IMPLEMENTING THE YHAI ENVIRONMENTAL
CHARTER
v INTRODUCTION
For
decades, environmentalists have been speaking about the consequences of
depleting our natural resources and polluting the earth. More recently, governments and international agencies
are publicly recognizing the fundamental importance of issues such as global
warming, over population, deforestation, desertification and biodiversity.
The goal of saving the environment is a
high priority for most, but people lack a practical understanding of what they
can do on a personal level. There is a
genuine need to provide examples of proper environmental household management,
and opportunities for individuals personally to participate in conservation
practices.
IYHF
developed and formally adopted an Environmental Charter at its 1992 biennial
Conference.
v THE CHARTER
The
YHAI seeks to encourage environmental awareness and good practice amongst its
member Associations, so enabling the Youth Hostel movement to play its part in
environmental conservation. In order to
enable execution of this objective, the YHAI addressed seven basic areas which
constitute the foundation of its environmental policy.
Ø
CONSUMPTION
Management and
purchasing policies to avoid and minimize waste, facilitate recycling and
minimize the use of materials harmful to the environment will be adopted. Water consumption will be reduced through
measures to minimize water waste.
Ø
RECYCLING
Associations will
commit themselves to use recycled or partially recycled products wherever
feasible. They will also commit to
recycling as many resources as possible, such as paper, glass, metal, plastic and organic materials, and develop the necessary
changes in operations to implement comprehensive recycling practices. Where there are no available recycling
facilities, emphasis will be placed on avoiding and minimizing waste.
Ø
POLLUTION
As the
largest single source of pollution from the operation of hostels is disposal of
waste, pollution will be minimized through the use of efficient and
environmentally acceptable methods of waste reduction and disposal.
Ø
ENERGY CONSERVATION
Associations
will monitor energy consumption and seek to minimize energy usage in its
hostels and operations. IYHF will seek
to encourage use of renewable energy resources and promote projects to this end
where possible.
Ø
TRANSPORT
Associations
will encourage use of available public transport and supply full information on
public transport at all Youth Hostels.
Alternatively, car sharing will be encouraged and hostellers using cars
will be encouraged to discover surrounding areas by public transport, bicycle,
or on foot.
Ø
NATURE
Environmental
concerns will be taken into consideration when caring for hostel grounds. For hostels located in or near a specially
designated nature area, Associations will encourage support and protection of
those areas.
Ø
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
Activities
and displays promoting the importance of adopting environmental practices,
changing personal habits, and emphasising the
individual's ability to influence change positively will be a featured part of
the hostel experience. Associations will
consider making suitable Youth Hostels into special environmental study centres where possible.
v THE WORK
PLAN
This Work Plan is intended to be a
source of encouragement and suggestions for the implementation of the YHAI
Environmental Charter. State Associations
will be responsible for adapting this work plan into more specific
implementation plans which are responsive to the needs of individual hostel
wardens in their own states. Providing more detailed information - such as
revised issue guidelines, time tables, approved products and local resources -
is essential for successful implementation of the Charter.
There are guidelines below for each of
the Charter's issue area. These
guidelines are divided into minimum standards and advanced efforts for each
issue. They provide a framework around
which each State Association will be able to develop its own, more specific
guidelines appropriate for its particular culture, climate and special
circumstances. The guidelines gives
guidance for Associations, the suggested actions listed in each issue area are
intended to be implemented by individual hostel wardens.
GUIDELINES FOR THE CHARTER IMPLEMENTATION BY ISSUE AREA
This section lists minimum standards and
advanced efforts for each issue area in the Charter. The Minimum Standards establish basic levels
of environmental practices and set achievable goals for all hostels. The Advanced Efforts set goals for hostels,
which have already met the basic standards, thus recognizing the achievement of
these hostels, while providing incentives for further progress. For each level there are implemented examples
from hostels in different climates and cultural areas.
1) Consumption
i)
Management and purchasing policies should be adopted that avoid
waste, facilitate recycling and minimize the use of materials harmful to the
environment. Consistent with health and
safety, packing should be minimized and, where possible, re-used.
ii)
Wardens must exercise care when purchasing other products,
which might be convenient but are also environmentally destructive. Some products may seem harmless, but using
them can actually result in damaging the environment due to the production
methods used or disposal of the product.
Purchase supplies, which earn environmental certification from
government or credible independent agencies, where possible.
b)
Minimum Standards
i)
Review and implement management policies and purchasing
policies with a view to avoiding waste.
ii)
Research and implement maintenance and cleaning methods which
use non-toxic, multipurpose products where possible.
iii)
Prevent water waste by regular maintenance on plumbing.
iv)
Educate hostellers about the necessity of reducing
consumption and of wisely choosing what we consume through signs and by
example.
c)
Advanced Efforts
i)
Establish and implement higher levels of minimum standards
1.1.1 and 1.1.2.
ii)
Reduce water usage by installing simple water saving devices
and/or replacing fixtures with those that use less water.
iii)
Feature the use of abundant, environmentally safe, natural or
recycled local building materials whenever possible.
iv)
Offer local, organically produced food whenever possible.
