Environmental Commitment - Whitsunday Escape
Skipper yourself bareboat charter company

Environmental Commitment

Whitsunday Escape is Committed to Sustainable Operational Practices & Reducing Our Environmental Footprint

 

Our commitment is achieved by:

  • The ongoing development and testing of environmentally sustainable operational procedures and techniques.
  • Making every effort to conserve resources throughout our operations and those who use our boats.
  • Continuing to improve the education of the users of our boats on resource conservation techniques and sustainable practices in order to minimise our impact on the Great Barrier Reef.
  • Working with staff and other stakeholders to seek and trial products that are environmentally benign.
  • Continue to encourage our boat owners to install solar panels.
  • As an industry leader, continuing to actively lobby local, state and federal government on environmental issues like water quality that affect the Great Barrier Reef.
  • Supporting local operators who look after marine animals who become injured or sick.
  • Maintaining Eco Accreditation with Ecotourism Australia.

Eco Accreditation

Offered by Ecotourism Australia the ECO Certification program is designed to show travellers which businesses are offering high-quality nature-based tourism experiences, backed by well managed commitment to sustainable, environmental practices.

The ECO Certification Program is a world first and is not easy to acquire, and it also requires an annual commitment to maintain. It takes a genuine commitment from a business to succeed in gaining this badge of honour. Whitsunday Escape is very proud to be part of this illustrious group of tourism operators in Australia.

Whitsunday Regional Council Healthy Heart Project

Whitsunday Escape have pledged to join the Healthy Heart project, this will assist in lowering the environmental footprint and support sustainable recovery in our region. By recording our carbon and committing to being the sustainable choice, we ensure the Whitsundays remain unspoiled for our future generations.

Using a carbon calculator, EarthCheck, Whitsunday Escape will monitor resource usage and determine areas of improvement.

Eco Barge Clean Seas

Whitsunday Escape is proud to support Eco Barge Clean Seas in their efforts to keep the Whitsundays clean and rescue injured turtles.

The Whitsunday Turtle Rescue Centre (WTRC) was launched in Airlie Beach in 2013. Whitsunday Escape has fitted all boats with educational information to inform guests about what to do if they see an injured turtle, to ensure more of these majestic creatures can be saved by the WTRC.

Whitsunday Escape staff also support the Marine Debris Removal Program in their leisure time and as a staff bonding activity multiple times a year.

Guests chartering with Whitsunday Escape are also welcome to participate in the Marine Debris Removal Program. Bags are available for collection on check-in and Whitsunday Escape handles the return of these bags to Eco Barge HQ.

Close the Loop Recovery Program

Whitsunday Escape is proud to participate in the Close the Loop Recovery Program.

By collecting and recycling used printer cartridges, Close the Loop is able to operate a full recycling process where plastic, metal and toner are all recovered and separated.
Metals are sent back into the market and plastic is sent for further refinement and cleaning before being reused. Toner is reused in applications such as TonerPlas (a flexographic printing reuse application).

Standard garbage recycling is not able to separate and clean printer cartridges and therefore participation in this program saves millions of cartridges ending up in landfill each year.

Whitsunday Escape also advertises this recycling opportunity throughout the Coral Sea Marina precinct so that other offices are able to make use of this service.