Responsibly Green:

dive2Eco-Tourism. Responsible Tourism. Sustainable Tourism.

We’ve all heard the lingo, but do we know, or more frankly, do we care what it means?

In short, responsible tourism is about creating better places to live in and better places to visit. The order of that sentence is key though. Its purpose is to educate the traveller on various levels; including the promotion of recycling, energy efficiency, water conservation, the creation of economic opportunities for local communities and to provide funds for ecological conservation.

Ecotourism typically involves travel to destinations where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions and offer tourists insight into the impact they have on the environment, which fosters a greater appreciation of our natural habitats.

When it comes to eco-travellers however, there are more than fifty shades of green, all with varying degrees of commitment and expectation. Allow me to introduce you to some of them…

You have the fresh Mint-Green eco-traveller whose conscience has started whispering louder than normal, causing him to question his every day practices, including the impact he has during his travels. They are fresh to the concept of Eco-Tourism, but are tapping into it.

The Absinthe-green Eco-Traveller is the one who loves to post on FaceBook about how green she is, but when being green means no wifi or when it becomes too much of a mission, then she Absinthely forgets about her “be-responsible” rants on Social Media.

Your garden variety Apple Green Eco-Travellers are the ones who do their best to be green under most conditions and when they have the choice, they always choose the most responsible and sustainable option. They do intermediate research before they book their travel itinerary.

Then there are the wise and well-seasoned Sage-Green Eco-Traveller: They live and breathe responsibly & sustainably. They are aware of every footprint they make and how to consciously balance it out. They walk the talk by only buying local & organic produce, recycle religiously and drive their vehicles only when it’s absolutely necessary. When travelling, they do intensive pre-booking research, seeking quintessential local experiences, very much aware of the holistic concept of Responsible Tourism.

Eco-Tourism and Shark Cage Diving:

You have booked your trip to South Africa and one of the key adventures you seek to experience is Shark Cage Diving in Gansbaai.

There are a handful of companies to choose from – so regardless of your shade of green, how do you make your choice?

Here are some pointers:

  1. Do your research: Most companies claim to be Responsible, but in fact only 2 are accredited with Fair Trade in Tourism (which involves strict control and annual auditing of their practices).
  2. Most companies are prone to some “Green-Washing” so check out their websites and see if they really walk the talk.
  3. See if they are involved in community projects (as Responsible Tourism involves the local communities too, not just the environment.)
  4. Do they run Awareness Campaigns? Educating the community and tourists alike?
  5. Do they educate you on sharks, their environment and are they passionate about what they do?

I hope these will help you make a more responsible choice.

And if you are still grey in the terroir of Responsible Tourism, why not germinate some green roots?