Wet Planet’s Commitment to Our Planet
SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATION THROUGH GREEN BUSINESS BENCHMARK (GBB)
Wet Planet is the first Columbia River Gorge whitewater operator to become a certified sustainable organization through Green Business Benchmark!
At Wet Planet, it is central to our ethics to operate in an environmentally, socially, and economically responsible manner. We always aim to conduct our business sustainably, allowing future generations to enjoy the river canyons we love and the town where we live. Our commitment to the environment is evident whether we’re on the river or making a latte at our espresso bar, and we are proud to be an industry leader in environmentally responsible business practices.
The Green Business Benchmark Sustainability Certification sets rigorous standards, acting as a clear symbol of our dedication through:
- Transparently Display of Commitment: Our GBB Sustainability Certification transparently showcases our dedication to sustainability, allowing guests to observe our accomplishments and ongoing initiatives.
- Accountability through Audits: The certification holds us accountable by subjecting all GBB customers to audits, ensuring accuracy and compliance in our sustainable practices.
- Adherence to International Standards: Our GBB Sustainability Certification aligns with globally recognized standards such as UN SDGs, SBTI, SASB, LEED, and GRI. These standards, evaluated based on effort, investment, and impact, guide our continuous efforts to promote environmental responsibility, contributing significantly to a sustainable and resilient future.
Our GBB Sustainability Certification recognizes our efforts in the following areas:
- Waste Diversion: Minimizing our landfill-bound waste.
- Energy Efficiency: Decreasing our annual energy consumption.
- Cost Savings: Reinvesting energy bill savings into further energy reduction.
- Biodegradable Product Usage: Increasing the incorporation of biodegradable products.
- Composting Partnerships: Collaborating with Dirt Hugger, a local business, for an effective composting system.
- Sustainable Café Practices: Serving organically grown coffee in reusable and recycled cups, complemented by the use of eco-friendly pasta stirrers and paper straws.
- Educational Partnerships: Collaborating with Leave No Trace, Inc., to educate outdoor enthusiasts on minimal-impact wilderness travel principles.
- Community Engagement: Hosting events like the annual White Salmon Community Float, allowing private kayakers the use of Wet Planet property to access the White Salmon, reducing bushwhacking trails and river bank erosion, and Wet Planet Co-owner Todd Collins serving as a member of the Husum BZ Community Council since 2008.
At Wet Planet, you may see an employee roll into work on a bicycle or paddle up in a kayak. You might catch one of us weighing a recycling bag or carrying a box of local produce into our kitchen. These practices are just the beginning. Take a look at our most current initiatives and accomplishments by clicking on the GBB Gold Certified Badge pictured above!
PARTNER OF LEAVE NO TRACE, INC. (LNT)
Leave No Trace is a non-profit organization committed to promoting and inspiring responsible outdoor recreation through education, research, and partnerships. The seven LNT principles for wildland ethics have become the standard for human-powered recreation through the support and commitment of public land management agencies such as the US Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Through our partnership with LNT, Inc., Wet Planet helps support LNT in its mission to spread important backcountry travel skills and ethics.
Through our corporate partnership with Leave No Trace, Wet Planet Rafting and Kayaking shares in, supports, and practices the LNT skills and ethics. Join us in our effort to Leave No Trace by following these seven simple principles:
- Plan ahead and prepare
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
WHITE SALMON RIVERFEST AND SYMPOSIUM
We understand that sustainability means more than just environmental awareness – it’s also about being active in the community. Wet Planet strives to build a strong, mutually beneficial relationship with our local community by sponsoring and organizing the yearly White Salmon RiverFest and Symposium.
Wet Planet, in conjunction with the Headwaters Institute, has organized and hosted the White Salmon RiverFest and Symposium from 2006 to 2019. Wet Planet’s own Jaco Klinkenberg has been the founder and organizer of the White Salmon RiverFest from day one, each year supported and assisted by many folks from the community. The mission and goal of the White Salmon RiverFest and Symposium organizers are to provide education during a fun and informal event that brings together and inspires individuals within the community to care for and connect with their watershed, based on a concept that was initially conceived by The Headwaters Institute.
