Chobe Game Lodge awarded GREEN+ eco certification

The health of our environment is an issue that concerns every person on the planet, wherever they may live. However, in a country such as Botswana – which relies so heavily on its flora and fauna for income – being eco-friendly is more than just a buzzword; it’s a way of life.

Here at Desert & Delta Safaris we take our commitment to the environment seriously. For example, we are currently in the process of installing Reverse Osmosis water filters to the lodges to so we no longer need to fly in bottled water to these remote locations.

Installing a Reverse Osmosis water filter system at Camp Okavango

We also compost all our food scraps, and separate other waste (glass, paper, plastic, tins etc.) which is then returned to our Maun base for recycling. Furthermore, our maintenance team is presently constructing an innovative water heater for our staff villages which is fuelled by old cooking and engine oil. Not only does this reduce the amount of fuel required by our generator, it removes the need to dispose of this greasy, otherwise-unusable residue.

We are now pleased to announce that Chobe Game Lodge has been awarded the GREEN+ eco certification from the Botswana Tourism Board.

Chobe Game Lodge was one of the first lodges to participate in the voluntary Ecotourism Assessment and Certification exercise. The Botswana Tourism Board’s Quality Assurance Board ratified the results and assessed Chobe Game Lodge as having exceeded the basic GREEN rating, and therefore awarded the lodge a GREEN+ certification.

In addition to this achievement, the Botswana Tourism Board informed Chobe Game Lodge that they have the potential to achieve the Ecotourism Facility certification. We aim to accomplish this feat in 2011 and the team at Chobe Game Lodge has been brainstorming lots of new ideas to help achieve this goal. Examples include returning the packaging from our food produce supplier for reuse, constructing a prototype glass pulveriser (which turns glass back into sand), and building a new and improved incinerator.

We’d like to congratulate Chobe Game Lodge on their achievements and in particular we would like to thank Johan, Tania, Shiyani, Donovan, Paul, Wouter, Glenn and Debbie for their contributions to this award.

Copies of the Botswana Ecotourism Certification System can be obtained from any Botswana Tourism Board office.