Green Visitor

TRAVEL TO MT BAW BAW TO BE GREEN

Visitors to Mt Baw Baw this winter will enjoy contributing to carbon neutrality via their travel to the mountain.

The Mt Baw Baw Alpine Resorts Management Board's (ARMB) GreenVisitor program is a proactive initiative which will work towards making Mt Baw Baw carbon neutral by 2013.

Through the initiative, carbon emissions from travel to the resort are estimated and money to offset the impact is put into a 'Green Visitor Account' to fund local environmental sustainability projects.

"Mt Baw Baw is one of the first Nature Based Tourism Operators in Australia to take such a bold and innovative approach to offsetting travel emissions."

"Climate change is a serious issue for Australian businesses, particularly those in alpine regions, where it poses a direct threat to business operations that rely on the tourism industry."

The philosophy underlying the GreenVisitor Program is simple.

The Resort wants to systematically measure greenhouse gas emissions and make an investment in local activities which reduce their impact on the environment.

There will be no levies or taxes, just a sensible allocation of part of the entry fee into a dedicated account.

The money from the carbon neutral account will be used by investing in more efficient ways of doing business or taking a lead and helping the community to reduce their impact on the environment.

The pilot program will generate many positive outcomes including a reduced carbon footprint, sponsorship of local programs, staff awareness and a focus on alternative energy sources such as wind and solar power; water efficiency and waste management.