At Soliderrance we are aware of the impact of the tourism and travel industry. That’s why we are committed to:
1. Create solidarity trips that regenerate:
Our trips are solidarity and regenerative thanks to the criterias of selection of our hosts and the intentions and motivations of the travelers.
Solidarity because, by his or her presence, the traveler contributes to the development of the place he visits. Place which was not initially dedicated to receiving visitors but which, in doing so, generates additional income.
To “regenerate” means (according to the Larousse) “to bring back to a previous state deemed superior”. Synonym: to renovate, restore, revitalize”. The state of our planet today can no longer bear that we impact as little as possible. It’s time to regenerate it.
So let’s travel and contribute to the development of actors of regeneration. The hosts who will receive you are actors of regeneration! We select them with precise and objective criterias. By visiting them and contributing to their development, you participate in their various regeneration processes. And so, you also regenerate yourself!
Soliderrance brings you to places who really take care of Earth and People for a sustainable and peaceful life:
2. Carbon offset of your transatlantic air travel:
Traveling impacts the environment and we know it well. However, at Soliderrance, we are convinced that traveling and discovering other cultures can only be beneficial to our humanity. So yes, we encourage travelling. But let’s travel consciously and mitigate our carbon footprint.
What does mitigate our carbon footprint mean?
Whatever we consume in our daily lives, we generate greenhouse gases (GHGs). These gases are responsible for global warming which destabilizes and jeopardizes many ecosystems and therefore the ability of living beings to live, regenerate and even survive.
You will notice here that I am talking about “mitigating” and not “compensating”, a term widely used today. Why do I say mitigate and not compensate?
Besides, before thinking about compensating you must reduce (evaluate your consumption).
According to ADEME, “voluntary offsetting thus consists of financing a project to reduce or sequester GHG emissions for which one is not directly responsible”.
Soliderrance’s activities have a direct impact on our environment. We know it. Do we have the capacity to really offset this impact? Actually, I don’t believe so. Can we mitigate this impact? Yes and we do it on 2 levels.
Level 1: project support in the territory of departure (Europe)
The price of trips automatically includes an amount that corresponds to this attempt to reduce our carbon impact. This amount, collected by Soliderrance when you purchase your trip, will be donated to an association that offers a project that creates environmental and social value. The first project supported is that of the Natura-Lien association: the Oasis of Béziers.
We have calculated the amount of CO2 emitted during your flight using the goodplanet.org tool.
Thus we observe, for example, that a Paris – Bogota – Paris in “economy” generates 3.1T of CO2 per person. Then, the question is: what is the cost assessed by Natura Lien to sequester 3.1T of CO2 within its Oasis de Béziers project. Very difficult to assess.
We have decided that this amount donated to the Natura-Lien association will be 60€
Level 2: activities of travelers in the territory visited
The very essence of Soliderrance trips are solidarity (generating additional income) and regeneration (the families chosen regenerate their territory and community on a daily basis). The Soliderrance traveler feeds, nourishes, participates in local projects of families who take care of their environment. We are talking here about eco-built housing, renewable energy, optimization of water cycles and local food consumption.
Travelers are invited to stay several days with the same families so as not to have to resort to many kilometers in the country visited.
Transport is public and as slow as possible.
The activities offered are healthy and the least fossil possible. In the Caribbean, for example, travelers do not jet-ski but rather canoe rides.
In conclusion, at Soliderrance we are aware of our impact. We are well aware that the gas emitted during a transatlantic flight is not literally offset. This is why we talk about mitigating our carbon footprint and why we do so by supporting positive projects in the emitting country. And as for the territories visited, the very concept of this kind of trips and the level of awareness of travelers allow us to say taht we are mitigating our carbon footprint on site.
3. United Nations 2030 Agenda and the 17 SDGs:
Soliderrance considers the United Nations 2030 agenda as a guideline and relies on the 17 objectives of the sustainable development program (17 SDGs) to structure its business and define a medium and long-term strategy. The United Nations World Tourism Organization is of course part of this 2030 plan.
As much by the selection of your hosts as by the strategy and its values, the company Soliderrance SAS is also part of these 17 sustainable development objectives established by the United Nations:
- The hosts :
Your hosts, selected with specific criterias, meet one or more of these objectives through their way of life purpose.
- Company strategy and values:
G5: Inclusion and gender equality
G7: Affordable and Clean energy: Infomaniak, our web hosting provider is one of the most ecological in the market. See here.
G12:Responsible Consumption and Production: we mitigate our carbon footprint / our host activity is based on the sustainability and permanency of their territory.
G16: Peace, justice and strong institutions.
Find in detail the 17 UN SDG.
4. Adhere to the Glasgow Declaration via the Tourism Declares Community:
COP 26 in Glasgow saw global tourism stakeholders come together and declare a climate emergency. The www.tourismdeclares.com community is one of the actors and authors of the Glasgow Declaration and offers to commit us to:
- Deliver a climate action plan within 12 month of signing.
- Report publicly both progress against interim and long-term targets, as well as the actions being taken, at least annually.
- Align our plan with five shared pathways (measure, decarbonise, regenerate, collaborate, finance) to ensure climate action is consistent across all of tourism.
- Share information on activities connected to Tourism Declares and/or the Glasgow Declaration among contacts and networks.
- Work in a collaborative and constructive spirit with other members of Tourism Declares and/or signatories of the Glasgow Declaration.