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One of the reasons we choose to operate our tours primarily in Switzerland is because of the nation's environmental policies. Yale University's 2012 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) rates Switzerland as the world's most environmentally-friendly country. They cite both air quality and water quality as being the best in the world, and Switzerland ranks exceptionally high on biodiversity and ecosystem vitality. Sounds like the perfect vacation spot, doesn't it? (It is.)
Switzerland also has the world's densest and most widely used transportation system—a fully-integrated air, train, and bus system—powered for the most part by clean hydroelectric power sources. We are active advocates of public transportation to minimize impact in Alpine areas. We choose public transportation for almost all of our programs, not just because it's fast and reliable, but because it reduces our carbon footprint.
A train journey in Switzerland generates 20 times less CO2 than a car journey on a comparable route. Thanks to SBB's eco friendly transport solutions and its drive to move traffic onto the railways, Switzerland saves five million tonnes of CO2-emissions per year, equivalent to 10% of the country's overall emissions.
The Swiss transportation system includes 5,000km of rail, 1,000km of mountain railroads, 13,000km of bus routes, and over 23,000 public transportation stations, so these services are nearly always close by. And Swiss trains have never been stopped by a workers' strike.
Because we travel in small groups—generally less than twelve people—we minimize our impact on fragile mountain ecosystems and our presence is less intrusive and more respectful of small alpine communities and wilderness areas.
You've heard the adage "take only pictures, leave only footprints." We teach and employ "Leave No Trace" principles in all of our outdoor programs. Additionally, we are involved in trail improvement programs, the protection of natural areas, and efforts to promote sustainable trail use.
Sustainable practices enable you to enjoy a vacation while respecting the local culture and environment. Sustainable tourism provides support for Alpine communities and traditional cultures without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. We work closely with local tourism agencies to promote programs such as farm stays and agritourism programs.
Keeping it CleanAlpenwild has partnered with CleanTrails.Org this year in an effort to keep our beautiful world beautiful. We’ll be participating in National Clean Up Day in both the US and in Switzerland. Contact Tessa (tessa@alpenwild.com) if you want to join our efforts.
