Greenstyle Book «how to run a sustainable alpine destination» – this is the name of the new book from the Weissen Arena Gruppe. It summarizes projects, goals and visions of the past 10 years and is intended to serve as a guide for more sustainability. The initiator of the book is Reto Fry, the environmental representative at the Weisse Arena Gruppe. He is responsible for the strategy and implementation of the Greenstyle measures and is committed to various topics so that he destination of Flims Laax Falera becomes more sustainable step by step. The book was realised together with the writer Tabea Ammann and the graphic designer Roland Buob. In the interview, Reto Fry tells us what it means to him that the Greenstyle Book is now finished.
How does it feel to finally hold the book in your hands?
It is very exciting. We put a lot of heart and soul into the project and I am happy that I can now share the Greenstyle Book with others. But only the book is finished, a lot of implementations on the mountain and in the valley still need to be done. That’s why I’m looking forward to getting back to work in the future and following up the many words with more deeds. There are still numerous projects in the destination Flims Laax Falera and within the Weissen Arena Gruppe that we need to tackle.
Why does the book exist?
There are several reasons: We can look back on over 10 years of Greenstyle – that’s always a good opportunity to get an overall picture. We have been working for a while to transform the destination Flims Laax Falera into a sustainable alpine destination. From the point of view of the Weissen Arena Gruppe, it has always been our ambition to play a pioneering role. We have learned a lot in the process and over time a comprehensive sustainability concept has emerged with Greenstyle. With the book, we want to share our experiences with as many people as possible so that we can achieve our goals and visions more easily. Many challenges such as the energy transition and the preservation of biodiversity can only be overcome together. The book is meant to motivate, inspire, create transparency and show a viable path from which we will all benefit in the end. For this reason, the book is also a call to all of us to shift up a gear together and to become bolder and faster in our implementation.
What is your favourite page in the book?
The double page 60/61 with the topic of solar power potential. On this page we show how a fossil oil-free energy transition is feasible without further endangering biodiversity. The sun provides much more energy than humanity consumes. We could cover the entire energy demand in the destination only with solar energy on the building stock. Solar power is therefore also considered the key technology of the energy transition and is the most sustainable and ecological form of energy. Many other forms of energy have a higher footprint or are more expensive. I recommend reading the solar power potential study. To do so, simply scan the QR code on the page.
Which topics are particularly important and should reach a larger audience?
Energy is certainly one of the most important topics. We humans waste a lot of energy and there is a very large potential for saving it. We have many losses that we could reduce, for example, by renovating buildings and increasing efficiency. Another topic is biodiversity. Because an energy turnaround must not happen at the expense of biodiversity either. It is also important to draw attention to the loss of species. We humans are not only dependent on an intact climate, but also on a functioning ecosystem. In the end, many things like nutrition and health are based on it, and everything is connected.
Into which hands should the book go?
The book should be a guide for all those who want to make a difference. Above all, it should get into the hands of employees, partners, locals and guests. Because we still have the greatest influence on our own doorstep. But the book should also be inspiring for journalists, students and other destinations and enterprises.
What do you hope to achieve with the Greenstyle Book?
My biggest hope is that we can show that greenstyle has become an important part of sustainable business. It’s not about raising a finger, but we want to motivate people to work together for a better world and have fun doing it. The book is meant to show that we have the knowledge and the technologies to make it a little better every day. I hope that soon we will see many new solar installations, more electric vehicles and bicycles, many wild bee-friendly gardens and much more. That should be worth it to us.
