Eco-rafting is the new rafting

Photo courtesy of Barbara Steinberg

I normally have a healthy skepticism for tour operators, hotels and others who slap an eco- prefix on their name and declare themselves to be green. After all, it’s pretty easy to make some superficial changes to your business without tackling the real impact issues.

But recently I came across a tour operator that really means it: Mother Lode River Center, in California’s Sierra Nevada.

Mother Lode’s camp on the American River is powered by solar panels. Rafters arrive at the camp on the WVO-fueled Eco-Bus, and while there they eat organic food grown in Mother Lode’s garden. The center is also hard at work on educational initiatives to spread the word about permaculture and alternative energies.

From what I can tell, Mother Lode is truly dedicated to making the sort of across-the-board, big-picture adjustments needed to achieve genuine sustainability, rather than just piecemeal cosmetic tinkering.

Headed to the Sierra Nevada? Give their rafting trips and other adventure offerings a browse!

And even if you won’t be hitting the American River any time soon, check out Mother Lode’s news page to learn more.

Community Connection:

Want to create your own WVO-fueled vehicle? Check out How To Stop Paying For Gas and Run on Free Vegetable Oil in Eight Easy Steps. And for some thought-provoking discussion, see How Local Self-Reliance Will Overthrow The System.