Going Green on the Great White Continent

GOING GREEN

A pioneer in sustainable tourism and conservation in Antarctica, Quark Expeditions has grand ambitions for preserving this fragile part of the world.

See how small actions make big differences.

ON THE GREAT WHITE CONTINENT

While record-breaking cold temperatures have been recorded in Antarctica, in recent years the continent has also seen record highs: 21 degrees Celsius in February 2020, in fact. The impact of climate change on the world’s most southern continent could be devastating for the entire planet, with ice and snow melt causing oceans around the world to rise, and warmer seas threatening global marine life.

While many argue that more ships, and people, coming here is contributing to this very event, Quark Expeditions – like many polar scientists – has always

01 World Explorer © Guillaume Marion 02 Ice caps are vital to gentoo penguin populations © David Merron 03 Spotting the elusive leopard seal © Acacia Johnson 02

Managing tourists

The number of visitors to Antarctica is rising, with 56,000 people travelling here over the 2018/2019 season. There are strict rules in place to manage where they go, with tourism permitted for five months of the year and concentrated in two per cent of the Antarctic. While many people never step foot on land (bigger ships are prohibited from docking), smaller ships are also limited to a maximum of 100 people on the ice at any given time.

How to be a responsible tourist

Keep your distance Antarctic animals are a curious bunch; while they may come up to you, try to keep a distance of five metres at all times. Touching and feeding the wildlife is prohibited. Turn off your flash You’ll take thousands of photos in Antarctica, but make sure your flash is off when you’re around animals. Lower your voice Yelling, squealing, screaming and talking at the top of your voice will frighten wildlife at best, and make them mad at worst. Leave contamination at home Antarctica is pristine, and to keep it this way, Quark issues special boots before you step on the ice. These are decontaminated after every excursion. Leave behind only footprints, take only photos Don’t drop your rubbish on the ice, and don’t pick up souvenirs to take home. Watch your step There aren’t many plants in Antarctica, and those that are present can take years, decades even, to grow. Watch your step!

03 believed that visiting Antarctica will turn travellers into passionate advocates against climate change.

Travel has the power to inspire and educate, in so doing altering perceptions about the environment, and how we can preserve and improve it. That doesn’t mean the company is not dedicated to reducing its footprint across the continent, however.

In addition to being a founding member of the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) – the body that oversees tourism across the continent – Quark has established a ‘Polar Promise’ to create a comprehensive framework for sustainability around this spectacular wilderness region.

As part of this commitment, Quark launched the first-ever carbon-neutral

voyage to Antarctica in 2012. Since then, the company has eliminated single-use plastics on ships, cut emissions from vessels by 28 per cent and, during the 2018/19 Antarctic season, established the SeaGreen recycling initiative, diverting 647 cubic metres of recyclable material away from landfill (Quark Expeditions was only responsible for 270 cubic metres of this total).

Every year, more than US$500,000 is raised through in-kind donations, Quark funding, and funds from passenger auctions to support key polar environmental research,

community engagement and sustainable development projects. Some of the organisations currently benefiting from this Quark investment include the South Georgia Heritage Trust, Penguin Watch and Seabird Watch.

The company is thinking even bigger for the future, aiming to reduce carbon emissions per passenger by 10 per cent and have a zero-waste plan on Quark Expeditions-owned vessels by 2025. By this time, the positive benefits of bringing people to the polar regions will far outweigh any impact of taking people there.

04 Appreciating a sea-level view © Nicky Souness 05 Capturing an Adelie penguin © David Merron 06 An animal of the ice © David Merron 05

See how Quark Expeditions is working to protect polar regions.

Polar Promise at a Glance

Quark Expeditions has impressive goals for Antarctic conservation. Here’s their Polar Promise, in numbers.

28%

The amount that emissions from Quark Expeditions vessels have decreased since 2010.

95% The reduced volume of waste on board new Quark ships thanks to the introduction of Micro Auto Gasification Systems that thermally break down waste.

647

The number of cubic metres of recyclable material diverted from landfill during the 2018/19 season thanks to the SeaGreen recycling initiative.

US $500,000 The annual figure Quark Expeditions aims to raise to fund vital polar research initiatives, community engagement and sustainable development projects.

The figure, per passenger, that Quark aims to reduce its carbon emissions by come 2025. 10 % The number of single use plastics on Quark Expeditions ships. Not a single 0 one across any ship in the fleet.