Sustainability

Since its first edition, Adventure Sports Fair supports and stimulates the presence of environmental NGOs to show their projects and campaigns at the Fair, making the audience sensitive to environment related themes.

From 2004, Adventure Fair started developing a specific sector (Environment and Sustainable Tourism), a Forum (FITS – Interamerican Sustainable Tourism Forum), and a management program (Integrated Environmental Sensitization and Management Program - Adventure Attitude) to discuss the social environmental theme in a larger scope at the fair, but in a way that is directly focused on tourism activity.

The intention is to use the Fair as a tourism destination and show, in practice, how to manage such a large sized event in a more sustainable fashion. In addition to that, we expect to show the audience, there is a diversity of equipment and products to help in the adoption of sustainable good practices in everyday life. Everyone can make a difference!

Environment and Sustainable Tourism Sector
The Environment and Sustainable Tourism Sector was created to show the work performed by the three sectors – government, private, and the third sector – related to the development of sustainable tourism and preservation of the environment.

It has the participation of the most highly regarded NGOs, such as: SOS Mata Atlântica, WWF-Brasil, Greenpeace, Ipê, Vitae Civilis, IH, among others; the Brazilian Ministries of Tourism, Environment, Culture, IBAMA, ICMBIO, Sebrae – all showing the interfaces between the various programs being developed in Brazil. Entities involved with accessibility and with national and international certification processes also participate, presenting their initiatives, which makes it possible to exchange ideas, information, and experiences, thus promoting an important dialogue between government, exhibitors, trade, and the visiting public.

To complement the exhibit, there are suppliers of organic and certified or environmental friendly products and equipment, which offer the public options and alternatives for a more conscious consumption and for the adoption of good sustainability practices.

Interamerican Sustainable Tourism Forum
Adventure Sports Fair will promote, from September 4th to 7th, at Pavilhão Imigrantes, in São Paulo, one of the main meetings held to discuss sustainable tourism: V FITS – INTERAMERICAN SUSTAINABLE TOURISM FORUM.

Created in 2004, FITS took on the objective of stimulating discussions on themes related to sustainability in the tourism industry, and spreading of principles and good practices among representatives of the environmental, social, and private sectors.

The event broadcasts the importance of sustainability not only as a concept, but also as a practice necessary for those directly or indirectly involved with tourism. National and international experiences, presented by renowned panelists, illustrate the Forum with testimonials from businessmen in the sector who adopted good practices in their businesses.

In 2008, on September 05th and 06th, V FITS presents the advances of sustainability in tourism, both in the domestic and international scenario, and the advances in entrepreneurial activities, products, and destination certification processes.


Discussions at V FITS will centre around the following main themes:
• Media and tourism, debating on the strategies to promote such products in the international market;
• Architectural, design solutions that enable the adoption of sustainable practices in tourism projects. The EcoPousada installation will be presented, incorporating Ecodesign and Bioarchitecture solutions for a world in transformation;
• Tourism in preservation units will be the theme of two blocks, with the participation of national park directors, owners of natural patrimony's private reservations, ecotourism operators, concessionaires, and users.


Sustainability
Objectives
• To show the feasibility of holding an event that generates low environmental impact and also uses this experience as an environmental education tool;
• To involve all participants in the fair: exhibitors, suppliers, and the general public in the Program.
• Promoting the need for selective waste management, recycling, and other actions such as “Adventure Attitude” campaign directed at visitors which offers information on protection of the environment, adventure tourism best practices, and sustainable consumption tips.
 • Carry out selective collection of recyclable or reusable materials at all stages of the fair, from the assembly of the booths to the holding of the fair to disassembly;
• Ensure the responsible disposal of the residues generated by the event for recycling and reuse and assure a significant decrease of the amount of garbage directed to sanitary landfills.
• Neutralize CO² emissions derived from the holding of the fair

Identified bins
All around the Fair, over 800 bins (100 liters) will be arranged in pairs – recyclable, and non recyclable garbage, identified with illustrated signs.

Food Places
Sets of 5 collectors (200 liters), with different colors indicating paper, plastic, metal, glass, and non recyclable material. Sets of 5 cardboard bins (100 liters), with different colors indicating paper, plastic, metal, glass, and non recyclable material.

In all booths:
Trash cans with the campaign’s logo, in pairs - recyclable and garbage.


Results from 2007’s campaign
Incorporated to the program, carbon emissions neutralization was achieved by the planting of 383 trees in partnership with Fundação SOS Mata Atlântica. Additionally, the collection for the recycling of batteries (“Papa-pilha”) started, with the placement of a collector in the exhibit area.

The following were donated to COOPERACS: carpet, plastic, acrylic, wood, and other materials selected by them to be used in art productions.

Note: Only 3 garbage containers were filled and sent to a sanitary landfill. That is a huge decrease when compared to all 24 containers generated in the first years of the event.