PATA BUFFET (Building an Understanding For Food Excess in Tourism) State of the Industry Report Every year around the globe, 1.3 billion tonnes of food is lost or wasted. That is one-third of all food produced for human consumption (FAO, 2019). There is a huge opportunity for the tourism and hospitality industry in the Asia […]
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Discussions about recycling have been rife in the Australian media ever since China stopped taking our rubbish in 2018. As the country now faces what some are calling a crisis or recycling nightmare, it seems more pressing than ever to find solutions to the problems which have brought us here in the first place.
A dig deep into Australia’s rubbish culture finds that we’re producing 67 million tonnes of waste every year – this is the equivalent in weight to 335,000 blue whales – and even that is hard to wrap your head around. Whilst a recent survey found that almost 93% of people said reducing waste and recycling products into something new was important to them, there is still a lot of miscommunication, misunderstanding and general mistrust around how, when and what to recycle.
With Global Recycling Day just around the corner (18 May), we thought it was time to break down some of the most common objections to recycling. We’ve also trawled through the resources available from some of Australia’s leading industry organisations in waste management, so that you – and those around you – can be educated on what’s true, possible and helpful – and what’s not.
This is a common one, and it’s not surprising. A 2018 report from the Australian Council of Recycling found that Australia was rated 17th in the world for recycling, four spots lower than we were just three years ago. A big part of the problem seems to be a lack of clear understanding of what can be recycled, and what can’t.
For example, in a survey of over 1000 Australians aged 14-64, six out of ten people incorrectly thought that Pringles tubes were recyclable, and one in three thought that plastic bags and other packaging (such as those used for pasta, rice, bread and chips) belonged in the recycling bin – when in fact, these items are the biggest problem in the recycling system as they get caught in the sorting machines. Interestingly, women are more likely to know that berry punnets are recyclable, and people under the age of 24 are more likely to pay extra to ensure batteries are recycled!
To make life easy for everyone, Planet Ark has created ‘The 6 Golden Rules of Kerbside Recycling’ – a quick-check guide for any common recycling queries. To download a PDF printout of these rules, click here.
So, you’re a cynic? No worries – as an organisation that fights greenwashing, we can appreciate that. But don’t let your doubting distrust stop you from being a moral citizen. Whilst China’s ban has put a temporary hold on processing some of Australia’s recyclable waste, as the country works out the best solution moving forward, a fair bit of it has been sent to other processing markets in Asia or domestically. You can find out how we, and other countries, process this waste here.
In the meantime, check out Business Recycling’s great resource on how different types of waste can be processed – did you know, for example, that most elements of mattresses (one of the most common items sent to landfill) can be recycled? The timber is processed into woodchips and used to make animal bedding and mulch, the springs are sent to scrap metal merchants for melting and use in buildings, infrastructure, vehicles and appliances, and the foam, wadding and latex from inside the mattress is recycled into carpet underlay. Excuse the pun, but we reckon you’ll be able to sleep easy knowing more about how your waste is being recycled.
Again, we hear you. This is a 335,000-whales-sized issue, and you’re one citizen of Australia’s 25,000,000. With ongoing discussions at national and state government level (interestingly, this is the first federal election in which the Australian Labour Party, the Coalition and The Greens are all offering substantive policies to improve our national recycling system, according to Australian Council of Recycling CEO, Pete Shmigel), it’s a situation that’s not going to be smoothed out overnight. But sitting and waiting isn’t the way forward.
Instead, we recommend checking out Planet Ark’s top recycling mistakes and how to fix them below, and choosing to keep this conversation going – even when the solution seems a long way off. Whilst he was writing on climate change action, Matthew Adams’ words in The Conversation ring equally true for this “recycling crisis”:
“To bridge this gap [between individual action and collective change], we need to start by addressing the issue at the in-between level – with our family, friends, and the spaces and places of civil society. […] There are some historical precedents here […]. The women’s suffrage and abolitionist movements, for example, were built on countless individual “choices” but not “behaviour and lifestyles changes” of the kind we associate with checklists. These movements depended on people starting (awkward) conversations in everyday settings. Collective action is here interlinked with individual choice – choosing to talk, perhaps through awkwardness and embarrassment at first, learning, voting, writing, protesting, divesting and investing, taking a stand and seeking out others to do it with; coming together, to demand societal and cultural change.”
