Sustainable Travel - VBT Bicycling Vacations

Supporting Our Planet Through Sustainable Travel

VBT is committed to going the extra mile to support our planet while giving back to the regions where we travel.

With our long-term commitment to environmental sustainability, VBT leads the way in responsible tourism. Our tours are centered around locally owned and operated accommodations—seeking out hotels with environmentally-sustainable initiatives wherever possible.

Local communities are central to our approach, and we strive to support local economies, preserve indigenous cultures, protect the environment and conserve wildlife in all aspects of our business. We’re enthusiastic supporters of the Slow Food movement—a philosophy that supports biodiversity and preserves traditional food preparations. By choosing to travel with VBT, you’re doing your part to make travel more sustainable.

The VBT Travelers Fund

We make a donation on behalf of every guest to the Travelers Fund, which supports a wide range of initiatives in the communities and habitats where we travel. These range from wildlife conservation in the Canadian Rockies to an orphanage in Vietnam. We also support larger international initiatives through our partner Wine to Water.

Partnerships

Living Sustainability at Work

Our commitment to sustainability doesn’t end with exciting travel here and abroad. The VBT team is dedicated to implementing eco-friendly policies right here in our Vermont office.

Volunteer

Our staff participates in Green Up Vermont, an annual local cleanup day, volunteers with the local food shelf, VT Food Bank, mentorship programs, and Long Trail cleanup. We also volunteer and participate in local charity and fundraiser events supporting various causes, including the Kelly Brush Foundation and the Richard Tom Foundation.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Rethink

VBT partnered with our local waste management organization to perform an audit to learn how to generate less waste at the office. Our staff recycles as much as we can; paper, cardboard, and plastics. We compost coffee grounds, tea leaves, and lunch scraps. We have stopped printing documents that are easily accessible digitally and have reduced our volume of paper usage by 16 tons a year!

Getting There

VBT has adopted a hybrid work policy that cut our fuel consumption by more than 50%. On in-office days, many members of the VBT team choose to bike to work (weather permitting), and we have a carpooling program, rewarding dedicated groups with occasional prizes and gas cards.

Fresh & Local

It doesn’t get more local than right out your office door! The VBT team has a garden which is planed and maintained by our sustainability committee. The whole office is invited to harvest fresh herbs and veggies, adding to a lunchtime salad or sandwich. Each year the garden gets a soil re-fresh with our own compost!