During the summer months, The Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC offers eco-boat excursions. Each 45 minute tour explores the natural water habitat of Tod Inlet and Brentwood Bay, and delves into the early beginnings of the garden as a limestone quarry and its adjacent cement plant. With only twelve passengers per tour, the electric eco-boat allow visitors to have a unique first-hand experience with some of Vancouver Island’s most beautiful flora and fauna, including graceful herons, majestic eagles and the ever-playful seals and otters. For more information visit www.butchartgardens.com.

The Canadian Outback Adventure Company has a green team challenge that shows you the 12 Steps Towards Reducing your Environmental Footprint

It’s not about drastically changing your life; it’s about one small action every day. It’s about thinking globally and acting locally. It can be as simple as switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs, recycling at home, or riding your bike to work. One small gesture today can have a big impact tomorrow, next week, or even next year!

In Green themed event, teams will compete against each other using their “enviro-mentality” to complete 12 different eco-challenges. Teams will receive a list of locations and challenges, as well as everyday tips and hints for everyday acts of green. At each location teams will perform the designated task (ranging from organic taste tests to a random act of environmental kindness) to learn about every day environmental issues and, once the task has been completed, to collect EcoTokens. Depending on the degree of difficulty, and duration of environmental impact, each activity will earn the team a different number of tokens. Teams will have approximately 2.5 hours to complete as many challenges as possible before making their way to the finish line. Teams are scored and prizing awarded at the closing ceremony.

At each challenge teams will encounter an activity or action that must be completed in order to earn their tokens. The teams do not have to complete the challenges in any particular order and not all the challenges are mandatory. Teams must work together to decide the best strategy for acquiring the highest possible points in the allotted time frame and assign responsibilities based on personal proficiencies and existing skills. The team that turns in the most EcoTokens will be declared the winners and their achievements will be noted during the Awards Ceremony.

For more information go to tourismvictoria.com

The New Balance Victoria International Triathlon has been named as the World’s Greenest Triathlon by the American magazine, Triathlete Magazine.

The 2010 Triathlon is coming soon – June 20, 2010. For more information click here.

The Green Team is at it again. Determined to be Victoria’s greenest hotel, the Inn at Laurel Point is doubling their efforts to mark Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22nd.
“This is a great time to announce our Ocean Wise designation, recognizing our use of sustainable ocean-friendly seafood,” explains hotel manager Scott Hoadley. “We take our
responsibility to the earth very seriously at the Laurel Point, and are looking for balance.”

Activities throughout the day take place both behind the scenes and in guest services.

• Harbour front cleanup teams from all levels of staff
• Bike-to-work staff challenge
• Launch of new secure bike racks for staff and guests
• Paperless check-in
• Eco-friendly room keys (recycled paper stock and vegetable dye inks)
• Candlelit public areas, including the Aura dining room and hotel lobby
• Ocean Wise, organic menu in Aura, listed on seeded paper that guests can take away and plant in their gardens
• First day of the new Eco Room Package, which includes a greeting on organic paper, beds with hemp sheets, potted plants (rather than cut flowers), organic chocolate, local wine and Aveda bath products.

“We were Victoria’s first non-smoking hotel,” Hoadley says. “We compost, use a garbage compacter and installed a cardboard bailer, which has combined reduced our garbage pick up
by one third. Even our pens are biodegradable!”

To book at the Inn at Laurel Point visit www.tourismvictoria.com

In 2009 the Coast Tsawwassen Inn installed solar panels on their rooftop. The Inn is now harnessing the sun’s energy to provide heat and electricity for the hotel – and seeing a HUGE reduction in the amount of hydro consumed – better for the environment AND a business-savvy decision!

To book at the Coast Tsawwassen Inn go to www.tourismvictoria.com