Newsletter 08/2011
Green Incentives, Green FIT Travel, Green Conferencing – How to implement for trips to Southern Africa?
A growing trend around the world is implementation green initiatives into their travel programs. It sounds all great but how can this work, without infringing on the travel or incentive reward too much and costing too much money? Can a holiday, an Incentive or a Conference still be as enjoyable with the implementation of green initiatives? Terra Nova DMC is known for its continued efforts in Nature Conservation and support of Social Responsibility Programmes. In addition to our own initiatives of social responsibility, recycling, minimizing paper use and conserving energy whenever possible, we have taken a leadership role in helping our customers to track their environmental issues if requested. Have a look as to how you can turn your next trip to Southern Africa into a Green and Socially Responsible Initiative without losing out on experience and impact:
read full articleChose a DMC with Socially Responsible Business Practice
Terra Nova not only supports various social projects (see our website http://www.terra-nova.co.za/topics/humanitarian-projects/ ), we are also carbon neutral approved, as we have calculated our carbon offset as a company and planted the corresponding amount of trees to neutralize this. We have the expertise to tailor-make exciting and memorable yet responsible programmes for our clients and will not rest until we have matched our clients with the perfect programme.
read full articleStay in a hotel which implements environmental practices
The Vineyard Hotel & Spa in Cape Town for example has made a commitment to “living green” and has implemented environmental and social responsible decision making to ensure that sustainable development principles are incorporated throughout the Hotel. The Vineyard Hotel & Spa have completed an independent and impartial on-site audit against the Green Leaf™ Environmental Standard Hotelier Framework 2011, measuring the hotels greening commitments.
read full articleInclude a Social Project or Social Interaction
In today’s world of social media and growing social conscience, people are always looking for something new and worthwhile. They like to help those that are worse off than themselves as it makes them feel good. If the project can have an immediate impact, it is even better because the difference they have made in the community is visible and it is a heart-warming story to tell their friends at home. Our social interaction projects only take half a day or a day. Besides in the major Cities, they can also easily be integrated into a stay at a safari Lodge or Beach Resort. We are in continuous contact with many different projects and make sure we perfectly match the donator and recipient and that the donations are channelled correctly to make the most impact possible. In April 2011, one of our clients made a big difference by sponsoring soccer kits, consisting of shoes, shirts, socks and balls for a non-profit organisation located in the townships of Cape Town. Through soccer coaching. the Organisation tackles many of the community’s problems…
read full articleDécor for Gala Dinners can be manufactured by a social project, creating jobs and sustainability
Elaborate elegant and ethnic Table and Room Décor enhance most Gala Dinners, which in the past was mostly hired from Décor Companies. Why not make a difference with your Gala Dinner Décor? With enough notice time, the décor can be manufactured, sewed and crafted by projects in the townships, creating employment, motivation and sustainability. A great example are the artists from Original T-Bag Designs. Their homes are bits of tin and wood nailed together and they have had no formal schooling. But what they do have is grit and imagination and a desire to make their families’ lives better. The artists use recycled tea bags as their canvases and they are painting themselves out of poverty. Used tea bags are collected and dried in the African sun. Then they are emptied of leaves and carefully ironed. Finally, each tea bag is painstakingly painted. They work mostly at home during these early phases so they can care for their families while they work. Sometimes the little ones help by emptying out tea leaves. The group gathers together to assemble the finished…
read full articleInclude alternative modes of transport
We recommend the inclusion of a bicycle tour, providing the tourist with many more opportunities to interact with the community than they would have from an air conditioned bus. One particular project facilitates the importation of discarded second hand bicycles to South Africa where they have helped to set up and provide on-going support to locally owned bicycle workshops, training and employing members of the local community to renovate the bikes for the community bicycle tours. There is no better way to experience South Africa and its magnificent scenery than from the saddle of a bicycle. Cycle through the beautiful flora and fauna at the Cape Point Nature Reserve, along the green vineyards of various Wine Estates in Franschhoek or through the buzz of the township Khayelitsha, which will allow every participant a much deeper and closer look into the beauty of South Africa.
read full articleConsider environmentally-friendly and sustainable gifting
Room-drops are still a very popular tool for incentive and Conference groups. Why not use “green” gifts, which have been manufactured locally and provide a sustainable income to local crafters. Option 1) Colourful Bags made from Billboard Banners To re-use existing non bio-degradable material to avoid plastic waste is the idea behind this green initiative. Colourful Billboard-Banners banners are now given a second life and bags are produced from the material in the underprivileged areas of Cape Town. The bags are sewn by seamstresses who support their families with their income.Each bag is a unique designer-piece, cut and joined from single components – an environmental concept which re-uses material and creates fun through fashion. Option 2) Funky jewellery and bowls As society’s most vulnerable members, HIV is especially cruel to the poor. Khayelitsha, for example, a sprawling township 26km from Cape Town, has an HIV rate of 22%, the highest rate in the Cape Flats. Wola Nani is working to fill the gap that leaves people with HIV & AIDS particularly exposed. Through a counselling and case management approach, coupled…
read full articleOffset your carbon emissions
We gladly calculate the carbon emissions for your flights and transfers. Together with Planet Green Ocean Blue the trees will then be planted in South Africa and you will receive a certificate with the corresponding GPS coordinates, allowing you to literally ‘watch your trees grow’ on Google Earth. It is an excellent way to ensure your unavoidable negative impact on the environment is neutralized, leaving only positive memories.
read full article