May-2019
SENE’S Eco-Alphabet…
… enumerating actions, initiatives, objectives, and work toward environmental sustainability – to help preserve Tanzania’s beauty for future generations.
A as in…
Awareness– Since the time he was a porter on the mountain Simon has always made a point to build environmental and cultural awareness among his colleagues and clients.
B as in…
Banning plastic– Tanzania recently announced a ban, effective in June 2019, on single-use plastic bags in its effort to reduce waste and protect the environment.
C as in…
Composting– Composting reduces wasted food and greenhouse gas emissions by putting it to use as natural fertilizer. SENE uses compost at the Mbahe Farm gardens.
D as in…
Do the right thing– We work to inspire other Tanzania adventure travel companies to do the right thing and work toward protecting the beautiful environments that are the lifeblood of our industry.
E as in…
Education– SENE’s responsibility is to educate our guests to be responsible tourists and our staff to be environmentally conscious citizens in order to ensure that Tanzania remains a beautiful and unique destination for years to come.
F as in…
Footprint– We strive to reduce our environmental footprint by promoting alternative sustainable adventures, such as multi-day walks, runs, and bike rides on the quiet trails encircling the mountain outside the national park.
G as in…
GoalZero solar kits– Used on all our Kilimanjaro climbs for camp lighting and charging of client electronics.
H as in…
Hiring– Since Simon founded SENE in 1998, he has hired, where possible, only Tanzanians from his village and surrounding communities, in order to sustain local employment.
I as in…
Impact– In an effort to reduce the environmental impact on the most heavily-used Kilimanjaro climb routes, SENE promotes the less busy trails to spread the amount of foot-traffic around the mountain.
J as in…
Just do it – pick up trash!– SENE guides and porters are widely known for picking up other companies’ trash while on the mountain and stashing it in our re-usable hand-sewn canvas trash bags.
K as in…
Katadyn Expedition® water purification filter– We use this Swiss-made system on all our climbs, multi-day walks, Kilimanjaro Stage Run, and at Mbahe Farm. Its high-performance filtration uses a silver-impregnated ceramic to ensure the water is free of bacteria and protozoa to provide fresh safe drinking water.
L as in…
Leave No Trace® – SENE has been a LNT member since 2007. Simon has always recognized the problem of trash on Kilimanjaro. He has educated the SENE mountain crews about observing LNT principles and collecting trash all the way to the summit.
M as in…
Moshi-based company– SENE is a Tanzania adventure travel company with head offices in Moshi Town, at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. This means that all SENE profits stay in Tanzania to the benefit of the local community. SENE works and collaborates with other local companies that are committed to sustainable and responsible business practices.
N as in…
Nature– From white sandy beaches to rugged mountains to endless wildlife-rich plains, Tanzania has beautiful natural landscapes to offer its visitors. But we all need to protect this nature for future generations of Tanzanians and visitors to this amazing country.
O as in…
Organic– The organic farm and garden plots, and the beehives that Simon maintains at Mbahe and Mweka, offer models of sustainable farming techniques. He also follows principles of permaculture – using patterns observed in natural ecosystems to grow fruits and vegetables in a sustainable and self-sufficient manner.
P as in…
Plastic Bottles– SENE’s next goal is to eliminate the ubiquitous disposable plastic bottles from our safaris. We are working to develop a system of filtered water storage in our vehicles along with providing stainless-steel water bottles for our guests. Stay tuned!
Q as in…
Qultural (!?)– We include cultural aspects on all our tours – when our guests walk local footpaths through villages and farms in the Kilimanjaro foothills, when they stay overnight at the Mbahe Farm Cottages and visit the local primary school, when they encounter Tanzanian tribes away from the usual tourist track …
R as in…
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle– The three R’s that at SENE we put into practice in our offices, at the Mbahe Farm, and on every adventure tour – from the reusable containers for storing foodstuffs on climbs to the three recycling stations at our Moshi office.
S as in…
Sustainability– The concept of sustainability first appeared in the UN’s 1987 Brundtland Reportin order to warn about the negative environmental consequences of economic development and globalization. It was written with the aim of offering solutions to the problems arising from industrialization and population growth. Today, sustainability tries to secure present needs without compromising those of future generations. At SENE, we follow the three essential pillars of sustainability: environmental protection, social development and (local) economic growth.
T as in…
Tree-planting– On the Kilimanjaro Stage Run all participants are involved in a tree-planting initiative in a local village en route.
U as in…
Us together– It is the only way to make a difference – to collectively take action together. We always ask, “What can we do to make our trips more environmentally responsible?”
V as in…
Vanishing wildlife– The wildlife of Tanzania is one of its treasures, but also a biodiversity that needs to be protected. SENE will always align itself against poaching and hunting.
W as in…
Wag bags by Cleanwaste®– Used in all our portable toilets. An environmentally-friendly gelling agent encapsulates, deodorizes and breaks down waste, which is then sealed in the bag and ready for the landfill to biodegrade.
X as in…
X (we do not) greenwash– On our website, newsletters and email we never promote sustainable practices that we are not completely engaged in. Simon is our leader in ensuring that all the SENE staff and crew are true to our sustainability mission.
Y as in…
Y go where everyone else goes?– With our multi-day walks on the Kilimanjaro foothills, our bike trips through the Usambara Mountains, and the Kilimanjaro Stage Run we take our guests to off-the-beaten-path scenic and remote natural areas while minimizing impact on the environment and on the local inhabitants.
Z as in…
Zero waste– A philosophy that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles so that all products are reused (as is done in nature – naturally!). The goal is for no trash to be sent to landfills, incinerators, or the ocean. Currently, only 9% of all plastic is actually recycled.. Let’s reduce our footprint! This is our goal at SENE.
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