Environment

 
It's what makes a holiday memorable experience. Whether it's the endless view of the ocean from your resort window, a serene lake to picnic by, or a rainforest walk to calm your senses, our stunning natural environment provides us with the perfect backdrop for our travels and adventures.

At Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific, we pride ourselves on having resorts in spectacular natural environments, surrounded by the best nature has to offer. It's imperative that we support initiatives to safeguard our environment for generations to come.

In the past we've been involved with environmental initiatives that have worked towards this goal. In 2006, we managed to plant over 100,000 trees in Australia on behalf of every guest who participated in one of our presentations. Planting trees is a simple yet effective way to slow the impact of global warming. A single tree can absorb one tonne of carbon during its lifetime, while producing oxygen for us to breathe. Trees are not only vital for sustaining our environment, but they are essential for the preservation of human life. Becoming involved in environmental projects is the first step towards making a collective difference.

Planet Ark runs a number of environmental initiatives, including National Tree Day and National Recycling Week as well as campaigns such as Climate Change - Convenient Solutions and the Make Your House a Healthy Home campaign. To find out more visit http://www.planetark.com/

Earlier this year we also participated in Earth Hour 2008. We joined 50 million people across the world in switching off our lights for one hour. The idea behind Earth Hour is to highlight the issue of global warming and the need to conserve energy. It was held in more than 35 countries across seven continents, with iconic buildings such as the Sydney Opera House and the Colosseum in Rome blacking out to contribute to the cause.

Turning off lights is just one of a number of ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Switching to energy efficient light bulbs, turning off computers when not in use and repairing leaky faucets are also initiatives that you can implement at home.

To learn more or participate in Earth Hour 2009 visit http://www.earthhour.org/about

It's a big task - but supporting plans and actions to protect our environment is the only way to start turning the effects of global warming around. From an industry level to the individual, we can work together to make a change for the better.