Atlantis Submarines Barbados earns Gold award from Green Globe

“We chose Green Globe because it is internationally recognized to guide and authenticate our internal efforts.

“We chose Green Globe because it is internationally recognized to guide and authenticate our internal efforts. The highly-experienced and knowledgeable examiners are invaluable in helping to keep us focused on measurable results.” This is what the GM for Atlantis Submarines Barbados (ASB) said upon receiving their Gold membership award status for their sustainability efforts.

Atlantis Submarines Barbados must be immensely proud of its achievement of its Green Globe 2015 Gold membership award. It signals more than five continuous years of Green Globe certification after being the first attraction to receive the Green Globe and Green certification double award in 2009.

General Manager Roseanne Myers went on to say: “Atlantis Submarines Barbados embarked on the Green Globe certification under the then examiner Loreto Duffy-Mayers and are grateful for her encouragement and Robert Hinds Operations Manager for ASB as the internal Green committee chair and coordinator. Purchasing policy, Recycling programs and tips regarding how the company and individuals could reduce their carbon footprint, were developed and introduced to the staff. We have seen the certification process increase in complexity each year and the external Green Globe examiner of the past five years, Wendy Walker-Drakes, now oversees an examination that involves a spreadsheet with 285 items to be physically checked and staff interviewed. We owe Robert our gratitude for the unrelenting dedication to this effort of environmental consciousness and ultimately for the achievement of the Green Globe Gold membership award.”

When asked his thoughts on leading this process and what it means to the company, Robert Hinds had this to say: “At Atlantis Submarines we invite the world to explore the depths of one of Mother Nature’s greatest shows- life underwater. Earth’s oceans cover almost three fourths of the planet as such the health of this habitat, is intrinsic to the balance we must maintain if we aim to preserve a planet viable to our life here.

“With this in mind, we at Atlantis from our inception have sought to be the definition of eco-friendly, understanding the sheer awesome responsibility we were undertaking as we designed our submersibles. Throughout the years we have committed to staying abreast of technologies and trends that improved our efficiency, with a view to reducing waste and our carbon footprint, while allowing the average person to enjoy a peep at the wonders beneath the ocean’s crest.

“The Atlantis Barbados operation has remained committed to improving its operation, and educating all those that visit the operation on the effects and consequences of man’s actions on the circle of life. How our actions on land or sea can impact both environments and Mother Earth. We ensure that this experience is not only available at profitable price points, but at special prices for schools- as we believe that prolong change for the future must be entrenched in the psyche of our youth.

“Over the past five years we have continued to embrace changing technologies and recommended environmental practices in holistic ways which include:

– Embarking on recycling programs in the office and encouraging our employees to do the same.

– Our motor technology on the submersible has been upgraded to use power more efficiently.

– Electing to use supplies from sustainable suppliers, and use of products that are more environmentally friendly is now part of our modus operandi.

– Accepting the benefits of improved technologies have seen the use of L.E.D lighting in the offices, less use of printed materials and more use of social and electronic media for advertising and keeping in touch with both our internal and external customers.

“While some of the operational changes have had positive cost and customer benefits, our focus is not simply the bottom line. Our community outreach has gone beyond the usual request for support from charitable organizations. Atlantis Submarines (Barbados) Inc. is giving back to our community by supporting two schools in their quest to improve the green experience for students. We have moved beyond ‘thinking’ that ‘education’ for preserving our environment is only linked to explaining the known causes and effects of our actions on the marine environment, but to offering an educational experience and planting the seed in the young minds, that they too can invent positive methods to change the way people interact with our planet.

“Our efforts are diverse, one experience that stands out is the students of the Hilda Skeene Primary School interacting with President of Atlantis Submarines International, Dennis Hurd. Our goal was for the students to meet a real life inventor/entrepreneur, and to offer encouragement for these students to dream big, and bringing their thoughts, imaginations and life experiences to reality for the benefit of themselves, our island and our planet.

“As technology improves for our application, our next venture will be replacing all the external lights used on the submersible for its night tours with L.E.D lighting. We will continue to look at ways to improve the sustainability of all aspects of our operation, through training of employees, embracing approved technologies and protecting the environment in which we operate. Our goal is to enable the average person to experience our oceans in a unique way but at no expense to Mother Earth.”

Green Globe is the worldwide sustainability system based on internationally accepted criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses. Operating under a worldwide license, Green Globe is based in California, USA and is represented in over 83 countries. Green Globe is an Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Green Globe is a member of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP)

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

Share to...