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As a leader in Sustainable Tourism, we are committed to ensuring that all of our marine expeditions operate in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. All expeditions aboard the ship meet and exceed all environmental regulations and protocols in the regions that we visit.
Our end goal is to minimize the potential negative impact of tourism in the areas we operate while maximizing the positive impact of instilling a widened understanding and appreciation of these regions. During our voyages, we ask all our passengers that they see their visit to these areas as a privilege and that they share their newfound knowledge and experiences with others when they return home. We also hope that by bringing people to these regions that they continue to act as ambassadors and stewards of these areas.
Staff & Crew - Our crew and expedition team act as stewards of the environment and are well versed in the strict environmental protocols on board and on land. All of our travellers are thoroughly briefed in these protocols before being allowed to participate in excursions and are always supervised by our team when on shore.
Expedition Auctions - At the end of every M/S Expedition departure, we raffle our Captain’s Sea Chart together with expedition books signed by the staff, the flag from the bow of the ship and many other items as souvenirs of the voyage. All proceeds are then donated through Planeterra to support the BearHealth project and the Save the Albatross campaign.
Save the Albatross - Location: South Georgia, Antarctica
The Save the Albatross campaign was launched to prevent the slaughter of these magnificent birds. The program looks to oversee international fishing agreements, conservation of the species and research on trends in threatened populations of the Southern Ocean. Last year, our travellers donated over £15000 to support the programme.
BearHealth - Location: Svalbard, Arctic
Developed to address the health and wellbeing of polar bears due to the threats of global warming and pollution, the project aims to identify the effects of exposure to pollutants and climate change on the health of polar bears, and to compile the results in order to perform a total health assessment of polar bear populations in the Svalbard region.
Marine Gas Fuel - The ship operates on marine gas oil which is cleaner than truck diesel fuel as it offers lower sulfur dioxide emissions.
4-Stroke Outboard Engines - In an effort to drastically reduce environmental pollutants 4-stroke outboard engines have been installed on all of our zodiacs. Our 4-stroke outboard motors produce less noise pollution and have engines similar to those of an automobile. Since there is no mixing of oil and gas the exhaust is intrinsically much cleaner and friendlier to the environment.
Rechargeable Batteries - We provide battery chargers and rechargeable batteries on the ship for use by our travellers as a way to decrease the consumption of batteries and their harmful effects on the environment.
Recycled non-chlorine bleached paper - In an attempt to reduce the amount of dioxins released into the environment through paper production, the ship has been stocked with recycled, non-chlorine bleached paper and toilet paper.
Planeterra Foundation & the ship gift shop - Through our commitment to responsible tourism we have developed the Planeterra Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports local community projects and international charities around the world. Certain items sold in the ship’s gift shop have been made by local communities in South America. By purchasing these items you will be directly supporting these artisans and proceeds also go to the Planeterra Foundation’s community project fund.
When Bruce went travelling after University in 1989 he realised he had limited options: he could either go backpacking or stay on a resort. Returning to Canada, he set up a company that bridged the gap and offered young professionals an affordable way to immerse themselves in the culture of different countries. Bruce gave some of the profits back to the communities he passed through. Today he has offices in 38 countries and runs a travel foundation that builds projects all over the world; he is adamant that all staff adhere to his original business model of sustainability and happiness.
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