On Sunday, I was spoiled with the opportunity to see my hometown – Vancouver, BC – from a new perspective. From my seat aboard a high speed Zodiac-style boat, I was zipped around Howe Sound on a Sea Safari Eco-Tour exploring caves, racing by steep cliffs, and watching harbour seals at play. As we turned the corner around Bowen Island and spotted the sparkling city in the distance, I had a newfound appreciation for the towering North Shore Mountains, beautiful Stanley Park, and clear waters of the Strait of Georgia.
This new look at Vancouver has inspired me to reduce my environmental footprint. Lucky for me, going green doesn’t mean giving up my favourite pastime – travel. A growing number of tourism businesses in the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region are taking initiatives to reduce their environmental footprint so that we can continue to enjoy BC’s nature, wildlife, and great outdoors. The July issue of Story Starters shares secrets for travelling through the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region, leaving nothing but a footprint. Kermit the Frog was wrong: not only is it easy being green, in Vancouver, Coast & Mountains it is fun, too!
Imagine hitting a golf ball off the top of spectacular Mount Currie and watching it spiral towards the beautiful Pemberton Valley below – it brings a whole new meaning to the term ‘longest drive’. This golfers dream is all part of the “Heli Golf” package with Blackcomb Helicopters and Big Sky Golf & Country Club. The day begins at the Whistler Municipal Heliport where Blackcomb Helicopters will whisk you away into the pristine and rugged landscape at the top of Mount Currie. From here, practice your swing as you hit biodegradable, earth-friendly golf balls down into the Pemberton Valley. Once you’re warmed up, climb back on the Blackcomb Helicopter and get dropped off for a memorable round of golf at the spectacular Big Sky Golf & Country Club. At the end of your day you and your party will be picked up and flown in style back to Whistler. Earth friendly golf balls? Check. One of BC's best golf courses? Check. A once in a lifetime experience? Most definitely! www.bigskygolf.com
Sunshine, eight live bands, tasty Caribbean cooking - summer doesn’t get much better than this. On July 12-13, 2008 Maple Ridge’s Caribbean Festival celebrates the cultures of the Caribbean Islands. This year, fairgoers will have something more to celebrate: they’re treading just a bit lighter on the earth. The Caribbean Festival has taken several steps to become a greener event, from encouraging people to bring their own beverage mugs to asking vendors to use recyclable or environmentally friendly plates, cutlery and cleaning products. The Festival has also partnered with the Salvation Army, bringing in recycling bins for bottles, cans, and other items. All proceeds from the recycled materials will go towards Salvation Army programs – with 18,000+ people expected to attend, that’s a whole lot of recycling! The 8th Annual Caribbean Festival, which is known as BC’s favourite Street Party, will take place in the downtown core of Maple Ridge in Peace Park. Caribbean music, food, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing you’ve minimized your carbon footprint? Now that’s something to celebrate! www.caribbeanfest.ca
Al Gore has helped motivate thousands of people to think twice before pressing 'Print' or trashing that recyclable can. But while we may be good at protecting the environment at home, the inconvenient truth is that our best environmental behaviour is often forgotten while on vacation. Not to worry: Vancouver-based Landsea Tours offers daytrips and city tours designed to help travellers lessen their environmental impact. Landsea Tours has already exceeded the greenhouse gas reduction targets mandated by the provincial government by switching to a 50% bio-diesel blend made from used deep-fry oil and other animal or vegetable waste oils. Landsea is also operating a 12-passenger tour bus powered by pure hydrogen – in other words, there’s nothing but steam coming out the tail pipe! The hydrogen is a waste by-product from a chemical plant in North Vancouver which, until recently, was just vented into the atmosphere. The hydrogen is now being captured and dispensed through a filling station in North Vancouver for use in Landsea’s buses. For more information, check-out Landsea’s new 2008 tour brochure: it’s printed on recycled paper made from 100% post-consumer waste. Isn't that convenient? www.vancouvertours.com
Everybody loves the beach in summertime. Don’t believe me? Try finding a spot to spread your towel on a hot summer’s day in July. But we’re about to let you in on a little secret – the Sunshine Coast is home to secret beaches that you can love without having to share. Some are so far off the beaten path that to reach them requires a boat, like Buccaneer Bay Marine Park – a small marine park located on the sand spit on the southern tip of North Thormanby Island. This park has beautiful broad sandy beaches and warm waters. Other beaches are just over that hill no one else has bothered to climb, such as Smuggler Cove Marine Park. Smuggler Cove is a small, picturesque all-weather anchorage on the south side of Sechelt Peninsula near Secret Cove. To access this park by land, visitors can hike 4 km from a parking lot off Hwy 101. Other secret spots include Savary Island (where white sand beaches look more Caribbean than Canadian) and Erickson Beach (a secluded little spot just to the south of the pier in Van Anda on Texada Island). Whether you like rocky beaches or prefer to stick to sand, the Sunshine Coast’s secret beaches have one thing in common: you take only photos and leave only footprints. Just be sure to keep it that way. www.vcmbc.com
You can talk the talk – you know the difference between eco, natural and organic. You know the meaning of carbon-neutral, carbon trading and carbon footprint. So, it’s time you walk the walk (and we really do mean walk!). The Fraser Canyon is a spectacular summer hiking and walking destination. Beginner hikers can start out at Falls Lake near Hope. The 2 km trail takes about 2 hours and winds through a beautiful interior forest setting to an alpine lake. Intermediate hikers will enjoy the challenge of Yale’s Spirit Caves Trail. The caves are known for the mystic whistling sound made when the wind blows through them. Plan for a 3-hour trek roundtrip and an elevation gain of 500 metres. Experienced hikers will be rewarded with the stunning views from the top of Mount Outram in Manning Park. The skill level is rated difficult because of the steep terrain – the final 1000 feet is especially steep, but the views at the top make it all worthwhile. Or, spend the day at one of BC’s newest wilderness protected areas, the Mehatl Creek Provincial Park. The park is just three hours from the Lower Mainland and allows experienced wilderness adventurers to enjoy the beauty of scenic alpine ridges, lush subalpine meadows, and pristine old-growth forests - all in perfect silence. www.exploreouroutdoors.com
