Backpacker Buzz

Over the years, the people at HI-Canada-Pacific Mountain Region have been working hard to make the hostels of Western Canada environmentally friendly and sustainable. Find out what's been done recently in the region, what's still to come and let us know what you think we should work on.

Solar Power

Thanks to HI's network of wilderness hostels in the Rockies, it's not hard to find a comfy place to stay in the wilderness, but it is sometimes hard to find electricity. For a long time, HI's wilderness hostels ran stoves, fridges and lamps on propane but that's slowly changing as the network makes use of solar power.

HI-Mosquito Creek has now replaced all of its propane use with solar power. HI-Mount Edith Cavell, HI-Rampart Creek and HI-Yoho National Park, Whiskey Jack Hostel, HI-Jasper and HI-Penticton also use some solar power.

HI-Vancouver Jericho Beach Earth Easy project

The HI-Vancouver Jericho Beach Earth Easy project is a new partnership with a local not-for-profit to make a difference in the hostel's surrounding parkland. This is the hostel's carbon credit program where travellers can offset the environmental impact of their travels by making a donation to the project, which will then contribute directly to the park. The project organizes monthly work groups in the park eliminating invasive plants and plant new growth. So far there has been a very positive response, and they have since made the program bookable online through hihostels.ca - a guest can make a $2 contribution to Earth Easy when they book.

New HI-Whistler

When you can build a brand new hostel from scratch these days, there are lots of opportunities for incorporating green technology. The new HI-Whistler, opening July 1, makes use of a grey water floor heating system (heating recycled and filtered sewage water) and low-flow toilets.

HI-Vancouver Central organic waste recycling

Guests can get breakfast for free every morning at HI-Vancouver Central, and for over a year, all organic waste has been recycled as part of a pilot project with Vancouver company Recycling Alternative who also handles the hostel's paper recycling. The hostel uses compostable paper plates and cups and recycled napkins as well. The project has allowed the hostel the divert a lot of recyclable waste that would have otherwise ended up in garbage bins.

More to Come

Stay tuned to Backpacker Buzz for regular updates about sustainable hostel projects in the region. And as always, let us know in the comments what you think hostels can do to be more environmentally friendly.