible in our office... and when we do use paper it is recycled!
Fossil Fuels:
- We use cooking fuels sparingly, and keep boiled water hot in air-thermos to conserve energy.
- Only use a vehicle when necessary. When possible use public transport, walk or ride a bike!
- CO2 emissions caused by flying are one of the world's fastest increasing and most damaging pollutants. We suggest you find out what the environmental policies are of the airlines you fly with - which airlines are making positive steps to reducing CO2 emissions?
- We are currently working on a project to help ‘off-set' the environmental cost of flying and of our support vehicle in all of our destinations. This project will involve calculating the amount of CO2 emissions you incurred coming to join us on your biking trip, and incurred by our support vehicle. During all of our bike trips - we will plant enough trees to offset the amount of emissions incurred by our group AND by our support vehicle while on a trip.
Community Projects
Schools in Kenya and Tanzania
On our Kenya and Tanzania biking trip we visit a couple of schools on our biking route which if you like you can see and experience an education system which is very different from those in the developed world. Over the past years we have taken time to build relationships with these schools. The primary objective of our visits is the fantastic mutual social and cultural exchange which takes place between our bikers and the children and teachers in these two schools. Some of our bikers also like to donate educational tools and basic stationery which always comes in handy to both schools.
In 2004 we started a desk building project for Mkuzi Primary School in the Usambara Mountains. Back then the over 400 pupils were squeezing four or more pupils onto 2-seater desks. Over a couple of years money donated by our bikers was used to employ local carpenters to build more than 100 much needed school desks for the school which of course has greatly improved learning conditions.
We are currently talking with the local Ministry of Education to ensure that assistance does not effect the school's future funding and that we do not upset other school's in the region before continuing our support.
Read more about our Kenya & Tanzania biking trip.
Soft Power Education in Uganda
If joining our Uganda Biking Holiday ‘Bikes Boats and Bananas' you will have an option on one of the days of the trip to volunteer on the Soft Power Education Project based in Jinja in Uganda. OR if you are interested in spending some time (days or weeks) before or after your biking holiday working on these projects please contact us for more details.
Established in 1997, Soft Power Education (SPE) has been supporting the Ugandan Government in working towards its Millennium Development Goals for the Primary Education Sector. The work began after Uganda introduced Universal Primary Education in 1997 causing net enrolment in primary schools to rise from 2.3 million to 7.5 million in just over 2 years. This created dire circumstances for learning within already limited schools.
Refurbishing to date 22 schools, with a further 6 planned by 2008, SPE provides a clean, safe and inspiring environment for learning. It provides the opportunity for children to attend sessions in agriculture, science, art, drama and ICT, in a unique environment offering practical and interactive learning. They are now extending the use of the centre to enable opportunities for adult learning. They aim to enable more people in the community to benefit from the resources available, as well as to learn relevant skills to aid income generation from sales of local products and produce to visiting tourists and tourist-related businesses.
In partnership with the Ugandan Wildlife Authority and other Governmental agencies, SPE is now bringing conservation to the classroom in geographical areas of specific environmental threat. They are refurbishing schools in these areas, establishing conservation education centres and providing local children with their own opportunity to enjoy the uniqueness of the area on overnight safaris.
As an organisation which has evolved rapidly, SPE continue to constantly look for new ways for working in partnership with communities to establish sustainable opportunities through education.
If you are interested in spending a half day, whole day, or even weeks or months getting grubby and having fun volunteering on one of Soft Power Education's projects, check out: http://www.softpowereducation.com/ or email admin@softpowereducation.com.
Read more about our Uganda Biking trip.
Planting Trees
In an effort to contribute towards CO2 emissions caused by air travel our bikers make to join us: for every person who travels to join one of our biking holidays - we plant 10 trees; in addition to this for every 1000 km that our support vehicles travel we plant 10 trees!
In 2009 we have established a relationship with the Keep Golden Bay Beautiful Committee and our trees will be planted in the Takaka River Oxbow Wetland Project in Golden Bay, New Zealand. The project aims to revegetate the Takaka River Oxbow Wetland with permanent lowland alluvial mixed podocarp/broadleaf forest. The function is to improve the water quality into the Takaka River and aquifer system, and improve the lowland wetland habitat in the Takaka River catchment - increasing numbers of freshwater and endangered fish species.