Environmental Stewardship + Community Involvement + Economic Viability =

Sustainable Travel

Sustainable Tourism (also known as sustainable travel, geo tourism, responsible travel or even green travel) can be defined as:

"Sustainable tourism is a level of tourism activity that can be maintained over the long term because it results in a net benefit for the socio-cultural, economic, and natural environments of the area in which it takes place.”

-Sustainable Travel International

Why Sustainable Travel?

Mountain Whitewater Descents believes that environmental sustainability must be at the core of our business. The function of our business depends upon one our most precious local resources, the Cache la Poudre River, which in turn depends on the variable snow pack in our region. Snow pack in Colorado is a resource that is greatly impacted by carbon outputs and global warming. Therefore, we must strive to utilize these natural resources without causing a negative impact and try to influence others to do the same.

Along with sustainability, raising appreciation for our environment is also vital to our success as a rafting company. In fact, appreciation of resources and the importance of leaving a minimal impact are so important to us that we discuss it in every paddle talk to all of our guests. Taking our guests rafting on a “Wild and Scenic” river coupled with Mountain Whitewater Descents’ philosophies makes for a perfect opportunity to educate guests to make good environmental choices themselves. We can be optimistic that after spending the day in a pristine canyon like ours, anyone can find a good reason why we all need to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Maybe our guests will be excited to improve their stewardship practices when they get home and certainly when they return to any wilderness.

For more information on sustainable travel go to: www.sustainabletravelinternational.org

What does MWD do about the problem?

It is our goal at Mountain Whitewater Descents to practice and promote responsible travel that is beneficial to the environmental, economic and social viability of our area, the State of Colorado and our world as a whole. MWD seeks to create both memorable and inspirational experiences for all of our guests that work to foster their own sense of responsible and/or sustainable travel. Here are a few examples of what we do to promote sustainable travel:

  • MWD hires employees who are passionate about their social and ecological environments and are truly motivated to positively impact our guests and community as a whole while promoting sustainable ideas.
  • MWD has implemented a recycling program for all of our guests as well as uses recycled materials to build and maintain our facilities. We recycle all standard items (glass, paper, Aluminum, cardboard, plastic) while exhibiting exemplary use of non-standard recycling. One way or another, our whole company has been recycled. The River is recycled snow, school busses are re-used, and the land we own was an old dairy farm. Using salvaged lumber and materials we have converted it into our office and recreation areas. The milking shed is now the boat barn; the pasture is now a volleyball court, disc golf course and one cool barbeque. A water holding pond was revitalized into a fish pond with wetlands that houses a mating pair of Mallard Ducks each year. 
  • MWD organizes a Cache la Poudre River Cleanup once a year. Last year we organized over 70 volunteers to clean up the banks of the Poudre where it flows through Fort Collins.
  • Every year, MWD donates over 2% of gross receipts to non-profit organizations in our area who are committed to positive social development programs for youth and others in need.
  • In 2009, MWD will to plant 500 trees on our property to help offset some .of our carbon footprint (below is a carbon calculator for our guests who would like to offset their travel footprint).
  • MWD is now winterizing our office during the off-season to reduce the amount of energy consumption over the 8 months of the year we are not running trips.
  • MWD participates annually in the City of Fort Collins Bike to Work Day to promote alternate forms of transportation and encourages employees to ride bikes to work as often as possible.
  • MWD is also working toward becoming 100% wind powdered in 2009 and is researching the possibility of converting our busses to bio-diesel fuel.
  • MWD is participating in the City of Fort Collins’ Climate Wise program starting in 2009.
  • MWD is a member of the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, American Whitewater, America Outdoors, The Paddle Sports Industry Association, American Rivers, Save the Poudre and Friends of the Poudre. All of these organizations are committed to sustainable travel practices. Below are links to all of these organizations for anyone who would like to participate by donating time or money to the cause.

How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

It is important to remember that the best way to reduce your carbon footprint is to reduce your daily carbon emissions. But, since we cannot reduce all of our emissions if we want to travel, here is a few links to sites that will allow you to offset your personal carbon output for your trip:

www.carbonfund.org/Calculators/ .

http://www.nativeenergy.com/pages/offset_travel/451.php

https://sustainabletravelinternational.org/documents/op_carboncalcs.html

Events in 2009

Please come out and join us for Clean the Poudre 2009 on May 16, 2009. The volunteer event is open to anyone who would like to participate. Visit our web page at www.americanrivers.org/goto/cleanthepoudre for more information or email the event organizer Ben Costello at ben@raftmwd.com.

Environmental & Socio-Cultural Awards Received by MWD

  • 1 st Place in our category, 2002 Bike to Work Day
  • Arlene Nededog Multi-cultural Company Award in 2007

Here are some links to organizations that promote sustainable travel. Please take the time to visit the sites and possibly donate your time and/or money. Thanks.

Local Community Involvement

Mountain Whitewater Descents believes that a healthy community is fostered through community involvement and the general philanthropy of every individual within that community. In 2008, MWD made charitable donations of whitewater rafting trips to many organizations and individuals locally, nationally and internationally.

Mountain Whitewater in-kind donations for 2008 are as follows:

  • Two (2) Plunge whitwater rafting trips to Centenial Kids
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to the Pillars of the Community Gala
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to Peakview Schools Parent Teacher Organization
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to Trees, Water, People
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to Operation Front Line Colorado
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to Estes Valley Victims Advocates Association
  • Four (4) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Denver
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to Berthoud High School After Prom Event
  • Four (4) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to the Fort Collins Coloradoan Leadership & Academic Allstars
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to Fossil Ridge High School After Prom Event
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to Lutheran Family Services
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to the Heritage Christian Academy
  • Fourteen (14) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to the Mathews House of Fort Collins
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to Habitat for Humanity
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to Boys & Girls Club of Larimer County
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to Child Speech & Reading Center
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to Thompson Valley Preschool
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to Save the Poudre
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to Ghost Riders, Inc.
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to The Family Center
  • Fourteen (14) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to Camp Wapiyapi
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to Hoeven Games
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to Colorado State University Meet & Greet
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to the Colorado Heritage Camp
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to the Spring Park Fund Raiser
  • Two (2) Plunge whitewater rafting trips to the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory

*Please contact MWD by email to contacts@raftmwd.com if you would like more information on these organizations or would like to know how you can donate your time and money to help these organizations.