ANCHORAGE, ALASKA—Adventure Green Alaska (AGA), the state’s first tourism certification program highlighting sustainable business practices, is entering its third year and accepting applications once again for certification. According to Sarah Leonard, AGA board director, nine businesses were certified in 2009 and eight earlier this year. All tourism-related businesses are eligible. The deadline for the next round of applications is June 30, 2010.
AGA, which is run by the nonprofit Adventure Green Alaska, Inc., is a voluntary program run by a volunteer board that includes representation from lodging, academia, government and other sectors. Leonard says AGA was several years in the planning before it was launched in 2008. AGA standards, criteria, and the application process were developed with partners such as Alaska Wilderness Recreation & Tourism Assn. business members, conservation group representatives, and tourism consultants. Businesses can qualify for certification at three levels: bronze, silver and gold. AGA is a points-based program. The board looked at programs run in Sweden and in the United States when putting together AGA.
Businesses participating in AGA must pay an application fee. The amount is based on the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. A bed and breakfast with just one or two employees is required to pay just $100 while one with more than 50 FTE employees must pay $1,000. Businesses not approved for certification by AGA are given a refund of 50 percent of their fee. Certified establishments renew every two years and are required to produce a report detailing the sustainable practices they have adopted since the previous application period.
Four Main Application Sections
The application for certification is comprehensive and includes sections covering the following topics: Local Communities & Economies; The Environment; Climate Change; and Alaska History & Culture. Businesses can earn extra credit in each of the categories for taking steps not described in the application. Applicants that earn 360 or more points are eligible for Gold level certification; those that earn 320 or more points are eligible for Silver level certification; and those that earn 280 or more points are eligible for Bronze level certification.
Once applications are submitted, they are reviewed by the AGA board. “Among the board we do interviews in person or by telephone,” Leonard says. “We ask for sample documentation. We do site visits on an ‘as we can’ basis. We continue to correspond with businesses after they have been certified to learn about the cool things they are doing. We invite them to conferences and events. We are currently creating a newsletter for AGA participants.”
For owners and operators of businesses just learning about sustainability, AGA has links on its website to examples of policies covering general sustainability, responsible wildlife viewing, early detection and rapid response to invasive species, Leave No Trace principles, energy audits, and climate change audits.
Lodging establishments that have been certified so far include: Agate Inn, Wasilla; Orca Island Cabins, Seward; Pike’s Waterfront Lodge, Fairbanks; Great Alaska Adventure Lodge, Sterling; and Good River Bed and Breakfast, Glacier Bay.
From a marketing standpoint, businesses certified through AGA benefit from a presence not only on the AGA website but also the newly launched www.visitwildalaska.com.
Go to Adventure Green Alaska for more information and to access the application for certification.
Glenn Hasek can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
