Each year we try to do our bit for the communities we work in, both at home and abroad. This year we’ve been working hard to reduce waste, save energy, clean up the local area and support the communities we work in.
Read on to discover how we, and those who travel with us, have made a positive impact this year.
1. Plastic is not fantastic
This year we’ve made big efforts to reduce our plastic use. Non-recyclable coffee cups have been banned in the office and everyone has been given a reusable cup to take with them on their morning coffee run.
We replaced all the plastic bottles in our vending machine with cans, as well as replacing our 4 pint milk bottles with milk from glass bottles. Our glass milk bottles have already saved 912 plastic bottles!
We’ve also increased the amount of recycling we do so that ALL plastics (including the plastics films on salad pots) are being recycled.
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2. Recycle, recycle, recycle
Plastic is not the only thing being recycled now. In June, we switched our rubbish disposal to reduce the amount sent to landfill; all food waste is composted and cardboard, glass, cans and paper are all recycled.
This year, our paper recycling has saved 44 trees from being cut down.
3. Cleaning up the local area
In September, we joined 5% of the world’s population clearing up their local areas by doing a litter pick over lunchtime and after work.
Over these sessions we picked up 20 bags of litter. There were the usual plastic bottles and cans, baby wipes, but less-expected finds included half a fishing rod.
On the longest day of the year staff had mini adventures on their way to work – Explore by any means gave team members the challenge to get to work without using a car. One person even did a triathlon to get to the office!
4. Supporting communities around the world
Through our partnership with Ripple Effect, our customers helped us to donate 43 goats, 18 calves and 3 cows to families in Africa. Helping them support themselves and their communities.
In Thailand, our donations have helped the Mahouts Foundation to build a lodge where they can educate the local villagers, teaching them how to look after their elephants, and support their communities sustainably. Thanks to this work, we’re now able to offer visitors to Thailand the opportunity to see the work being done by visiting the Mahouts village.
Our work with Toilet Twinning has also built 26 toilets in communities around the world that previously had no access to basic sanitation and toilet facilities.
5. Water-to-Go preventing plastic bottle usage
288 people have taken advantage of the 15% discount on Water-to-Go bottles offered to Explore customers as part of our partnership.
Since every filter prevents 400 plastic bottles being used, a whopping 115,200 plastic bottles have been avoided through this alone - click here to get your Explore Water-to-go bottle!
6. Solar panels, saving energy
We have used the roof of our office to help us save energy. In the last year our solar panels have saved 7,859kg of CO2 emissions which would otherwise have been generated from fossil fuel power.
The solar panels’ energy used in 2018 has been the equivalent of planting 26 trees.
This has been a great year for us, but we can always improve. We’re excited to see what 2019 will bring!
To find out more about our work at home and abroad, visit our responsible tourism pages.