What are you doing to make a change this Global Recycling Day?
Want more information? Check out these great resources:
ABC News | The eight most common mistakes householders make with recycling
Planet Ark | So you think you can recycle?
ABC | War on Waste and War on Waste tips
Australian Council of Recycling | 10 point plan for results-based recycling
Clean Up Australia | Clean up our waste – what you can do
[Photos: ABC / Planet Ark]
This week we are exited to welcome Southern Fire Wellness to the Ecotourism Australia family. Achieving Ecotourism Certification on their Cape to Cape Healing tours, Southern Fire Wellness is a tour operator offering a unique and valuable experience.
Unlike traditional treks along the Cape to Cape track, this trek is designed specifically for those suffering from depression, disconnection, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety or anger issues.
Through his own struggles and experiences, owner and head guide Daniel Kozyriski has developed these tours to share his healing journey and help others in their struggles. Southern Fire Wellness is centred on healing by discovering your connection to the land, overcoming the challenges of the trek, and engaging in spiritual exercises and meditations.
Working closely with the Wadandi peoples, the traditional land owners of the Wadandi Boodja (Saltwater People’s Country) which makes up the area that encompasses the Cape to Cape trek, Southern Fire Wellness has a heavy focus on respecting and embracing traditional Indigenous cultural values and practices in the healing process. Additionally, Southern Fire Wellness extend their commitment to sustainability by encouraging visitors to use carbonneutral.com in planning their trip to assist in keeping the experience carbon neutral.
Participants on the trek have the option of several programs that vary in length of the trek, depending on the individual needs of participants. Southern Fire Wellness has options for guided day treks, overnight camps and can cater to those seeking a challenge with the complete Cape to Cape walk with partially guided and self-guided sections.
We would like to congratulate Southern Fire Wellness on continuing to develop their dedication to sustainability, by achieved Ecotourism Certification on their tours.
[All images sourced from Southern Fire Wellness Instagram]
Waste management is always a high priority for ecotourism operators and sewerage management, especially in remote and/or sensitive sites, can present special challenges. Grant Webster established VIROtech in 1987 to bring practical and environmentally sensible products into the mainstream with a focus on waterless toilet technology. He is now recognised as Australia’s foremost authority on waterless compost toilets.
VIROtech have four brands and 19 models in their range, but Grant has a particular passion for their flagship product, the Clivus Multrum (CM) range of compost toilet systems. “The CM units are still built according to the original Swedish design – beautifully simple and inherently reliable. In 30 odd years, I’ve never had a single complaint about a CM unit. They’re bulletproof.” With clients ranging from householders to government departments and agencies including Communities NSW, NSW Roads and Maritime Services, the Australian Defence Force and local governments, Grant is well qualified to offer experienced and reliable advice. Clivus Multrum systems are fully accredited with environmental and health authorities in every state and territory in Australia.
Maintenance involves adding carbon rich material (wood shavings) periodically and checking the fan and drain – a 10 minute job. There are no containers to move or store and running costs are estimated at $1.50/mth for the 12V fan. The fan is the only moving part and the chamber is all plastic and stainless steel, so these systems simply don’t break down. They utilise natural aerobic bacteria to reduce waste to around 5% of the original volume in an odour free process to produce a small amount of pathogen-free humus which is easily and safely disposed of on-site. The ventilation system evacuates all ‘human’ odours so the room smells like air, or the bush outside.
If accommodation is part of your business, these waterless compost toilets not only offer significant water savings, they eliminate discharge to the environment apart from a small amount of humus. Eliminating ‘black water’ from your on-site sewerage management system also makes life much simpler (and less expensive) with the remaining greywater easily disposed of in a simple (inexpensive) sub-surface irrigation system*. If you need toilet facilities for clients at remote and/or sensitive sites, CM units don’t require power or water and can be sited close to watercourses.
For more information on these incredibly simple and sensible systems visit virotech.com.au
*Council approval is required prior to installation of any on-site sewerage management system.
