Redline Rafting Cares
Sustainability, Ethics, Energy Efficiency, Waste Reduction
Sustainability Policy
Red Line Rafting supports Hawaii Ecotourism Association’s principles of sustainable tourism, and has taken actionable steps towards:
- Reducing our environmental footprint. We have adopted a number of environmental efforts, including recycling and providing guests with wet-suit tops (vs harmful sunscreens).
- Staff training and development. Our guides are the best in the business, and we provide them with annual educational and developmental opportunities.
- Providing in-depth, accurate information on our tours. Our tours are educational and immersive experiences, and focus on teaching our guests about Maui’s reef life.
- Listening and responding to our customers. Customer satisfaction is critical to our company. We take time to cater to each and every customer, while also listening and responding to feedback.
- Marketing integrity. We ensure that our marketing materials provide appropriate context for each of our tours.
In other words, we strive to be ocean stewards, and to instill a sense of stewardship in each and every one of our guests. To learn more about our commitment to sustainability, view our company’s Sustainability Policy.
For more information on Hawai‘i Ecotourism Association, visit www.hawaiiecotourism.org
Vision
Exceeding the high standards to which all others strive to meet when it comes to experience, adventure, sustainability and stability.
Principles
Guidance for the business is based on Hawaiian voyaging culture; the teamwork, community involvement and sportsmanship influences.
Core Values
- Providing a model that is sustainable while supporting community, friends and partners in their own sustainable initiatives.
- Responsibility to continue to improve our skills and knowledge to improve our experiences.
Our Ability & Duty To Act
- We must utilize the resources we have to manage the reef-systems wisely to improve the experience for our visitors.
- We must impress upon our visitors the best values of the islands by sharing our aloha.
- We must use the attention of our guests to educate and inspire them to make choices that are sustainable, eco-friendly and culturally enriching.
Objectives
Environmental Management
- Reduce our footprint in a variety of areas including waste and energy usage.
- We continue to maintain a minimal office space footprint even as we grow by 30% over previous year.
- Recycling all cans and bottles.
- Reduce waste onboard from breakfast and lunch.
- Reduce waste thru bulk buying, low packaged materials and compostable materials where possible
- Utilize at least 30% recycled paper products for use on the boat, in the office and at the baseyard whenever feasible
- Utilize office recycling services to handle cartridges, motor oil, old equipment and hazardous materials like paints
- Use products that are biodegradable or have a low environmental footprint including soaps, cleaners and disinfectants.
- Maintain up-to-date Emergency Rescue Plans, and partake in annual drills and certification
- Give back to our communities through volunteer and donations:
- Provide logistical support and donations to community social events throughout the year.
- Continued support thru coaching and donations to the Hawaiian Canoe Club
- Expand our internal educational policy to include training with local cultural practitioners.
- Work to support new environmental legislation while exceeding standards of all relevant regulations and requirements.
Staff Management
- Provide accurate and appropriate training for new guides and staff that includes (but not limited to) principles of ecotourism, safety and emergency preparedness.
- Encourage staff to participate in professional development opportunities, including attendance at public lectures, trainings, volunteer events, and/or natural resource protection programs (e.g. Monk Seal Watch Program).
- All vessel employees will have and maintain current certifications related to their specific job descriptions, including (but not limited to) First Aid, CPR, Lifeguard, Coast Guard certifications
Interpretation Management
- Undertake annual evaluations of guides and tours to ensure that guests are provided with accurate information and appropriate guidance with regards to snorkel etiquette and behavior
- Over the next year, seek to more fully integrate Hawaiian principles of sustainability both into company policies and tours
- Continue to observe all marine wildlife watching regulations
- Continue to provide guests with information about proper behavior and responsibilities when visiting natural areas and encountering marine wildlife
- More fully develop pre-travel educational materials online and on website
Consumer Management
- Continue to routinely monitor guest feedback and respond in a timely and respectful manner
- Management to conduct an annual evaluation of guest feedback to evaluate potential areas of improvement
- Increase number of informal reviews (Facebook, TripAdvisor, Yelp) by 10% in the next year. To help achieve this goal, guides and captains will encourage guest feedback during tours.
