Sustainability and responsible travel is not a trend, it’s the only way forward that literally won’t cost the Earth. Get up to renewable-powered speed with Karryon’s weekly eco-wrap of the latest initiatives making a positive impact in travel.
We get it. Talking about sustainability in travel can often be difficult and easily become the elephant in the room. But the fact is, more and more travellers now are wanting to know about the impact of their trips on the environments, wildlife and communities they visit.
So, to make it easy to stay up-to-date on all the new initiatives in sustainable travel and tourism, we’ve curated an easy-to-digest weekly update of all the latest (non-greenwashed) news just for you.
Making a difference simply starts with education and conversation. Please pass it on and let’s all do our bit to make positive change.
Coral nursery spawns dedicated Great Barrier Reef viewing trips
Australia’s first offshore coral nursery at Fitzroy Island off Cairns is ready for its hard corals to spawn for the first time after being planted on the Great Barrier Reef in 2018. Diver’s Den will run special night trips for divers and snorkellers from Cairns Marlin Marina to the Great Barrier Reef on 11 and 12 November 2022 when it is anticipated that the outer reefs will spawn. Coral spawning is a natural phenomenon so viewing is not guaranteed.
Find out more at tourism.tropicalnorthqueensland.org
World-first simultaneous running event raises awareness for the Reef
The inaugural run4reef took place on Sunday 16 October with more than 100,000 runners participating in 23 events across Australia and New Zealand at the same starting time to raise awareness and funds for the Great Barrier Reef research and climate action. Evie Networks, which is building Australia’s largest electric vehicle fast-charging network, was on board as a Major Sponsor.
Find out more at run4reef.org
SWISS becomes first passenger airline to use carbon-efficient AeroSHARK tech
Developed by Lufthansa Technik and BASF, the innovative AeroSHARK transparent film was applied to a SWISS Boeing 777-300ER aircraft’s fuselage and engine nacelles to mimic a shark’s hydrodynamic skin, reducing aerodynamic drag and lowering inflight fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions as a result. The inaugural SWISS passenger flight with the tech travelled from Zurich to Miami on 14 October and the new AeroSHARK film will be gradually rolled out across all 12 SWISS Boeing 777s.
Find out more at swiss.newsmarket.com
Hurtigruten Norway embarks on next stage of zero-emission fleet
Hurtigruten Norway has secured tech partnerships and applied for funds to launch the Sea Zero project to develop ships with zero emissions by 2030 for its Coastal Express fleet – its most ambitious sustainability initiative to date.
Another key objective of the Sea Zero project is to bring industry-leading partners on board and become a driver for green technology and business development, along with the development of port infrastructure to charge larger vessels. Several partners have already signed up for the project to pioneer new solutions for the industry.
Find out more at hurtigruten.com.au
Virgin Voyages takes sustainable fuel partnerships on board
Virgin Voyages has partnered with independent sustainability experts, the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials, along with three leading waste-based sustainable fuel providers Argent Energy, GoodFuels and Twelve to achieve its commitment to reach net zero by 2050.
Recognising there is currently no one-size-fits-all, low-carbon fuel solution, Virgin Voyages will enter
long-term agreements for sustainable marine fuels with these providers with plans to add others over time. The cruise line estimates the switch to sustainable marine fuels will reduce its life-cycle carbon emissions from fuel by 75 per cent or more.
Find out more at virginvoyages.com/sustainability
Got sustainability news to share? Email us at editor@karryon.com.au to be featured in our weekly updates.