2) Recycling
i)
Recycling minimizes waste, reduces the need for raw materials,
saves energy and makes good economic sense.
ii)
Although recycling systems may not be provided at
national/local levels in some areas, these guidelines are intended to encourage
as much recycling as possible and to promote the principle. Where there are no accessible recycling
facilities, more emphasis should be placed on avoiding and minimizing
waste.
iii)
Recycling in hostels requires a reliable infrastructure. Staff must be appropriately trained to
optimize the benefits of recycling and to maintain efficient hostel
operation.
b)
Minimum Standards
i)
Develop a recycling plan and monitoring system:
c)
recycle as many resources as possible
d)
train hostel staff
i)
Purchase products made from recycled materials where
possible.
ii)
Educate hostellers about proper recycling through signs and
by example
e)
Advanced Efforts
i)
Recycle the following materials where possible:
i.
glass plastic
ii.
aluminium batteries
iii.
mixed metals textiles
iv.
paper
ii)
Compost organic material where possible.
iii)
Use recyclable products where possible.
iv)
Initiate and support actions by other organizations to
promote recycling.
3) Pollution
i)
The largest single potential source of pollution is the solid
waste from the operation of hostels.
Avoiding the production of waste is most important. Waste materials do
not disappear; they only change forms in the waste disposal cycle.
ii)
Whatever the type and location of the hostel, a plan should
be established for handling and disposing of waste.
b)
Minimum Standards
i)
Develop a solid waste management plan to achieve measurable
reductions with specific goals.
ii)
Reduce unnecessary packaging waste by purchasing from
suppliers that minimize packing materials and reuse or recycle containers.
iii)
Avoid the use of cleaning materials which contain harmful
chemicals. Where they must be used,
ensure the staff are trained to use and dispose of
them properly.
iv)
Educate hostellers about pollution caused by waste through
signs and by example.
c)
Advanced Efforts
i)
Collect and properly dispose of all wastes, and particularly
toxic waste such as batteries, oil, paint, etc.
ii)
Treat, by filtration or other means, liquid waste not
connected to sewage or purification systems.
iii)
Initiate and support actions by the government and by other
organizations to reduce pollution.
4)
Energy Conservation
i)
Conserving energy leads to saving non-renewable resources,
decreasing acid rain, reducing radioactive waste and reducing the greenhouse
effect. There will be less developmental
pressure on land and water resources as a result of decreasing the use of
energy.
ii)
Energy conservation also make
economic sense. Finding and eliminating
sources of wasted energy can help lower the cost of operating a hostel
substantially. The energy conservation
standards listed below are designed first to identify the areas where the
hostel consumes the most energy, and then to determine how to decrease the
consumption of energy most efficiently and economically.
b)
Minimum Standards
i)
Conduct an internal energy audit to identify the sources of
the greatest expenditures of energy.
ii)
Formulate an energy conservation plan to reduce these
expenditures.
iii)
Install energy efficient lighting where lights are used for
long periods of time.
iv)
Properly control, maintain and improve heating/cooling units
and appliances for optimal performance.
Take advantage of natural ventilation.
v)
Promote energy conservation to hostellers through signs and
by example.
c)
Advanced Efforts
i)
Install energy efficient lighting and/or suitable controls.
ii)
Utilize renewable energy resources such as solar power.
iii)
Replace old or inefficient heating/cooling units and
appliances with energy efficient ones.
iv)
Install insulation where appropriate eg
double glazed windows.
v)
Swith off the
lights as you leave the room with eclectronic swith of system.
5) Transport
i)
Generally public transport causes leas pollution. Hostellers should be encouraged to reduce the
use of private vehicles and increase use of public transport. Information about public transport should be
prominently displayed. The intent is to
offer the choice of exploring an area in a more relaxed way, one which reduces
harmful impacts on the environment.
b)
Minimum Standards
i)
Provide accurate, up-to-date, public transportation
information in the form of timetables, routes and maps.
ii)
Provide information on alternative transportation such as
bicycle rental, hiking trails, car sharing, etc.
c)
Advanced Efforts
i)
Sell public transportation tickets at hostels served by public
transport.
ii)
Offer or facilitate long term parking.
iii)
Support public transportation awareness campaigns and
interest groups.
6) Nature
i)
Hostel maintenance extends beyond the physical structure to
include the area surrounding the hostel.
