September updates from GreenStep Sustainable Tourism:

New and Returning Members

BRONZE
Explore Waterloo Region – Waterloo, ON

AWAITING GRADING
Canmore Inn & Suites – Canmore, AB
Canmore Rocky Mountain Inn – Canmore, AB
Copper Point Resort – Invermere, BC
Discover Canada Tours – Vancouver, BC
Invermere Inn & Suites – Invermere, BC
Sagebrush Tours – Penticton, BC
Sunwolf Riverside Cabins & Fergie’s Cafe – Squamish, BC
Terracana Ranch & Resort – Fraser-Fort George, BC

Get Your Free Sustainability Score

Your free Sustainability Score will let you work through the GreenStep Sustainable Tourism criteria to get an idea of where your tourism business or destination is doing well, and where you have room for improvement. The scorecard below is what you receive when you complete the online self-assessment, showing your score overall, by category and subcategory.

 

Carbon Prices on the Rise: How and Why to Measure the Carbon Footprint of your Hotel or Tourism Business

By Angela Nagy, CEO

With the re-election of a Liberal minority government in Canada, carbon pricing, which is supported by a wide range of academic, public sector, energy executives, and other business leaders, is here to stay and it’s on the rise.

By 2030 the price on carbon will increase your fossil fuel-related operating costs by 30% to 100%, not including cost increases due to inflation. To get ahead of the carbon risk to your business, it will be important to understand your carbon footprint and make a plan to reduce it. [Finish reading on our blog]

Member Spotlight: Wicked Wine Tours

Wicked Wine Tours has a reputation for offering some of the best wine tours across the Okanagan Valley. They have recently been reassessed by GreenStep, to achieve Sustainable Tourism GOLD Certified. We recently caught up with owner Nicholas Wilson to learn more about how Wicked Wine Tours is taking action to become a more sustainable business.

“As a tour company our primary business is wine tours, and wineries are intrinsically agricultural. We have a responsibility to ensure ecological balance to support our partners – being a socially responsible business is just the right thing to do.” [read more]

Ways to be an Ally for Truth & Reconciliation

September 30th marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the first-ever national holiday to honour the Survivors of Canadian residential institutions and those who never made it home. We hope you used this day as an opportunity to learn about the unique indigenous culture and history in your region, and that you will continue to learn and find ways to be an ally in the day, weeks and years to come. Indigenous Tourism Canada offers resources and information about how to engage with organizations and associations in your province or territory.

Indigenous Tourism BC has also shared 6 ways that you can become an ally and affect change within your business and community here.

Good News from Sustainable Tourism Members

Best Western Sunrise Inn & Suites was awarded the 2021 Green Champion Award, as a result of their commitment to:

• Assess the environmental impacts of their hotel
• Follow sustainable management practices
• Continued learning and efforts towards social responsibility

 

 

40 Knots Winery has worked together with the local K’ómoks First Nations to help educate their guests and provide meaningful and accurate cultural information through signage at their winery.

 

 

Tourism Kelowna achieves Platinum Certified from GreenStep

“Responsible, sustainable tourism is at the forefront of our team’s day-to-day activities, and we continue to improve and further our practices, policies and processes for the betterment of our local communities,” said Chris Lewis, director of visitor experience.

 

GreenStep Completes Life Cycle Analysis for Inca Renewtech

GreenStep recently conducted a Life Cycle Analysis for INCA Renewtech, to measure carbon emissions, water consumption and waste for six hemp-based products the company will be producing versus conventional alternatives.

INCA uses hemp byproducts to replace glass fiber-reinforced plastics, tropical wood from SE Asia, woodchips and traditional concrete ingredients. As mining and forestry for the conventional products’ materials have a large impact, INCA is turning hemp byproducts into useful alternatives, especially in the RV and automotive industry. And, since hemp panel boards in RVs are lighter than conventional ones, it can reduce the emissions of the vehicle over its lifespan!
Read more over at Accelerate Okanagan.