Whitepod’s eco credentials have gone from strength to strength and this winter, Whitepod’s fourth season, sees the launch of a partnership with Coolearth to offset all guests’ carbon emissions and the application for the European Eco Label. Both in the camp and also for guests travels to Switzerland, Whitepod is dedicated to putting something back – guests are encouraged to take the train and as a result are rewarded with a discount on pod rates.
This exclusive eco resort offers an extensive list of activities all of which embrace and promote the protection of the mountain wilderness found on the doorstep. Qualified mountain guides employed walk to work from the village nearby and take guests on snow shoeing and nature trails, farm visits, local wine & food tastings and in 2008 new eco kid’s camps will also add to the menu of activities on offer. A Whitepod stay guarantees a green, low impact home from home alpine holiday for eco conscious and responsibly minded travellers. Whitepod’s top green credentials include the following:
Services & facilities
- Partnership with Coolearth www.coolearth.org to offset carbon emissions
- Application for and compliance with eco criteria for the European Eco Label www.eco-label.com
- Five marked snowshoeing and hiking trails for all levels of ability and wildlife observation tours for guests who are provided with a leaflet highlighting how to respect the mountain environment
- Eco tips documentation to apply in the camp and also at home
- Low impact accommodation, pods are all heated by woodstoves with no individual bathrooms or electricity (only in the Pavilion pods)
- Whitepod uses Ecover www.ecover.com cleaning products and provides Swiss beauty products in the spa & pods
- The new mountain refuge opens in December introducing hip eco living and alpine traditions
Sustainable Tourism and Socio-cultural criteria
- All waste is recycled and local produce is delivered in large reuseable wooden crates
- Menus designed to maximise the use of local Swiss produce
- For the benefit of local residents and to provide for the camp itself, Whitepod has reopened the local grocery shop which previously closed due to the opening of large supermarkets near by
- Whitepod organises ski racing events for the blind raising money for charity
- The majority of Staff are Swiss locals including the qualified mountain guides
- The resort is visually low impact, with white pod covers for winter and green covers for summer
Further eco notes:
Whitepod was the winner of the Responsible Tourism Award for Innovation in 2005. In February 2006 Whitepod was presented as a viable project in a French conference on global warming and the future of ski resorts and will be participating in the Swedish conference on tourism innovation in November 2008. Whitepod was backed as a key project at the SWITI (Swiss Talent for Innovation Initiative) conference in March 2007.
To find out more about Whitepod please visit their website.
