Sustainability Practices at Skydive Geronimo
Who’d think that skydiving and sustainability are a thing?
Well, anyone who’s been on our Rottnest skydiving experience knows that with Skydive Geronimo, you can expect the unexpected. In a very good way. And that includes our commitment to sustainability.
We are the only skydiving operator on Rottnest Island which is protected as a Class A nature reserve and we are well aware of the privilege of running a business in this important conservation area.
But while we know and understand our obligations in protecting this stunning piece of paradise – our commitment goes far deeper than simply doing what’s required of us. We feel passionately about sustainability. We feel passionately about making sure that all our actions are mindful of the environment. And we are passionate about preserving ‘Rotto’ for future generations.
Firstly, we know water and power are scarce commodities on the island. That’s why we minimise our use of these resources both on the island as well as back at our mainland headquarters in Jandakot. None of our staff lives on the island and all of the general dealings of our business, including aircraft maintenance and cleaning of equipment are done back at base. We even take all our waste back to the mainland – taking care to recycle and reuse wherever appropriate.
We’ve also done a whole lot of other smart things to reduce our waste, reduce our reliance on consumables and reduce our carbon footprint. These include:
Going Paperless.
All our booking systems, induction paperwork, correspondence, insurance documentation, employee manuals and agent contracts are now online, enabling us to cut back hugely on the amount of paper we use.
Switching to Reusable Ear Plugs.
We made a small investment in customised earplugs for our staff which prevented nearly 700 disposable ear plugs from going into landfill. Sustainability, we hear you!
Lighting Up With LED.
We reduced energy consumption at our mainland hangar by 70% simply by replacing the conventional 400W lighting with 120W LED lights.
Switching On to Electric Power.
Rottnest generates its own electricity through the island’s solar farm and wind turbine, so we switched to an electric-powered transfer vehicle for all our skydive operations. Even though Rotto is only 19kms long, we still manage to clock up around 8 000kms in a year in our electric vehicle, which equates to a saving of nearly 1000 litres of fuel and a considerable amount of CO2 emissions.
Reducing Our Fuel Consumption.
A couple of years ago, we introduced a more efficient way of working out our aircraft loading capacities which has led to massive savings in our fuel consumption. We also bought a portable refuelling bladder which allows our aircraft to return to the mainland for refuelling after 18 skydiving flights instead of the previous four! That’s another big tick for reduced fuel consumption and our carbon footprint.
In fact, our refuelling systems don’t only have an impact on our own sustainability. They also deliver benefits to the island as a whole.
We worked closely with Rottnest’s Environmental Services to ensure our refuelling system was designed and located to minimise its impact on the natural surroundings, and our bunding and spill kits have even been used to clean up fuel spills from other private aircraft that have visited the island.
At Skydive Geronimo, we walk and talk sustainability, and we make sure there is ongoing education of staff and customers about the island’s wildlife policies and about our own recycling and energy reduction strategies. Our new website even has a dedicated page on Rottnest Island which includes downloadable documents on wildlife education and the island’s sustainability plans.
So, if you choose a spectacular Rottnest skydiving experience, you’ll not be doing something extraordinary for yourself, you’ll be doing good for the environment too!
For more information or to make a booking for skydiving in Perth, please contact us. Our friendly team can’t wait to meet you for the time of your life!
Glenn is a successful Skydive Instructor who’s successfully turned his lifelong passion into an award-winning adventure tourism business. His love for the thrill of the jump began over three decades ago in Matamata, New Zealand. 20,000+ jumps later and with the highest Australian Chief Instructor / Instructor A ratings under his belt, he and his wife, Amy, dedicate their lives to running the Western Australian-based Skydive Geronimo, the only company licensed to provide tandem jumps over one of the pearls of the Indian Ocean, Rottnest Island.
Glenn works tirelessly in all aspects of the business – from student and instructor training through to equipment safety, PR, Australian Parachute Federation (APF) and Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) compliance and everything in between. He also delivers education sessions to local pilots about skydiving operations in Perth and the surrounding area.
