Best carbon reduction initiative

An organisation or programme with a replicable and inspiring approach to reducing the carbon intensity of travel.








2011
Winner: Eurostar International Limited, UK
"No stranger to the Awards, Eurostar impressed the judges this year by refusing to sit on their laurels, instead finding new ways to save energy and encourage their passengers to do the same. Since 2007 they have reduced their waste to landfill by 40%, and in 2009 started working with 'Worn Again' to upcycle old uniforms into new saleable products. 15% of each supplier tender is scored towards the company's environmental behavior, and the new phase of their 'Tread Lightly' campaign aims to reduce supporting business CO2 emissions by 25% by 2015. They have even launched the "Eurostar Ashden Award for Sustainable Travel" to encourage further innovation in sustainability."

Highly commended:
Intrepid Travel, UK

Previous winners

2010
Winner: Seat61.com, UK "No stranger to the Awards, Seat61.com has proved invaluable in the last year not only to those who knew they want to travel by train or ferry but also to those who didn't. Strikes, airlines collapsing and volcanic ash forced many travellers to turn to Mark Smith's remarkable site with up to the minute information for travellers. The site has grown from 6.5 million to almost 10 million users and been instrumental in the growth of rail travel bookings."

Highly commended:
snowcarbon.co.uk Ltd, UK

2009
Winner: Alcatraz Cruises, US
While the Hornblower Hybrid provides a convincing flagship vessel for Alcatraz Cruises’ innovative approach to sustainable tourism practices (an energy efficient vessel, constructed from a reused diving vessel, and with fuel savings of over 29,000 gallons per year) it is their commitment to the reduction of carbon use across the rest of their product range, decreasing particulate and NOx emissions by 95 per cent with the installation of Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) units, that proves their commitment to minimising their environmental impacts.

Highly commended:
Swiss Travel System, Switzerland
Seat61.com, UK

2008
Winner: Bycyklen - The Foundation City Bikes in Copenhagen, Denmark
With more than 2,000 city bikes for free public use by locals and tourists alike, Bycyklen demonstrates the potential scale and replicability of an initiative which reduces carbon emissions in the city and promotes exercise. The Foundation works with non profit organisation Incita to provide local people with skills and enable them to gain employment.

Highly commended:
Bugbugs Media Ltd, UK

2007
Winner: Eurostar, UK
For developing the comprehensive ‘Tread lightly’ programme to reduce Eurostar’s negative environmental impacts across the whole business, on the rails and at the terminals; using biodegradable and recyclable disposables; recycling water; reducing energy consumption and setting a whole business example which airlines could follow.

Highly commended:
NatureAir, Costa Rica
greentomatocars, UK