Ottawa, ON; Apr. 20, 2017 – In recognition of Earth Day, adventure travel specialist World Expeditions highlights some of its industry-leading responsible travel initiatives and urges travellers and partners to participate. From reducing litter and preventing deforestation to using sustainable fuel options, World Expeditions believes a responsible, long-term vision can deliver true sustainability in the travel industry.

“Our responsible travel philosophy has continued to develop since day one,” said Nathalie Gauthier, North American Manager of World Expeditions. “The initiatives we have in the field are constantly being evaluated and improved to ensure we minimize our impact and leave behind a positive impression wherever possible.” 

Below is a snapshot of the company's practices that promote conservation:

Burn NO Wood Policy  

World Expeditions completely avoids burning wood in Nepal to ensure its trekking operations do not contribute to the country's deforestation crisis. The company pioneered the change to efficient kerosene or other liquid fuel stoves for cooking meals or boiling water on all its trekking expeditions. Likewise, for heating it purchases and burns biomass briquettes or dried yak and buffalo dung from the local communities. This provides a sustainable and renewable fuel source while contributing to the local economy.

Central to its strategy of minimizing its environmental footprint in Nepal is World Expeditions' network of exclusive eco-campsites. Also implemented in Australia, these campsites provide innumerable benefits, including:

• A water tank that collects rainwater that is used for washing and cleaning, to avoid contaminating rivers.
• Toilet facilities that use composting methods so all waste is biodegradable and can be recycled as manure for the local faming communities at the season's end.
• A waste-management plan for all non-biodegradable refuse that includes custom-built incinerators.
• Water that is exclusively sourced from sustainable natural water resources, eliminating plastic bottles.

10 Pieces initiative

World Expeditions endeavors to operate its treks in a way that the waste generated is disposed of in the best way possible. In remote areas combustible litter is burned as cleanly as possible and non-combustible litter is carried out. In 2014, World Expeditions was the first company to partner with 10 Pieces, a global organization that is dedicated to reducing waste in remote wilderness areas, on its Nepal treks. The initiative has since expanded to include Peru, a selection of treks in Bhutan and on Mount Rinjani and Mount Kilimanjaro.

Based on the idea that the collective effort will have a huge impact, when a section of trail has been identified as a litter 'hotspot', the company invites trekkers to collect 10 pieces of litter to be brought back and disposed of in a responsible manner. Travellers are provided with a bag and gloves and the local crew ensure that the litter is incinerated along the trail or carried out and recycled or added to the landfill in the nearest city.

After almost four decades of pioneering adventure travel, World Expeditions has proven the positive conservation outcomes when travel is managed for sustainability. For more information, visit: www.worldexpeditions.com.

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About World Expeditions

Since its inception in 1975, World Expeditions has earned an outstanding reputation as an innovator and world leader in quality small group adventure holidays. With seven offices around the world, including Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, it is a global company that stands out not only for its pioneering commitment to responsible tourism but also for the number of inclusions and the exceptional value of its trips. Offering thousands of unique itineraries escorted by expert leaders, World Expeditions meticulously designs each trip with an emphasis on exclusivity for those travellers with high expectations of their experiences in 'taking the path less travelled'. The World Expeditions Travel Group consists of 10 travel brands, including; Adventure South, Australian Walking Holidays, Great Canadian Trails, Huma Charity Challenge, Tasmanian Expeditions, Sherpa Expeditions, UTracks, World Youth Adventures and Yomads.

http://www.worldexpeditions.com/