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Environment Policy

Any interaction with fragile areas has its ill effects on the ecosystem of forests, mountains, glaciers, peaks, etc. — but that does not mean the effects cannot be managed and the ecosystem cannot be protected while continuing with the most thrilling activities like mountaineering, trekking, skiing, or rock climbing.

Frontpoint Adventures, as a community of passionate adventurers, is committed to maintaining the ecological balance in all ecosystems that we touch — be it the Himalayas, the Nilgiris, the Aravallis, or for that matter any natural ecosystem. We are born and brought up around these mountains and have deep respect for them. All our employees and guides understand the importance of human interference with the environment and are committed not just to protect, but also to conserve, the ecosystems that we touch.

In order to fulfil our commitment of minimizing the human footprint, we have formulated a policy which we are deeply committed to follow. There are two parts to this policy: the first is oriented towards maintenance of the ecosystem by causing no further damage — “How we strive for zero foot-print”. The second is about the new initiatives that we try in order to conserve or improve the ecosystem — “What we can do better”.

While the ecosystem is a larger concept that includes humans, animals, birds, geographical features, vegetation and the interplay of these stakeholders, it would be beyond our scope to interfere in the way humans, birds or animals belonging to these ecosystems behave. Thus this policy, as published here, is focused on maintaining and conserving the geographical features like mountains, trails, rivers & other water bodies, grasslands, trees, camping sites, snow-clad areas and peaks.

How we strive for zero “foot-print”

1. Avoid over-crowding

We recognize the fact that certain areas, especially in the Himalayas, are extremely popular and are already at risk of environmental damage because of high numbers of visitors. So avoiding over-crowding is the first principle that we follow. This is critical for most of our commitments, because limiting the human footprint that hits any area simultaneously is the first step to allow Mother Nature to recover. We ensure this in two ways:

  • Maximum 15 people in one batch — all our groups are sized only between 12 and 15 people. Limiting the number of participants in a group generates lower amounts of waste at a time and helps us manage the waste neatly.
  • Maximum of 250 persons per trek in one particular season — this is one big commitment that frankly does not make much economic sense for us, but that is precisely the point! Whether or not it makes sense in the short term, we need these landscapes to survive in the long term.

2. Managing waste efficiently and effectively

There are three types of waste that we manage:

  • Bio-degradable organic waste (food, etc.) — first of all, this is minimized to the extent possible. Our team is aware of the importance of food, especially in regions that are difficult to approach. We sensitize all our participants on this point and, fortunately, this works best. We generate very small amounts of this waste due to the responsible behaviour of our participants, for which we are thankful. Whatever waste of this nature is generated is collected in pits that are dug deep enough (at least 3 feet) and covered with earth. This waste degenerates fast and can enrich the nearby vegetation with the nutrients available in the food waste.
  • Toilet waste (urinal & latrine) — this is the most tricky waste to manage. We do not yet have enough systems and processes in India to collect such waste and deposit it at suitable facilities. We have a two-pronged approach to manage this:
    • Low-altitude areas — in areas that are low-lying and where we can find earth, we dig deep pits (4 × 2 × 1 ft) and cover them with earth. This, we agree, is not the ideal solution but is accepted by the mountaineering authorities (NIM & IMF) in India as of now. We are also exploring the possibility of carrying back the waste in biodegradable bags, but the problem is that most towns in the Himalayan states do not have developed sewers, and the bags available are not good enough to carry back for long durations.
    • High-altitude areas — in areas that are covered with extremely thick layers of snow, have rocky features or moraines, or have glacial ice, and where digging earth is not possible, we carry the waste back in disposal bags. The bags are finally disposed of in earthen pits in the low-lying areas, or into sewers wherever available.
  • Non-biodegradable (plastic or glass) waste — this is the most damaging waste for any ecosystem and becomes the biggest threat when it comes to areas as unreachable as the Himalayan terrains. We avoid plastic waste generation to the extent possible by using reusable steel or aluminium utensils for eating, and by avoiding candies and junk snacks packed in plastic wrappers. We also sensitize and encourage our participants to avoid the usage of such material. Having said that, it is not possible in today’s times to completely avoid plastic use, so we have a clear guideline on all our tours to carry back all plastic waste generated. We carry all waste of this nature back to civilization and dispose of it in the dustbins organized to collect non-biodegradable waste (at the nearest available site).

3. Keeping the water source clean

Our camps are carefully organized in order to keep the water sources free of contamination. Our team and participants are sensitized towards the precautions required while camping near natural water sources. Three major precautions, among others, that we take help us maintain clean water sources:

  • Toilet areas away from the water source.
  • No littering or dish/utensil washing near the water source.
  • Avoid any usage of soap or chemical cleaners in the water stream.

The points shared above are the best efforts that we strive for. We have published this policy not just to make you aware, but also to invite feedback and suggestions so that we can improve. Write to us at frontpointadventures@gmail.com for feedback or suggestions.

What we can do better

On most treks or expeditions that we go on, we can see existing litter and — what is extremely disturbing — plastic waste here and there. The following are the initiatives that we have launched in order to reduce the waste from all the trails or areas that we access.

Be a “Plastic Eradicator”

We have launched the biggest plastic waste collection marathon. All participants signing up with Frontpoint Adventures are eligible to participate in this contest. The contest is simple — collect as much non-biodegradable waste as possible and win prizes!

  • Part 1 — every batch that collectively deposits more than 500 grams of non-biodegradable waste during any of our expeditions qualifies for a “Rag-Picker” award — a Frontpoint voucher worth INR 300/- per participant.
  • Part 2 — a batch-wise list of plastic waste deposited is maintained by us, and the batch that deposits the maximum plastic waste during a month wins a “Recycle Bin” award — a Frontpoint voucher worth INR 1000/- per participant.

*The contest is applicable on all our expeditions (2 days or longer, as per the standard itinerary published on our website).

Be the “Idea-tor”

Frontpoint Adventures also invites ideas on managing waste better on our expeditions and on plastic waste recycling mechanisms. All ideas are invited at frontpointadventures@gmail.com.

We would engage with you at a personal level to evaluate the possibility of working together on the idea and implementing it, if possible. Even if we are not able to implement the idea, we would publish it on all our forums with full credit to the “Idea-tor”, so that awareness is created and volunteers can be galvanized.

Also, if you have write-ups or other creative material that can help create awareness and engage people to act more responsibly on the environmental sustainability front, please share them with us.