Henk Groenen, Efteling, Holland: We are not under pressure, because we accept our responsibilities. The Efteling Nature Foundation is still our one and only shareholder. We are a park as much as a theme park because no more than 10% of our area is built on, the rest is flowers, trees etc. Underneath Vogel Rok, our indoor coaster, there is a water tank that we use in summer for air conditioning in our hotel and in the winter to keep some attractions free of frost. We also buy used domestic water, run it through our natural cleaning systems and use it for our lakes and to water our golf courses. Some years we can even give water back to the system. We also catch rain water and use it to flush toilets. We are doing several other pilots schemes here too, but we don’t put signs in the park explaining this, because during the day people just want to have fun.
Jack Morey, Morey’s Piers, USA: Our energy consumption is extraordinarily high, as well as the rate we pay per kilowatt-hour. We have studied windmills, but can’t make financial sense of them yet. We are now re-mapping the energy distribution plan to create higher efficiency and lower consumption. We’ve also introduced the MOR-EZ debit card, which has completely eliminated the need for paper tickets. It’s very eco-friendly.
Angela Wright, Crealy Adventure Parks, UK: Crealy’s environmental policy is “Reduce, Recycle, Reuse – Be Energy Aware.” In 2000, we set out to become a carbon neutral visitor attraction – 97% of our guests say they are reducing their carbon footprint. We are delighted that so many are so in touch with the natural environment and welcome their ideas and suggestions. We are working closely with the Carbon Trust and have commissioned environmental audits to monitor the park’s impact on the environment as we work towards the South West of England’s Green Business Tourism Scheme accreditation.
John Hildebrandt, Cedar Point, USA: We are always looking at ways to be more energy efficient. It’s just good business. I think most parks are expected to increase their enviromental efforts. Cedar Point is no different. We have a number of programmes in place, including recycling paper, cardboard and scrap metals, using motion-sensing light switches in buildings and recycling cooking and lubrication oils. Our landscape department uses an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programme to cut down on pesticides, and we use natural Lake Erie water for the park’s lagoons and ponds.