The same conservation criteria that apply to the hostel building should
be applied to the hostel grounds. This
includes garden planning, lawn and garden maintenance products, watering
systems, even outdoor lighting.
ii)
In addition, if the hostel is located in or near a nature
reserve, park or other specially designated area, hostellers should be
encouraged to support and protect the park system. Planned activities and displays for
hostellers are a good beginning for this process.
b)
Minimum Standards
i)
Maintain hostel garden and grounds, where they exist, with
environmentally safe products and techniques.
ii)
Support the continued protection of nature reserves, parks
and other specially protected areas.
iii)
Educate hostellers about local environmental preservation
initiatives through signs, maps and other displays.
c)
Advanced Efforts
i)
Restore
hostel grounds, where they exist, to a low maintenance or natural growth
garden.
ii)
Grow organic fruits, vegetables and/or herbs.
iii)
Be involved in local development plans to improve the hostel
surroundings.
7) Environmental
Education
i)
The goal of environmental education is to influence
people: to make them aware of the
environment as an indivisible whole; to enable them to recognize environmental problems;
and, to provide them with the tools to make educated decisions that protect the
environment.
ii)
In environmental education, learning by example is
indispensable. Hostels are ideally
situated to provide an opportunity to learn by example because hostelling, by
nature, is co-operative and interactive.
However, it is essential to be consistent. If a hostel markets itself as a centre of
good conservation practices, the operation of the hostel must be consistent
with its message.
iii)
The hostel wardens should be willing and enthusiastic
participants. Instituting conservation
practices, adjusting behaviour of hostel staff and
encouraging this behaviour modification among hostel
guests are examples of the critically important role that hostel wardens will
be called on to play.
iv)
Activities and displays emphasizing the importance of
adopting conservation and preservation practices (rather than maintaining the
current state of affairs), developing personal responsibility, and highlighting
the individual's ability to positively influence change should be a featured
part of the hostel experience.
b)
Minimum Standards
i)
Stress environmental issues and implementation of the Charter
on every possible occasion.
ii)
Encourage staff to educate guests in environmental
awareness. This is further expanded in
the Minimum Standards for other issues.
c)
Advanced Efforts
i)
Develop presentations on the environmental practices used by
specific hostels.
ii)
Offer hostel-based, environmental education programmes to hostellers and members of the community such
as nature activities, seminars, discussions, displays, etc.
iii)
Co-operate with local organizations, schools and universities
in the design and implementation of hostel environmental programmes.
iv)
Establish selected hostels as environmental study centres by providing classrooms, laboratory facilities,
instructors and a curriculum.
(a)
Participants
to be made aware about the environment of the Camp, i.e. introduction to the (i) flora – fauna; (ii) Rules and Regulations; and (iii)
General Cleanliness measures to be taken at the base camp and subsequent camps.
(b)
Management to use environment friendly food stuffs and
minimize the use of pollution creating stuffs at the source itself:
(i)
The Garbage produced at site to be segregated at camp;
(ii)
Disposal made by scientific means like making of landfills
and recycle by sending non-biodegradable back after camp
(iii)
To declare the camps as “Polythene free zones”
(c)
Drinking water to be separated from the water
used for washing purpose. Minimize waste by using proper means like better
taps/containers.
(d)
Waste water disposal to be made by way of temporary
septic/soakage pits adjacent to camp sites and avoid any sort of disposal to
the Natural water source
- Septic/soakage to be covered at the end of the
camp
(e)
Polluting of camp atmosphere by use of smoking, drugs,
alcohol, spiting etc. to be avoided strictly.
(f)
Awareness hoarding/posters/slogans about environment protection
to be enhanced and encouraged through participants at the camp sites.
(g)
Participants to avoid disturbing any sort of flora and fauna
around the camps or on treks
(h)
Participants should not go too close to any insect, reptile,
wild animals or other animals around the camps or on trek for the safety of the
flora and fauna and the participants himself.
(i)
Swimming and bathing in natural rivers/streams/beaches is
prohibited in camps.
(j)
Any sort of health problem to be reported immediately to the
camp leader by the participants.
(k)
On the trek from one camp to another, there should be no
disturbance to the local flora and fauna;
(l)
Participants during trekking should respect and observe the
culture and traditions of the local communities
(m)No garbage
throwing of any kind on the trek, instead to bring back the wrappers, polythene
bags etc found on way to the camp site.
(n)
To check sound pollution
during the trekking programmes
(o)
To use only the stipulated routes/trails and avoid any short cut
which will endanger the environment or the participant.
(p)
Use of wood in camp fire is prohibited
(q)
To give cloth bags to the participants
(r)
A booklet to be prepared for Do’s and Don’ts of trekking.
Our habitat
is the special environment where we all grow.
Therefore, it is our duty to protect the environment around us from
pollution.
As
we spend most of our time in our Office, it is our utmost responsibility to
protect the environment there. We
request you to implement these guidelines in your Offices at National, State
and Unit levels:
1.