Sustainability
Alpine meadows, wild herbs, species-rich flower villages, sunny orchards and vineyards - Eastern Styria reveals an incomparable rural idyll in which the authentic protagonists tradition and sustainability shake hands.
Hardly any other term has developed as much in recent years as this one. But what is sustainability actually? Sustainability means meeting one's own needs, but still preserving nature and our habitats for future generations. Sustainability has already taken on a strong role in tourism - also in Eastern Styria, the garden of Austria.
NATURE PARKS
Nature parks are not untouched and overgrown places, rather they can be described as cultural landscapes. People and nature should benefit from each other in equal measure, according to the motto "protect and benefit"!
Together with partners from agriculture, care is taken to ensure that biodiversity develops sustainably, thus creating a functioning basis of life for humans and animals. For our guests and residents, this means appreciating nature and its diversity and treating it responsibly.
Of the seven nature parks in Styria, two are located in Eastern Styria, the Garden of Austria. On the one hand, there is the Almenland Nature Park, which is mainly used for agriculture and forestry and offers tourists an ideal destination for hiking and recreational holidays. The second nature park in Eastern Styria - the Pöllauer Tal Nature Park - stretches across the municipalities of Pöllau and Pöllauberg. It is characterised by numerous colourful orchards, the Pöllauer Hirsch pear and an idyllic hilly landscape.
HOLIDAY ON THE FARM
Accommodation that pays particular attention to sustainability are the "Urlaub am Bauernhof" farms. A farm holiday means being close to life in the countryside, feeling and experiencing it up close, moving freely and getting to know the daily operations on a farm. Farmers have been observing the natural cycle of life for centuries and orient all their activities accordingly.
Experience lived sustainability at first hand: in terms of energy supply, in organic farming, in animal husbandry on the farm and in dealing with people. Nothing stands in the way of an unforgettable adventure holiday.
BED+BIKE OPERATIONS
Anyone traveling with their own bike has special accommodation requirements. The Bett+Bike establishments in Eastern Styria are designed to meet these needs: Staying just one night if you are on a round trip, a lockable room for bikes or for drying clothes or the provision of tools are just a few of the criteria that these accommodations fulfill.
DIRECT MARKETING
Buy organic and regional. In Eastern Styria, our producers offer excellent opportunities to do something good for the climate as well as for yourself, because regional food is virtually "just around the corner". You won't find such a shopping and enjoyment experience anywhere else. Here is an overview of the types of direct marketing: farm-gate sales, farmers' markets, farmers' shops, self-service shops, self-service machines.
GREEN GLOBE & ECO-LABEL
Green Globe - a seal of quality specially developed for the tourism industry. More than 500 businesses worldwide carry the Green Globe logo. In contrast to other certificates, it is not just about regular confirmation of sustainability, but about achieving continuous improvements in sustainability together with the audited businesses.
The Austrian Eco-label for tourism, gastronomy and cultural businesses is intended to bring about an environmental and quality improvement in your business, to enhance the image of your business and thus to offer guests a comprehensively sustainable experience in an Austrian destination.
The Retter Bio-Natur-Resort has been awarded the Green Globe and the Austrian Eco-label and is considered a leading sustainable business and climate-neutral pioneer in Austrian tourism. The same applies to the Almwellness Hotel Pierer, Garten-Hotel Ochensberger, Naturhotel Bauernhofer and Ponyhof Ratten, which were awarded the Austrian eco-label.
EUROPE & NATURA 2000 AREAS
The Natura 2000 network of protected areas is intended to permanently safeguard natural biotopes and create a sustainable relationship between people and nature. The legal basis for biotope and species protection within the European Union is the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive.
European protected areas and Natura 2000 in Eastern Styria:
CLIMATE & MODEL REGIONS
The Climate & Energy Model Regions (KEM) initiative supports regions in Austria that have set the protection of climate and environment as their focus.
The goal of the KEM is to no longer be dependent on expensive oil imports and to no longer be afraid of gas crises. Sun, wind, water and bioenergy from the region are to serve clean energy production. The complete phase-out of fossil energy is the long-term vision.
Projects in the fields of renewable energy, reduction of energy consumption, sustainable construction, mobility, agriculture and awareness raising are implemented together with partners from the region. In addition, climate and energy model regions have access to an extensive network as well as exclusive training, support and funding.
Already 11 regions/municipalities in Eastern Styria are among them and want to make a CO2-free holiday possible:
- Anger & Floing
- EnergieIMpuls Vorau
- Energy Culture Kulmland
- Energy Region Wechselland
- Recreation Region Joglland
- Climate-friendly Almenland Nature Park
- Pöllauer Tal Nature Park
- Upper Feistritz Valley
- Hartberg Region
- Weiz-Gleisdorf
- Ecoregion Kaindorf
ACADEMY FOR SUSTAINABILITY PÖLLAUER TAL
Becoming aware of nature and the laws of life, building a new mindset and supporting a sustainable economy. The Academy for Sustainability in the beautiful Pöllauer Tal trains new leadership approaches, tries to bring a sustainable leadership mindset into the companies and make people aware of the diverse topics of sustainability.
The Adventure Region Eastern Styria is looking forward to the close cooperation with the Sustainability Academy Pöllauer Tal and to the diverse offers for training and further education.
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM OFFICES
We, the team of Erlebnisregion Oststeiermark, are also striving to make our workplaces in the individual offices more sustainable. Here are some of the measures we are already taking in all offices to reduce our ecological footprint and make a positive contribution to the environment:
- Waste separation: We have established waste separation systems in all of our facilities to ensure that paper, plastic, organic waste and residual waste are disposed of properly.
- Energy conservation: We strive to save energy by avoiding stand-by modes for screens and electronic devices, turning off lights when not needed, optimizing computer mouse and air conditioning run times.
- Regional partners: We give preference to collaborations with regional companies and producers.
- Promoting sustainability awareness: Our employees are our most important ambassadors for sustainability, so it is important to us to raise their awareness of environmentally friendly practices.
- Plants in the workplace: Green plants not only create a pleasant working environment, but also help improve indoor air quality. In our offices, you will therefore find plants that promote not only aesthetics but also environmental friendliness.
They say continuous improvement paves the way to the goal, which is why 3/4 of all our offices are already pursuing the following initiatives:
- Sustainable coffee: In our office environment, we rely on environmentally friendly coffee, prepared without environmentally harmful capsules.
- Regional suppliers: We try to source our products from regional suppliers, be it paper, advertising materials or catering.
- Reuse of old productions: We focus on creativity and sustainability by reusing old productions, even if they still carry the old logo.
- Desk sharing and home office: We promote desk sharing and the possibility of home office for our employees. This not only reduces the need for office space and energy consumption, but also allows our team members to minimize their commute.
Sustainability is about sticking with it, not perfection.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR FEEDBACK!
There are already many initiatives, projects and approaches for more sustainable tourism in the Eastern Styria Adventure Region. However, our list is far from complete, so we welcome constructive feedback, which we will gladly include on our homepage!
Enjoy your stay with us and be part of our efforts for green tourism!