At Under Canvas, we believe that connecting with nature and being ambassadors of the environment make us healthier and happier people. We see the Earth as our most precious resource and remain committed to a sustainable future where national parks can be enjoyed by all.
Over the last year, we have been working towards sustainability goals with our Mindful Approach at the forefront. This approach has come to life at our camps in the following ways:
THOUGHTFUL INNOVATION
We employ thoughtful enhancements across our camp’s design with thermally modified lumber, recycled paperboard walls, and carbon-sequestration concrete. We use a material called ‘Fly Ash’, which is a byproduct of coal-fired power plants and, when recycled into concrete products, can contribute to minimizing the carbon footprint. In one of our shower pans, we use over 20 pounds of Fly Ash, which offsets over 20 pounds of CO2 that would potentially be produced by only using cement.
INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY PRINCIPLES
We are committed to doing our part to reduce light pollution by following guidance from the International Dark-Sky Association. By pointing lights down, eliminating glare, dimming and turning lights off when not needed, and choosing warmer color lights, we are protecting the nighttime environment, ensuring the safety of our guests, and helping you reconnect with the night. Learn more at DarkSky.org.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS
Guests will notice some design features throughout camp that go a long way towards sustainably preserving the great outdoors, including pull-chain showers, faucets that automatically shut off, low-flow toilets, and a towel reuse program. Accordingly, our camps use significantly less water and energy than a hotel of a similar size. Additionally, low-level lighting is used throughout camps, mitigating light pollution and amplifying the night sky.
LAND CONSERVATION
Under Canvas camps – each with dedicated, undisturbed green spaces – are designed to minimize disturbance and maximize open space. Land donations, adaptive use and sustainability, and partnerships with local conservation organizations are also part of our commitment.
LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPLES
Leave No Trace is a national educational program that informs visitors on ways to reduce the damage caused by outdoor activities, Leave No Trace principles and practices are based on an abiding respect for the natural world and our fellow wildland visitors. We can act on behalf of the places and wildlife that inspire us by adopting the skills and ethics that Leave No Trace. Learn more at lnt.org
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
As lovers of the outdoors and the beautiful lands that surround our camps, Under Canvas has joined forces with The Nature Conservancy, a global environmental nonprofit working to help fund conservation and raise awareness through education, volunteer efforts, and donation programs. Under Canvas participates in an employee giveback program that allows all company employees to donate a paycheck value of their choosing to The Nature Conservancy. This amount is then matched dollar for dollar by Under Canvas.
- Under Canvas guests are invited to join in the brand’s mission, as well as support conservation, by donating $1, $3, or $5 to The Nature Conservancy upon check-in.
- Additionally, employees across all 10 camps and corporate offices in Denver and Bozeman volunteer in and around some of the country’s most beautiful national parks, as well as at some of The Nature Conservancy’s more than 700 preserves across the country.
OUR 2022 GOALS
Through our donation programs with The Nature Conservancy, we were able to achieve our goal of $20,000 in donations. This came from both our camp guests, as well as our corporate employees, whose donations were matched dollar by dollar by Under Canvas.
In addition, Under Canvas camp staff and corporate employees far surpassed our goal of 500 volunteer hours with nearly 600 hours completed in 2022. The projects included island clean-ups, counting butterflies, maintaining trails, and so much more!
LOOKING TO 2023
We know there is always work to be done on moving the needle on sustainability and we remain committed to doing our part. For 2023, Under Canvas has set a goal of $30,000 in donations and 600 volunteer hours.
We continue to find ways to give back to our local communities, parks, and environments and we’re looking forward to an even better year of growth ahead.