Environmental Commitment
Above & Beyond Alaska was founded by locals who grew up exploring in and engaging with the diverse ecosystems of Southeast Alaska. This wild and natural landscape holds a mystique unlike any other place … and we plan to keep it that way.
Above & Beyond Alaska (ABAK) has been organizing small group adventures in the Juneau area for over two decades. Our commitment is unwavering — we strive to exceed expectations across the board. This includes a steadfast focus on safety, a dedication to providing exceptional service, a commitment to maintaining the highest quality standards, and a proactive stance in fulfilling our role as stewards of the environment.
Leading Alaska’s Tourism in Sustainable Initiatives
In 2022, we partnered with the Alaska Carbon Reduction Fund (ACRF) to help meet our 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.
Beyond our support for the Alaska Carbon Reduction Fund, we have been steadfast in our commitment to sustainability through the principles of reducing, reusing, and recycling. Our efforts extend across various aspects of our operations. We provide reusable aluminum water bottles to minimize single-use plastics.
Every trip is equipped with reusable and washable snack bags to reduce waste. In 2015, we implemented heat pumps to heat our warehouse/office, enhancing energy efficiency. We actively recycle all cardboard, paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum. These initiatives reflect our ongoing dedication to environmental responsibility and our mission to operate in a way that minimizes our carbon footprint.
Our overarching goal at ABAK is threefold: to explore, educate, and promote environmental conservation right here in our own backyard. We firmly believe that the combination of exploration and education naturally leads to conservation. This belief is at the core of our mission. We take immense pride in engaging in what we love, and equally, in sharing with others the wonders of this beautiful world full of adventure.
ABAK is also a member of Adventure Green Alaska and Whale SENSE, two organizations with environmental sustainability in mind.
We’re also eagerly working towards our certification with Travel Life.
Protecting the Environment through Minimizing our Impact
- Following established Leave No Trace Principles
- Operate our trips with a 6:1 client to guide ratio maintains our standard of safety and care by creating manageable group sizes that are less of an impact on the terrain and to others
- Teach others about Leave No Trace ethics
- New warehouse/office space built as a LEED Certified “Green Building”
- Ongoing environmentally friendly business practices combined with new technology will also further our sustainability
- Reduce our footprint by: Reducing plastic water bottle use by supplying clients with reusable aluminum bottles, planning purchases according to our schedule to reduce food waste, utilizing van capacity appropriate for the group size (ABAK uses 7, 12, or 15 passenger vans) to reduce fuel consumption, and reduce consumption of outdoor goods by repairing damaged equipment
- Reuse our resources by: Cleaning and reusing aluminum water bottles and reusing paper with print on one side to print our daily schedule or by cutting and stapling it into notepads
- Recycle used things by: Sewing irreparable rain gear onto nylon snack bags, recycling cardboard, plastic, glass, aluminum, and paper in our office and warehouse
ABAK Is Dedicated to:
Promoting the Environment through Providing Exceptional Outdoor Experiences
- Our company acts as an ambassador for the wilderness by providing exploration accompanied with education which leads to conservation.
- Provide an avenue to get into and experience remote, inaccessible, and inhospitable areas safely and comfortably on guided trips
- “…the question is not what you look at – but how you look and whether you see.” – Thoreau, 1851. ABAK aims to provide an outdoor experience that allows clients to understand and appreciate their surroundings and not simply look at it. This in turn fosters a greater conservation ethic within our clients
Educating About the Environment through Outdoor Programs, Partnerships, and Training Opportunities
- Share our knowledge and passion about the wilderness and its environments to educate our clients
- Donate time and money to various environmental locations and organizations that promote the education about and protection of the wilderness
- Annual training seminars and community discussions organized by ABAK staff to educate about the surrounding ecosystems and environmental issues
We are also dedicated to making your Alaskan experience one to remember. Choose ABAK to be your professional guides.
