Take a walk on the green side

“When it comes to the environment,” says Alfred Strigl, deputy director of the Austrian Institute for Sustainability, “Austrians are top of Europe and top of the world.” Being green, he explains, has always come naturally to his countrymen.

Alfred continues “We are the Indians of Europe. We have a broad traditional knowledge of natural topics that comes from a conservative way of life – the farmers, hunters and forest men – that has been handed down from generation to generation. We know how to read the landscapes. We know about the cycle of life, to listen to the wind and to pay attention to the seasons and the way the herbs grow, the birds, the mushrooms and so on.”

It is the combination of what he calls this “aristocratic” green sensibility along with a new environmental awareness triggered by global warming and globalisation that makes Austria the world’s most environmentally friendly country today, continues Strigl. “Seventy per cent of our power comes from alternative energy,” he says. “And 60 per cent of all waste is recycled. We are a recycling world master. It’s been like this for ten years, and there’s not much more we can do to make it better.”

But when it comes to eco-tourism, Austria’s deep-rooted environmental awareness has perhaps let it down. While other destinations have been quick to tell the world about their latest sustainable tourism initiatives, Austrians haven’t felt compelled to emphasise what has always been an inherent part of their lives. In fact, Austria is one of the world’s best destinations for sustainable tourism, as recently recognised in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report.

AFFORDABLE SUSTAINABILITY

In the UK, sustainability and environmental awareness often seem to be the preserve of the privileged. But in Austria, there are a huge number and variety of affordable places to stay – from B&Bs and guesthouses to campsites and mountain huts – for the environmentally conscious visitor.

More than 180 have achieved the standards of the Östereichische Umweltzeichen – Austrian Eco-label – a government run scheme that attaches particular importance to efficient waste and energy management, easy-to-use recycling systems, minimising the use of packaging and using seasonal, local, organic food, sustainable materials in bedrooms and ‘soft chemistry’ to clean bathrooms.

It’s the same story up in the mountains. In fact, Austria has the largest number of eco-friendly mountain huts of any country in Europe. The 40-bed Adolf Nossberger hut in Carinthia’s Schober Mountains is one of 63 that have achieved the prestigious Austrian Alpine Association’s Seal of Environmental Excellence. It uses solar-charged batteries to power low-energy light bulbs, sustainably sourced wood for heating and a combination of filtration and composting to process toilet waste.

For many Austrians who have a traditional respect for the environment, remaining close to nature is an integral part of protecting it, and there are countless opportunities to experience Austria’s natural beauty and a traditional way of life.

Farm Holidays in Austria, for example, offers strung-out city dwellers the chance to relax, unwind and reconnect with nature. “Our farm holidays enable visitors to experience a slower pace of life,” says Patricia Lutz, marketing executive at Farm Holidays in Austria, “where people still make bread, cheese and butter in the traditional way and live their lives according to rhythms of nature – dictated by their animals, the seasons, weather and so on.” There are almost 900 organic farms to choose from, including 77 health and wellness farms and another 87 where sustainability is to a high standard.

Of course, one of Austria’s major attractions is its extraordinary natural beauty. And with more than 60 per cent of its landscape covered by forests, wetlands and grasslands and almost 30 per cent of it protected, there are no shortage of opportunities to experience this first hand.

ECO INFRASTRUCTURE

However, the idea of sustainable tourism goes beyond simply offering you a low impact hotel. Several Austrian towns and villages are promoting the concept of car-free holidays and low-traffic or vehicle-free zones. At the Alpine resorts of Werfenweng, Neukirchen am Grossvenediger and Hinterstoder, for example, subsidised shuttle buses are on hand to transfer visitors to and from the train station and hiking and cycling trails. Solar powered cars and electric bicycles can be hired at minimal cost, and guests are also provided with free mobile phones with which to hire taxis.

A rail journey to Austria can be an exciting experience for the whole family. For example, you can leave London in the early evening and arrive at your Resort by mid-morning the next day, with most of the journey time spent sleeping in a comfortable overnight cabin, playing, enjoying the on-board service and watching the landscape glide by. There are excellent night train connections from various cities in the UK to Austria (via Paris, Brussels, Strasbourg and Cologne) and families benefit from various generous discounts such as the BahnCard. Depending on where in Austria you are going, the journey time is between twelve and fifteen hours.

For rail tickets to Austria visit Bahn.co.uk.

If you prefer flying or driving to Austria, there are ways of reducing the environmental impact of your journey by offsetting your emissions using a reputable carbon offsetting scheme such as TICOS (Tourism Industry Carbon Offset Scheme) on Ticos.co.uk.

Get into the green habit this summer and enjoy a walking holiday with a good conscience in a Walk Austria destination of your choice!