Pacific Northwest Expeditions
Whenever Gillian Butler or Brian Collen need to make a business decision for their Pacific Northwest Expeditions company, they ask themselves one question: "Does it meet our sustainability program?" "In all aspects of our business we look through that lens," say the owners of the company. "From our trip plan to our marketing material, sustainability is something we plan all our operations around."
Pacific Northwest Expeditions (PNE) is a sea kayak guiding operation on Vancouver Island, mostly running trips to Johnstone Strait, but also to Clayoquot Sound, the Broken Group Islands, and the Gulf Islands. Whether it’s at the office in Nanaimo, the summer base in Port McNeil or out on trips, this company focuses on sustainability, and that’s not just lip service.
First, the staff and company donate time and money to a long list of environmental organizations to ensure that their backyard and the wilderness areas to which the company travels, are sustained and healthy. "We tried to look at organizations that directly or indirectly affect where we run trips or where we live," Collen says. A portion of revenues generated from all trips is dedicated to organizations such as the Wild Killer Whale Adoption Program and the Johnson Strait Killer Whale Interpretive Centre Society. PNE also gives time or money to the Georgia Strait Alliance, The David Suzuki Foundation, Raincoast Conservation Society, Strait Watch, The Land Conservancy of BC and Nanaimo and Area Land Trust.
The Sustainability Program extends to trip supplies as well. "We have a policy of sourcing all equipment and supplies locally," Collen says. "We try and source everything on Vancouver Island and we also look to each area we run trips to and try and support local businesses."
Out on the water, Pacific Northwest Expeditions only serves organic vegetarian food with a little bit of seafood. "It costs more in dollars," Collen says, "but if you look at the real costs it doesn’t cost more. That’s the point we’re trying to deliver." The costs of pesticides and herbicides on the environment are never considered in the price of non-organic food, he says. On every trip the merits of organic comes up. "It’s a good vehicle for delivering the message," he says. "We get incredible feedback on serving vegetarian and organic. A lot of people get back off a trip and write to us saying they are eating more organic and vegetarian because of the food we served."
Another reason for serving seafood-vegetarian is that any left over seafood can be thrown back into the ocean and vegetable scrapings can be collected and composted in their garden in Nanaimo. PNE buys in bulk and pre-packs all their food into reusable containers to reduce waste, and guides collect all garbage and recyclables. "We bring all the recycling back to Nanaimo," Collen says. "Some areas don’t have the recycling facilities we have down here."
It’s no small job lugging compost and recycling from Port McNeil or Tofino back to Nanaimo. Collen and the rest of the staff at Pacific Northwest Expeditions are obviously dedicated to the sustainability program. Imagine what the world would be like if everyone looked through the same lens in their business and daily lives.
Website: www.seakayakbc.com
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