TFG is going carbon neutral
The Fabulous Getaway Sri Lanka has partnered up with Sudeesa, a local non-profit NGO which supports small scale fishing and farming communities in Sri Lanka, to plant mangrove shrubs in Kalpitiya Lagoon to help offset the carbon emissions of our tours.
In early September, a group of volunteers from TFG joined members of the local fishing and farming community, children from the local school and staff from Sudeesa to begin the planting process. We were delighted to kick start this exciting sustainability project which has long been one of our goals.
We have always been passionate about sustainability, and over the years we have introduced several eco-friendly initiatives, including replacing the plastic bottles in our vehicles with large tanks of filtered water and supplying all of our clients with refillable steel bottles. In October 2020, we were thrilled to receive the Travelife Partner award in recognition of our eco-friendly commitments.
However, with tourism estimated to account for 8% of the world’s global greenhouse gas emissions, we knew we had to do more to make our tours as eco-friendly as possible.
We chose to support Sudeesa’s mangrove conservation project to offset the carbon emissions of our tours because mangroves, which are shrubs and small trees which grow with their roots in brackish water, are hardy plants which sequester up to 5 times more carbon than other ecosystems. Current data estimates that each mangrove plant removes over 300kilos of carbon dioxide during its lifespan.
Mangroves also develop rich, delicate ecosystems that nurture a wide variety of animal and plant life. The 20 mangrove networks in Sri Lanka are all biodiversity hotspots, and their protection is vital for preserving the island’s varied wildlife.
We love that our carbon neutral project also enables us to play a direct part in conserving Sri Lanka’s wildlife and in supporting vulnerable local communities. We have always been passionate about protecting the environments and culture of our island home, not only because we see it as our duty as a responsible travel company, but also because we want to preserve the diversity of Sri Lanka for generations to come.
We will send out regular updates regarding our carbon neutral project and other sustainability initiatives, but please do get in touch with us to find out more about our eco-friendly commitments, either via your personal sales consultant or by emailing Miguel Cunat, Chief Experience Officer, at [email protected].