A group of driven people can make significant change, yet it is important to recognise and appreciate the efforts of the individuals that take strides every day to create lasting positive impacts on the environment and community around them. That is exactly what Helen Masters, Education and Interpretation Ranger at Phillip Island Nature Parks, is about. Described as an enthusiastic and passionate member of the visitor experience team, Helen is zealous about protecting the marine and beach environment and the important species that live in this precious part of the world.
“Helen is driven, both professionally and personally, to protecting our beautiful island home and educating people about what they can do to be part of the solution to the global issue of marine debris,’” explains Kate Adams, a colleague of Helen.
With a background in teaching, Helen is a valued member of the Phillip Island Nature Parks’ education team. She has an excellent understanding of the Victorian curriculum, is a leader in developing education programs and is a great support to her team members, consistently sharing her knowledge to support their development.
As Kate explains, Helen has also played an integral role in the development and implementation of numerous programs on Phillip Island. For example, she was heavily involved in the Turn the Tide Program, a community volunteer program that tackles marine debris on local beaches. This program attracts a team of 30+ regular volunteers who collect rubbish from the beach, sort and analyse it and enter the statistics into the Tangaroa Blue database. Over the twelve months that this program has been running, it’s contributed significantly to removing debris off Phillip Island’s beaches and protecting the Short-Tailed Shearwaters, among other species.
Helen also had the idea of hosting an event in partnership with Parley (a company dedicated to cleaning up islands around the world) and took on the role of project manager for the first ever ‘Island Wide, Along the Tide’ beach clean event in January this year. The event was a huge success, collecting marine debris from 18 beaches on the island, equating to over 11,149 individual items (including 408m of fishing line, with a total weight of just under 150kg). The event engaged 137 volunteers and featured in print media and TV.
“Helen is highly passionate about making a difference and the level of enthusiasm in her delivery is infectious to say the least,” says Kate. “She has the ability to get groups (of all ages) enthusiastic and engaged about the environment. You can’t help but get excited when you’re working with her.”
It’s her bubbly and passionate approach to every aspect of her work and her commitment to an environmentally conscious lifestyle that makes Helen and Everyday Ecotourism Hero. Her energy gets the team around her excited and motivated to foster long lasting change in the community, and the brightness and eagerness she brings to her work gets customers and guests excited about learning, fostering positive change on the island through education.
Thank you, Helen, for all that you do, and thank you to Kate for nominating her!
Is there someone in your business who you think is an Everyday Ecotourism Hero? Tell us about them!
Have we piqued your interest in travelling sustainably? Make sure you check out our Green Travel Guide and News page for some eco travel inspiration!
For more information on Phillip Island Nature Parks, visit their website or Facebook page.
For more information on our other Everyday Ecotourism Heroes, check out the other articles in this series:
The World Whale Conference is taking place in October this year, toward the tail end of the whale watching season, and aims to bring together researchers, conservation groups, artists and tourism operators to create a united community around whales. With this year’s theme being “Journeys That Inspire Change,” now is a great time to go whale watching with an Ecotourism Australia certified operator to make sure your next journey is making a positive change with sustainable whale watching.
Whale watching season kicks off between May and November depending on what part of the country you are in. This guide to whale watching will outline the best times and areas to go whale watching around Australia, and with over 20 ECO certified companies to choose from, you’ll have no trouble finding a sustainable operator for your next whale watching experience.
Queensland
Cairns and Port Douglas may be known for their Great Barrier Reef tourism and rain forest activities, but did you know that it’s also a great place to view Humpback wales and is one of the only places in Australia to swim with Dwarf Minke whales? Both of our Advanced Ecotourism Certified operators Eye to Eye Marine Encounters and Divers Den offer unique snorkelling and diving opportunities with Dwarf Minke whales.
ECO Certified operators:
Divers Den – Advanced Ecotourism certification, Green Travel Leader (Scuba)
Eye to Eye Marine Encounters – Advanced Ecotourism certification (Snorkelling)
If Cairns is too far north and Hervey Bay too far south, then Townsville might just be perfect for your whale watching needs. Ecotourism certified Townsville Whale Watching runs Humpback whale watching tours from June to September.
Townsville Whale Watching – ECO Humpback whale watching
Whether you are taking a well-deserved break in a holiday house on the Sunshine Coast, or only have a weekend off in inner city Brisbane, there is an ecotourism operator for you. The greater Brisbane area is host to Humpback whales for four months of the year between July – October.
