Many tourism and hospitality businesses in Edinburgh, are already fully committed and on their Net Zero journey. Below is a selection of case studies to inspire you to take action, and to showcase the work of businesses leading the way:
- Edinburgh Festivals – This new publication seeks to provide some examples of the many ways the Edinburgh Festivals are taking action to not only reduce those carbon impacts in their control but also influence others to do the same. Be inspired by their collective action across a number of key organisational areas, such as operations and communications, and illustrate the festivals’ journey towards achieving their climate goals.
- Camera Obscura & World of Illusions – their journey towards sustainability is data-driven and meticulously planned. By carefully monitoring their energy consumption, waste generation, and water usage, they’ve made significant strides in understanding and mitigating our carbon footprint.
- Edinburgh Airport – is now carbon neutral for emissions under its direct control, demonstrating the airport’s commitment to a more sustainable future. Their Greater Good Strategy sets out four key pillars for a more sustainable future at the airport.
- ‘Our Stories, Your City’ by Mercat Tours – a new, unique collaboration of visitor attractions in Edinburgh, which offers visitors an award-winning, five-star walking tour at the same time as supporting some of Edinburgh’s most vulnerable people by paying forward entry tickets for vulnerable people. A fantastic example of tourism being used as a force for good and giving back to the city.
- SCOTO, Scotland’s community tourism network – SCOTO was set up to be a forum for networking, collaboration and learning about the work of others, and to represent and provide leadership specifically for Community Tourism organisations and enterprises across Scotland. They have a range of community lead tourism case studies on their website.
- Wilderness Group – Carbon Emissions Framework Methodology
The Wilderness Group, which encompasses Wilderness Scotland, have shared their carbon emissions methodology on an “open source” basis to support other tourism businesses in reducing carbon emissions and making commitments to Net Zero.
- Best Western Kings Manor Hotel – Interesting (short) video about the – GTBS gold since 2000. The hotel explains their resource efficiency measures across all aspects of their business. Apart from the cost saving benefits of resource efficiency, being part of an environmentally conscious business boosts staff morale.
- The Edinburgh Remakery – This social enterprise encourages and empowers residents and businesses to repair, remake and re-use their existing possessions – from furniture to computers.
The Edinburgh Remakery creates jobs, reduces landfill and helps cut the city’s carbon footprint, whilst teaching key repair skills and providing resources for some of the capital’s most vulnerable citizens.
Some info to inspire!
- Karshare (the Airbnb of cars)
- Top up taps. Encouraging the reuse of water bottles through 5 new taps in Edinburgh: Leith, Portobello, Royal Mile, West End and Grassmarket. (Oct 2020)
- Travalyst – Led by The Duke of Sussex in partnership with Booking.com, Google, Skyscanner, Trip.com Group, TripAdvisor, and Visa, Travalyst is a NPF organisation working to help bring about the systemic changes needed in order for sustainable travel to be taken out of the niche, and into the mainstream.