Eco Ecuador
Here at OLA we take looking after Ecuador''s fragile environment seriously. Below you will find a helpful list of things that you can do to help keep Ecuador and our planet in pristine condition for many generations to come. Remember, it''s all about the small things that you do, like turning off lights and computers, recycling and re-using where possible.
While in Ecuador, you will see that many companies call themselves ''Eco-friendly'' without even having a clue about the true meaning of the term! Unfortunately, education towards preserving the environment is rather thin on the ground, but the knowledge that tourists will pay for an ''Eco'' experience or would rather use an ''Eco'' company has filtered through. Be very wary and research as much as you can before booking your tour or accommodation. This is, of course, not to say that there are no eco-friendly companies here. There are many companies that quietly act to preserve the environment. One of our favourites here at OLA is the Black Sheep Inn on the Quilatoa Loop. Click here for our high Andean adventures to this region.
How does OLA help? OLA is only a small grass-roots company, but we always use local guides and locally owned accommodations, as this helps the local community directly with employment, and helps our adventurers gain an insight into the real Ecuador. On our tours, we always carry big 5 litre bottles of water and ask our adventurers to fill up their water bottles from this, thus saving on plastic waste. Where possible, we always ask our adventurers to use the returnable glass bottles as these are by far the most friendly way to buy drinks. We are currently looking into changing our fuel-guzzling Toyota 4x4 for a diesel version that we can run on bio-diesel.
This would be a first for Ecuador and very exciting for us! But for now, we do not to use the 4x4 in the city where we can use public transport, or even better, cycle! Since we are normally busy, we book at least 4 passengers in the vehicle while it''s on tour, making it less of a waste to run. Additionally, as we are a completely web-based company, we embrace this new technology which allows us to be almost completely paperless. This is OLA''s commitment to saving the fast-declining Amazon region of Ecuador.
You can contact us by calling (00-593) 2 3818989 (English spoken :-)
Or you can email us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Remember, it''s an adventure, not a tour!