The 17 Goals and 169 targets map out a tangible and achievable path to a sustainable future by 2030. This is a project for everyone – an incredibly important movement to quite literally save the world. As former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon put it “There is no Plan B, because there is no Planet B.”
If we are going to achieve the ambitious targets, it is this generation of students who will lead us there. To play our part at CAS Trips, we have developed a unique methodology to utilize the SDGs to empower students to be that change:
Long-Term Impact
Via our CAS Project Challenge Workshop, small teams must identify SDGs that resonate with them, developing long-term CAS Projects to positively impact their own communities.
Think Global, Act Local
Students are challenged to use the SDGs as lenses to translate their on-trip experience, and consider how the same SDGs and targets are being tackled back home.
By 2022 CAS Trips will go 100% carbon neutral, meticulously calculating each participant’s carbon footprint via South Pole and offsetting all trip-generated emissions via Stand For Trees’ VSC-certified projects around the world.
Since 2018, CAS Trips have been sponsoring Italian NGO Environomica to oversee the reforestation of indigenous tree varieties in Colombia’s Sierra Santa Marta.
For every CAS Trips destination, we perform a comprehensive study of the critical real issues affecting the residents. We take great pride in selecting the right organizations to collaborate with based on these findings.
We see it as our duty not to contribute to over-tourism and to protect vulnerable cultures, particularly in our work with the Quechuan communities, homestays and NGOs in the Sacred Valley of Peru.
As of 2019, every CAS Trip will feature the Food Waste Challenge, in which students are tasked with collecting and carrying around their group’s food waste for one full day from 8am – 8pm, before weighing the total amount and composting it.
As well as educating CAS Trips students, it is equally important to give back, educate and develop the local communities we work with. In 2018, we helped promote organic agriculture in El Carmen, Colombia by building an organic garden and facilitating local school visits and classes.
In 2017, we sponsored Czech philanthropist David Christof to run, unassisted, from Prague to Krakow! During this 12-day, 500-km-run, David visited local schools to spread his philanthropic message, raise awareness of Safe Drinking Water, and show students that individual actions really can make a difference.
Since 2019, all CAS Trips participants receive a BPA-plastic free 700ml foldable and reusable water bottle to discourage single-use plastic.
Starting in 2016, CAS Trips students have fundraised over €3000 for the successful rehabilitation of a number of recovering homeless guides in collaboration with Pragulic. Funds have been used for dental and health insurance, rehabilitation treatment, English classes and clothing.
Since 2020, we have brought several student-led sustainability projects to life by donating over 6000$US to charities, supporting them to implement the winning projects from our Virtual CAS Conference hackathon series.
In 2018, we donated over €50,000 to our partner NGOs in CAS Trips destinations. In addition to this we always look to support the grassroots developments of their long-term projects. Contributions have included furnishing an organic farm’s new kindergarten and equipping a homeless soup kitchen.
We must all do our bit to end irresponsible consumption. Here at CAS Trips, we pledge to either donate, recycle or upcycle all consumer products and clothing, such as computer equipment, office furniture, uniforms and anything else we can!
One of the most effective ways to fight climate change is to switch to a renewable energy provider, which is exactly what CAS Trips are doing in 2021!
We will switch all notepads, paper, posters etc. to 100% recycled and sustainably sourced materials in 2021
We know not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to afford to take a CAS Trip. That is why we are working hard to create our Changemaker Scholarship Fund for students from underprivileged backgrounds for 2022
We know that supporting local business is central to growing the local economy, and this is key to sustainable development. That is why we are performing an in-depth review of all our destinations to ensure we are supporting 100% local projects and organizations by 2022.
CAS Trips have already moved 95% of our operation paperless, and we pledge to achieve that extra 10% to go completely digital and 100% paperless by 2022.
Contact us to find out how CAS Trips can help your students achieve their learning outcomes during a school trip abroad!
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