Marketing Management
- Annually review marketing materials to ensure that print and web-based marketing set appropriate guest expectations
- Evaluate new opportunities (online and print) to enhance pre-departure learning for guests
- Include information about sustainable tourism, practices, and certifications on website and in print materials (where feasible)
Ethics Policy
At Redline Rafting, we recognize the importance of credibility, integrity and trustworthiness to our success as a business. We are committed to upholding high ethical standards in all our operations. We believe in the principles of honesty, fairness, and respect for all individual.
The Ethical Principles Are:
HONESTY: We will not say things that are false, and will never deliberately mislead.
PROMISE-KEEPING: We will go to great lengths to keep our commitments. We will not make promises that can’t be kept and we will not make promises on behalf of the Company unless we have the authority to do so.
FAIRNESS: We will create and maintain a workplace that is fair and equal for all employees, guests, the public, and partners, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or sex.
RESPECT FOR OTHERS: We will be open and direct in our communication, and receptive to feedback. We will honor and value the abilities and contributions of others, embracing the responsibility and accountability for our actions in this regard.
COMPASSION: We will maintain an awareness of the needs of others and act to meet those needs whenever possible. We will also minimize harm whenever possible. We will act in ways that are consistent with our commitment to social responsibility.
INTEGRITY: We will live up to our ethical principles.
Energy Efficiency Purchasing Policy
Reducing unnecessary energy use saves money, curtails air and water emissions, improves overall environmental quality, and promotes human health and well-being.
Evaluating equipment purchases in terms of maximizing efficiency can save energy, reduce heat buildup, and demonstrate wise resource stewardship. Life cycle costs” of using the equipment are reduced, often with no increase in the “first cost” price.
In purchasing electricity-consuming equipment, Redline Rafting will therefore consider energy efficiency as criteria in selecting equipment to be purchased. Whenever feasible, Redline Rafting will purchase items certified under the EPA Energy Star Program (see www.energystar.gov).
If Energy Star equipment is not purchased, justification will be provided as to why Energy Star equipment cannot meet the intended function.
For categories of equipment for which no Energy Star ratings exist, Redline Rafting will ensure that products being purchased are amongst the most energy efficient in their product category.
Such equipment will include, but is not limited to, computers, appliances, motors, pumps, and electronic equipment.
In addition to purchasing Energy Efficient Appliances, Redline Rafting will:
- Ensure that employees are aware of energy efficiency standards and take steps to minimize energy usage whenever possible (e.g. turning off lights and shutting off air conditioning units when building is unoccupied).
- Utilizing smart power strips to reduce “plug load”
- Reduce energy demand by capturing “day lighting” opportunities.
- Replace incandescent lights with more energy efficient lighting, such as compact fluorescents, overhead fluorescent lights or light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
- Install energy efficient exterior lighting that is appropriate for the location and use
Waste Reduction Purchasing Policy
Annually, 75 million tons of packing-related materials are sent to landfills, constituting more than 30% of landfill waste. Furthermore, a large percentage of packaging materials are made up of some form of plastic. Plastic persists in the environment and has been recognized as one of the primary types of marine debris. Improperly discarded packaging materials, including 6-pack rings, plastic films, packing peanuts, etc. can harm wildlife and pollute air, water, and soil.
In addition to generating tons of waste, packaging production negatively impacts the environment in several ways:
- It drains natural resources (including water and oil).
- It is energy intensive and generates greenhouse gas emissions.
It is therefore important for companies to adopt purchasing policies that seek to minimize unnecessary packaging waste, particularly plastic packaging.
In purchasing new products, Redline Rafting adopts methods to reduce packaging waste with regards to items being purchased. Specifically, Redline Rafting will:
- Avoid over-packaged goods whenever possible. When purchasing items, employees will evaluate packaging, and seek brands with less packaging.
- When feasible, purchase goods, food, etc. in bulk
- When feasible, utilize reusable containers for locally sourced goods, food, etc.
- Work directly with suppliers and vendors to reduce unnecessary packaging, and/or seek suppliers who use renewable, reused, and/or recyclable materials (e.g. shredded paper) in their packaging.
- Give priority to purchasing goods and materials that are made from recycled content.
- When feasible, prioritize buying from local vendors.
Find out more about being eco friendly on vacation from the Hawaii Ecotourism Association.
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