Brisbane Whale Watching – Ecotourism certified
Sunreef Mooloolaba – Ecotourism certified
Whale one – Ecotourism certified
If you’re looking to see Humpback whales, Hervey Bay is spoilt for choice with a total of seven certified ecotourism operators running tours between July and November. Fun fact: Hervey Bay also celebrates the migration of the Humpback whales each year with the Paddle out for Whales Festival which aims to raise awareness and recognise the importance of whale watching tourism in the city.
ECO Certified operators:
Tasman Venture – Advanced Ecotourism certified
Blue Dolphin Marine Tours – Ecotourism certified
Boat Club Adventure Cruises – Ecotourism certified
Freedom Whale Watch and Charters – Ecotourism certified
Pacific Whale Foundation Australia – Advanced Ecotourism certified
Spirit of Hervey bay – Ecotourism certified
Whalesong cruises – Advanced Ecotourism certified
With so much choice of ECO certified operators it is no wonder that Hervey Bay has been chosen to host this year’s World Whale Conference.
Sitting just south of the state border between QLD and NSW, Byron Bay is an easy drive from the Gold Coast and is a great place to watch whales with a unique twist. Go Sea Kayak Bryon Bay offers close kayaking encounters with Humpback whales off the coast throughout the whale watching season.
Go Sea Kayak Byron Bay – Advanced Ecotourism & Respecting our Culture certified
Situated in Newcastle, NSW just a short drive north of Sydney, two of our Green Travel Leaders certified with Advanced Ecotourism certification run whale watching tours to see the Humpback whales from May to November.
Moonshhadow TQC Cruises – Advanced Ecotourism, Green Travel Leader
Imagine Cruises – Port Stephens – Advanced Ecotourism Green Travel Leader
Whale watching cruises in this part of Australia give you the opportunity to see both Humpback and Southern Right Whales, plus maybe even Orca whales!
ECO Certified operator:
Wildlife Coast Cruises – Advanced Ecotourism Certified
While most of the locations in this guide feature Humpback whales, Perth is one of the only places in Australia to see Orca whales (aka killer whales). A little earlier in the whale watching season, two of our Ecotourism Certified operators offer Orca whale tours from December to April and Humpback whale tours later on in the season from April to November.
Naturaliste Charters – Ecotourism certified
Whale Watching Western Australia – Ecotourism certified
Exmouth is known not only for its Humpback whale watching season (June-November), but also for the unique whale shark season. Exmouth almost matches Hervey Bay for the amount of certified tour operators available to offer both Humpback whale tours throughout the whale watching season as well as several who offer whale shark tours between March to September.
Live Ningaloo – Advanced Ecotourism certified
Ningaloo Coral Bay Boats – Advanced Ecotourism certified
Ningaloo Discovery – Advanced Ecotourism certified
Ningaloo Whaleshark N Dive – Ecotourism certified
Three Islands Whaleshark Dive – Ecotourism certified, Green Travel Leader
Have you been whale watching with any of these tourism operators? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Just minutes from the Port of Airlie, you will find the family-owned Big 4 Whitsundays Tropical Eco Resort. Situated in the ideal location for travelers to explore the 74 islands that make up the Whitsundays, you are also just a 5-minute drive from Airlie’s tourist center, shops and restaurants; making this the ideal tropical family holiday location. The park also allows for that authentic tropical nature fix, being nestled among 7 acres of tropical foliage, adjacent to the stunning Conway National Park.
With a variety of accommodation options to suit every traveler’s needs, the park offers powered and un-powered camp sites, villas, studios, 2-bedroom apartments and their brand-new eco lodges, all with spectacular mountain views. The eco lodges feature furniture made from recycled timber from trees that fell in cyclone Debbie.
Big 4 Whitsundays Tropical Eco Resort has achieved EA Ecotourism certification through their goals to reduce waste, regularly monitoring their carbon emissions, promoting nature based and low impact activities and supporting conservation projects and initiatives.
Well done on the certification Big 4 Whitsunday Tropical Eco Resort and keep up the good work.
Find out more here.
