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UNIT 4: ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
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• Even though some purchases are made in bulk, they include
substantial volumes of packaging, which is sent for land filling with
the rest of the Lodge’s waste.
• There is no awareness of how to purchase environmentally-preferable
products, except for buying in bulk.
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EMISSIONS
• All the air-conditioners, refrigerators and the cold room use CFC-11
as a refrigerant. During repair, significant amounts of refrigerant are
allowed to escape. The fire extinguishers contain halon. Insecticides
and air fresheners are purchased in aerosol spray cans. Foam is
regularly used as packaging.
• All Savannah Calling’s vehicles operate on diesel. Owing to poor
maintenance, the engines are noisy and give out copious exhaust
fumes.
• The lobby, public areas and back office are all designed as open
verandas, so the Lodge’s management is confident that indoor air
quality is not an issue. However, the kitchen and laundry exhaust fans
are in poor working condition and there is no ventilation in the boiler
room.
TRAINING EMPLOYEES
• Overall environment awareness is low to non-existent. Management
does agree that ‘the environment is important’, and that ‘it is good to
recycle’, but have no further environment expertise.
• The Park authorities require that only licensed game rangers -
those that successfully complete the recommended series of ecology,
conservation and communication courses - conduct safari tours. There
is also a special license for ranger-chauffeurs. However, the Lodge has
not verified if any of the rangers and chauffeurs employed by Savannah
Calling hold the required licence.
• It is further reported that rangers and chauffeurs are very willing to
drive off-road to get close to animals for better photographs and even
chase and track down bigger species when large tips are imminent.
COMMUNICATION TO VISITORS
• The Park has put together one brief wildlife information leaflet on
resident and migratory species, the only information available to
guests. The leaflet contains only scant information and needs to be
upgraded.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PARK AUTHORITIES AND THE LOCAL
COMMUNITY
• The Lodge has just began talks with the Park authorities on a
series of management-related problems including conflicts of interest
with local communities, poaching, costly administrative delays, poor
environment and visitor management, lack of funds and the gradual
degradation of the Park’s ecosystem. The Lodge’s management
and the Park authorities are working on how the Lodge could
contribute towards increasing conservation funds, ensuring game
ranger licensing, increasing visitor management and implementing
EMS.
• The Lodge has no direct contact with the local communities living in the