GOING GREEN - How We Make A Difference
Since Yannis started out more than 14 years
ago, he has strived from the very beginning to preserve the unspoilt, quiet
natural beauty which is Gerakas; conserve the many species of flora and fauna
(some of which are endangered) found here; support the local community; keep
mass tourism and the damage it causes at bay; create a successful, working
model of sustainable tourism and show that it has a future here in Zakynthos
and elsewhere in Greece.
All our properties are owned by local Greek people. We therefore not only
support them, but also prevent large holiday companies from buying land and
building hotels here. Our guests are aware before they arrive that they will
be staying in a conservation area with endangered sea turtles, monk seals
and other flora and fauna. We encourage our guests to be informed about the
environment here and we are happy to speak with you about it and introduce
you to the Archelon Sea Turtle volunteers.
We encourage the Greek owners of our holiday properties to try to make the accommodation as environmentally friendly as possible, particularly as we live in a conservation area. This includes solar panelling for hot water and energy-efficient light bulbs. Most properties have air-conditioning and we ask that our guests use this sparingly, as well as electricity and water.
The gardens and fruit trees surrounding our properties are tended regularly and no pesticides or insecticides are used in their care. The turkeys, goats, pigs, sheep and chickens that you will see are free-range and raised organically.
We run eco-tourism catamaran cruises to see the turtles in a sensitive and respectful way. We team up with another local company to run jeep safari tours to take our guests off the well-trodden tourist track to see the traditional Zakynthos. This also boosts tourism in rural mountain areas of the island. We also run nature walks to bring our guests face to face with our wonderful flora and fauna.
We maintain and staff the Earth Sea & Sky Information Centre, informing our guests and tourists about the turtles and other endangered species. Earth Sea & Sky organises and assists with conservation work such as beach clean ups and we encourage our guests to take part. We support Archelon, Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece and give them a base at the Information Centre from which to work. Volunteers hold regular slide shows at the centre, which are interesting for everyone. We support Medasset, the WWF and the National Marine Park of Zakynthos, and help to enforce its laws.
£10 from every booking is now donated to Earth Sea & Sky to further concentrate our conservation efforts at Gerakas. This means we will be able to not only improve the Information Centre, but do more work on the nesting beach and with local people. All to ensure that Gerakas remains the way nature intended.
We work hard to put pressure on the local community to not over-develop Gerakas, to take care of the beach and nests, especially with sun beds and umbrellas, and to develop a cordial relationship with the conservationists. Local people need to appreciate that they have a beautiful natural heritage and that it is their duty to take care of it, to safeguard it for future generations of their families and visitors alike.
Supporting The CarbonNeutral Flights Scheme
FACT: One single short haul flight produces
roughly the same amount of the global warming gas as 3 months worth of driving
a 1.4 litre car. And we're all flying more.
You can't do much about the fuel efficiency of aircraft, but as a green holiday
company we are trying to make all our guests more aware about the enormous
pollution air travel causes and how you can redress the balance. When going
on holiday you can reduce your personal contribution to global warming by
making your flights CarbonNeutral. This means offsetting the amount of pollution
produced by the planting of trees or the use of energy efficient light bulbs.
By visiting www.carbonneutral.com and clicking on the Carbon Calculator, you can work out exactly how much CO2 pollution is produced by your return flights to Zakynthos. For example, a return short haul flight from LGW to Zakynthos, a distance of 4454km, produces 0.8 tonnes of CO2 per person*. The purchase of 2 sapling trees grown to maturity or 2 energy efficient light bulbs means you can balance out this pollution.
In return you receive a CarbonNeutral package, which includes:
(+) Not if you opt for email certificates
*All figures are presented by the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management
