Our Sustainability Spotlight series is aimed at broadening the conversation surrounding sustainable tourism for visitors and businesses by sharing the stories of our Adventure Green Alaska certified businesses. To learn more about Adventure Green Alaska certification please visit our about page.

Above and Beyond Alaska is a boutique guiding company that has been operating since 2002. Their priorities are providing outstanding customer service, maintaining the highest safety standards, and serving as responsible stewards of the environment. They specialize in small-group, high-quality wilderness adventures that feature the best of Southeast Alaska – glaciers, bears, and whales. Their tours are sought after by those passionate about the environment and sustainability and want to explore off the beaten path adventures. They combine human powered adventures with boat or float plane transport to several of their tour destinations. 

Since opening their doors in 2002, ABAK has been deeply committed to sustainability by focusing on reducing, reusing, and recycling. They’ve implemented measures such as minimizing paper use, providing reusable aluminum water bottles to reduce single-use plastics, and using reusable snack bags to cut down on waste. Additionally, they actively recycle cardboard, paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum. In 2015, they took another step toward energy efficiency by installing heat pumps to heat their warehouse and office.

ABAK recommends that businesses looking to strengthen their sustainability efforts make sustainability a key value proposition. Create clear sustainability policies, gather input from your team, and promote them on your website and social media platforms. Maintain consistent follow-through to demonstrate your commitment.

In 2022, ABAK partnered with the Alaska Carbon Reduction Fund (ACRF) to help meet their sustainability goals and became the first tourism company to participate and raise funds for heat pumps to be installed in low-income family homes. Over the span of 2022-2024, ABAK successfully raised over $22,000 to support this endeavor, contributing to the Alaska Carbon Reduction Fund’s mission. The Alaska Carbon Reduction Fund replaces oil-burning heating systems with efficient, emissions-free air source heat pumps. This initiative offers heating assistance to lower-income families in Juneau, helping reduce housing costs by significantly cutting annual heating bills. By using heat pumps, the reliance on diesel fuel is eliminated, preventing the release of tons of carbon dioxide each year.

Environmental sustainability is deeply aligned with ABAK’s business values. They strictly adhere to Leave No Trace principles on all of their trips, ensuring they pack in and pack out everything. Their mission is to explore, educate, and promote environmental conservation in their backyard. ABAK believes that exploration, paired with education, inspires conservation, and this philosophy is at the heart of everything they do.

To learn more about Above and Beyond Alaska, visit their Green Business profile and their website.