When I call Craig “Hassie” Haslam on Skype, I’m amazed how good his internet connection is. His office, shelves piled high with colourful folders and paperwork indicative of someone running a well-functioning and demanding business, is located at his Coodlie Park Farm Retreat, a 3000-acre remote farm stay on the coast of the Eyre Peninsula, miles away from the busyness of everyday life.
This coast is a place that Hassie calls his backyard, but one he shares with many other people. When he and wife Jo bought the property 20 years ago, it was “a run-down sh*$ hole,” in dire need of some TLC – today, it attracts travellers from near and far who come to the area to enjoy its tranquillity, excellent fishing and natural beauty (did someone say private beach, star-strewn sky and Instagram-worthy natural infinity pools?).
It’s a part of the country that in some ways is still untouched, and Hassie’s passion for not only sharing it but doing everything he can to protect it becomes immediately evident as we start talking.
“Eight or ten years ago it became very fashionable to offset your carbon footprint,” he explains, “[but] we never did it for that reason – we did it because we wanted to. We wanted to set a benchmark.
“I’ve always had this philosophy that you should try to leave a place better than when you found it.”
Coodlie Park Farm Retreat is, as far as Hassie is aware, Australia’s only travel business to not only be 100% carbon neutral, but offsetting all its carbon internally, on its own property. It’s an accolade he wears with pride:
“I’ve always had a vision that Coodlie Park Farm Retreat could be showcased as a model [of what’s possible] that could stimulate fresh and new ideas,” he says. “I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved.”
New ideas are something which Hassie has plenty of, and some of the property’s more quirky features are testament to this. The bucket showers, for example, are water-saving measures that involve twelve eight-litre buckets and a dual pulley system to release only a minimal amount of water for people to use for showering. It’s an idea that sprung out of necessity – as Hassie explains, the property used to run out of water every year and guests often had no understanding of what this really meant.
“A lot of people do want to do the right thing but just don’t know how. It’s up to [tourism businesses] to show them what is the right thing is. One of my favourite moments was when one of our guests – a tall, young, blonde woman from the UK – excitedly joined the campfire one evening after successfully managing to wash her hair, shave her legs and have a complete shower all from one bucket of water.
“You know you’re having a positive impact when people get involved and gain a sense of pride from learning and realising how much they can actually do to help.”
So what challenges has Hassie faced in his quest to constantly improve his business to be better for the planet? Well time, for one thing:
“I’m as busy as a centipede skipping!” Hassie exclaims. He adds that whilst travellers – backpackers and WWOOFers (Willing Workers on Organic Farms), mainly – express a desire to help with tree planting and sponsoring trees and there are opportunities to create these experiences for his visitors, the day-to-day work of running a tourism business (Hassie also runs the Nullabor Traveller and Xplore Eyre touring companies, which take guests throughout South and Western Australia) take up most of his time.
Another challenge is quantifying – one of Hassie’s dreams is for international visitors to be able to easily calculate and offset their entire trip to Australia from start to finish at his property – but he says he needs a matrix that can spit out these numbers.
“It’s not something we have, yet.”
So, with all of his touring and limited time, is there any brain space left for new ideas? Hassie says he’s glad he gets to work with reliable people who are always willing to help, and that he is definitely someone who keeps striving to learn more, try more and improve the way he runs his business.
“We already pay for green electricity and put some back into the grid. We have 50,000 gallons of tank storage on the property to collect rain, we have 10kw of solar on the property. My next plan is to create a hot water wall, using solar panels, that operates like a beer keg.”
Apart from thinking outside the box, does Hassie have any suggestions for other operators looking to get more serious about climate action and carbon neutral tourism? You may be surprised to hear that he doesn’t consider himself an environmentalist at heart, and nor does he feel qualified to offer advice. Instead, he seems humbly reflective:
“We’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way; we’ve tried different things. In retrospect, there are things I could have done differently. At the end of the day, I just think that we make choices, and if we want to make a place better than when we find it, and we make that our ethos, it’s pretty simple. The ideas will come.” He is hopeful that other businesses can be inspired by what Coodlie Park has achieved:
“Maybe they’ll ask: if they can do it out there in the middle of the sticks, why can’t we?”
For more information on Coodlie Park Farm Retreat, please visit their website or Facebook page.
For more eco-travel inspiration, check out our Green Travel Guide.
