What does Earth Day mean to us?

Join us in renewing our commitment to the planet

Earth Day is observed every year on 22 April, and aims to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote global efforts to protect the planet.

For more than 33 years, we have always strived to travel respectfully, preserving and protecting the remarkable destinations we visit. A sustainable future has never been more important and we see expedition travel as a force for good. This Earth Day, we wanted to share some of our initiatives which help make a positive impact on our planet.

Here are 6 things we’ve initiated or are working towards to help preserve our environment for future generations

1. Antarctic Climate Expedition

This year, we completed our ground-breaking inaugural Antarctic Climate Expedition. Led by inspiring advocate for ocean conservation Dr Sylvia Earle, we hosted 117 Climate Ambassadors from all across the world, aged 12 – 88. In partnership with Ocean Geographic, the expedition’s mission was to address the warming climate and loss of ice in the southern polar region.

Each participant had an active role in contributing to reports, capturing images and video content as well as participation in research and citizen science initiatives. As a result, 8 Climate Resolutions were formulated – with actions to help achieve Net Zero by 2035 from an ocean perspective. The full details on the resolutions, as well as further reports, documentaries and exhibitions are coming soon, so stay tuned!

In addition, we have already commenced planning for our next Climate Expedition, which will run in the Arctic in 2025 with Dr Earle.

2. Carbon Offsetting – the projects we give back to

We are 100% Climate Neutral, and carbon offset our adventures through two key regenerative projects:

Project 1: Biodiversity in South Australia
We invest in a biodiversity conservation project in Australia. Mount Sandy Conservation on South Australia’s Limestone Coast promotes conservation partnerships between the traditional Ngarrindjeri landowners and non-Indigenous Australians through vital conservation work. The program ensures permanent protection of a regionally and culturally important pocket of biodiverse-rich land.

Project 2: Wind Renewables in Taiwan
We invest in InfraVest Tongyuan Windfarm, a renewable energy project in northwest Taiwan harnessing wind power for a sustainable and secure energy future.

3. Citizen Science Program - get involved and give back

It’s not just about us giving back, it’s about each expeditioner giving back to the beautiful environments we visit. Through Citizen Science projects onboard our ships, you will provide invaluable data to the scientific community, and make a real difference. We encourage expeditionary to take home and share what you have learned and become a true ambassador for the protection of our planet.

We operate seven dynamic and diverse Citizen Science Projects focusing on whales, seabirds, microplastics, weather patterns, phytoplankton, polar fjordlands and marine biodiversity.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the Citizen Science Programs! I participated in the Cloud survey and Bird survey. I appreciated seeing other members of the E Team participating just like the passengers, clearly out of genuine interest.”

“It is superb that passengers can observe and even participate in scientific research. It enriches the passenger experience and understanding of Antarctica.”

“I liked the program because it engaged the passengers and was hands on learning. We use a similar program at [home]... It's feet wet, hands muddy engagement and it really resonates with the volunteers. Your program does the same for the passengers. Bravo!”

4. One of the first members of both IAATO and AECO

We are proud to be one of the first operators to become a member of both the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) and the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO). These organisations promote responsible tourism and work to ensure that our activities have minimal impact on the environment.

As a member of IAATO and AECO, we are committed to following their guidelines and regulations to protect the fragile ecosystems we visit. These include limiting the number of visitors to certain areas, ensuring that waste is properly disposed of, and avoiding any activities that could harm wildlife or their habitats.

5. Innovative ship technology

Our purpose-built ships, the Greg Mortimer and the Sylvia Earle, operate with low energy consumption, high fuel-efficiency and a streamlined design to deliver a reduction in emissions.

How? That comes down to our innovative Ulstein X-BOW^® design. The Greg Mortimer was the first passenger vessel to feature this design, which has a higher transit speed through waves and experiences less vibrations. Not only does this mean that passengers arrive at their destination faster, but the ship produces fewer emissions and overall fuel consumption is significantly reduced.

The X-BOW^® represents a huge step forward in technology, but also in efforts to preserve and protect the environment for the future.

6. We're working towards B-Corp Certification

Looking towards the future, we are actively working towards becoming a certified B Corp. This certification recognises companies that meet high standards of social and environmental responsibility, and will hold us accountable to even higher standards and provide us with a framework for continuous improvement.

B Corp certification requires companies to meet rigorous standards in several areas, including governance, workers, community, environment and customers. In order to achieve this certification, we are implementing numerous initiatives, and aim to be certified by 2024.

Interested in how we're doing MORE for the Planet?

Sustainability in Action Plan

We have an ongoing commitment to responsible, respectful travel. We are curious, we are passionate. We care about reducing our footprint environmentally. We are taking real actions for the care of the planet. We are doing MORE to help make a positive impact on the planet.