About Us | Environmental Policy
Environmental Policy
Global Ballooning is a Commercial Hot Air Ballooning Operator offering hot air balloon flights over Melbourne, Yarra Valley and Mansfield. Headed by one of Australia's leading balloonists, Kiff Saunders, we take great pride in offering our passengers a safe, pleasurable, value for money and sustainable adventure experience.
An average one hour balloon flight uses approximately 180-200 litres of propane, which burns to form water and carbon dioxide; in addition to the fuel used by the balloon's ground retrieval crew. The activity to launch and retrieve one hot air balloon uses the equivalent of 378.1 kilograms of greenhouse gas (or 7,562 black balloons).
To counteract this Global Ballooning has bought carbon offsets to replant native vegetation to absorb the emissions of 500 balloon flights for a 12 month period, in a commitment to give our passengers a cleaner conscience and a cleaner environment. This has been done through Bendigo Bank Generation Green Carbon Offsets. The vegetation that will be planted near Macedon Ranges, Victoria on our behalf will consist of pre - 1750 species - including eucalypts, wattles, native grasses and wild flowers.
As a result, by flying with Global Ballooning you will be helping to restore biodiversity and essential habitat for native fauna, improve water quality and salinity problems.
This native vegetation is also protected for at least 100 years, so you can be rest assured that the benefits will be around for generations.
As a leading hot air balloon company in Victoria, we are proud to be the first and only Victorian operator to publicly commit to neutralising our greenhouse gas emissions. We are taking on a leadership role in an area where we can make a difference and set an example to our industry.
Sustainability Victoria recognises our commitment to greening Victoria's balloon industry, and has partnered with Global Ballooning to fly a new 100% carbon-offset ResourceSmart balloon over Melbourne to raise awareness of the need to change our attitudes and behaviour to tackle climate change at a local level.
Our Commitment
This Environmental Policy covers all activities carried out by Global Ballooning.
Global Ballooning:
- will identify, promote and strive to achieve best environmental practice in its management systems and operations;
- is committed to operating in an ecologically sustainable manner by reducing waste and the use of energy and resources;
- will provide an environmentally sound workplace, and progressively implement a range of environmentally sound work practices;
- will work closely with its employees, contractors, suppliers, clients and other stakeholders to develop and implement agreed environmental initiatives consistent with this policy;
- will explore opportunities for improved environmental awareness within our relationships with stakeholders
Global Ballooning Short Term Goals
Global Ballooning has already undertaken a range of initiatives to reduce the company's gross greenhouse emissions. In 2007-08 a range of further initiatives are being implemented including:
- Purchase of 20% Government accredited Green Power
- Updating low efficiency office lighting to more energy efficient devices;
- Reducing electricity consumption by turning office equipment off when not in use;
- Complete certification as a 'Waste Wise' business;
- Looking at all our promotional material and stationary to be printed on 100% recycled paper.
What you can do today to save energy at home: | Balloons saved every year* |
|
Don't overheat the house |
7,200 balloons |
|
Keep showers short |
16,000 balloons |
| Seal the gaps Put draught stoppers on all your doors and windows. |
800 balloons |
| Switch appliances off at the wall Switch appliances off at the power point when they're not in use . |
7,800 balloons |
| Switch to energy saving light globes Replace conventional incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light globes. |
2,000 balloons |
| Turn lights off Don't leave the lights on when no one is in the room. If you are going to be out of the room for more than five minutes, turn off the light. |
700 balloons |
| Turn off the extra fridge A fridge uses the most electricity of any appliance in the house - switch off your second fridge. |
20,000 balloons |
| Wash your clothes in cold water Switch to a cold wash every time. |
4,300 balloons |
* One balloon = 50 grams of greenhouse gas
Source: www.saveenergy.vic.gov.au