While we typically hosted the RiverFest annually, we took a step back for a break during the pandemic years. In 2024, we brought back the much-appreciated community floats. Join us as we continue to celebrate and support our local community through the White Salmon Community Float!
The event includes a White Salmon River rafting trip specially designed to bring the local community together and express our gratitude for allowing us all to live, play, and work around this beautiful watershed. To sign up for the float, please call or reserve online.
LOCALLY SOURCED (AND FLAVORFUL) FOOD AND DRINKS
Many of the foods and drinks we serve come straight from local farms and businesses in the Columbia River Gorge. Check out where our Wet Planet espresso bar, rafting trip lunches, kayak course lunches, and multi-day trip meals come from:
- Espresso beans from Randonnée (Mosier, OR)
- Tea blends from Good Medicine Tea (Hood River, OR)
- Our pastries come to us from the White Salmon Baking Co. (White Salmon, WA) and are baked fresh daily at Wet Planet
- Bread for sandwiches is baked locally by the White Salmon Baking Co. (White Salmon, WA)
- Our Kombucha and Fermented veggies for sandwiches are sourced locally from Blue Bus Food (Bingen, WA)
- We serve artisan cheeses for our gourmet meals on Multi-day trips that are sourced from Cascadia Creamery (Trout Lake, WA)
- Smoked Salmon for our multi-day trips comes from Wild Columbia Salmon (Hood River, OR)
- Our beer and wine on the multi-day trips come directly from some of our favorite local breweries and wineries: AniChe Winery (Underwood, WA), COR Cellars (Lyle, WA), Syncline Wine Cellars (Lyle, WA), and Everybody’s Brewing (White Salmon, WA)
Finally, all of our food scraps and compostable waste are collected and transported to Dirt Hugger, a local Washington business using organic compost to build soils and potting mixes to create better plants from the ground up.
SUSTAINABY DESIGNED AND LOCALLY PRODUCED PRODUCTS AND GEAR
We take pride in supporting our local community by sourcing a variety of products and gear from nearby businesses. Explore the origins of our Wet Planet gear, apparel, and accessories, all thoughtfully chosen from the diverse offerings of the PNW:
- Our Recap Hats, hand-crafted in the PNW from recycled materials, showcase the design prowess of Wet Planet Alumni Eliza Carver.
- As part of Blowfish Designs’ Art Cap Series, we proudly support local artist Christina McKeown.
- Some of our most popular graphics for our shirts came from the hands of the local lover of whitewater and talented graphic designer Tommy Hood.
- Our Funluvin’ Fleece Beanies and Skirts, made with love in McCall, Idaho (our Idaho home base), reflect the genuine craftsmanship of its founder and raft guide Kelli O’Keefe.
- We showcase the literary talent of local authors such as Scott Cook of ‘Curious Gorge Guide‘ and Mycology Professor Michael Bueg of ‘Mushrooms of Cascadia.’
- Collaborating with local print shops like Columbia Graphics and Summit Embroidery ensures that our products represent our brand and contribute to our community’s prosperity.
- Our mugs and thermos’ are made by Washington-based B Corp, member of 1% for the Planet, and Evergreen Certified Miir Drinkware.
- To enhance your paddling experience, we source our dry tops, spray skirts, and staff apparel from Immersion Research, a local kayaking gear supplier.
- Aire, a whitewater boat manufacturer located in Meridian, Idaho, provides many of our rafts, ensuring quality and durability.
- The paddles we use are crafted by Werner Paddles in Monroe, WA, where each one is handcrafted to elevate your adventure on the water.
FRIENDS OF THE WHITE SALMON RIVER
The Friends of the White Salmon River is a local non-profit organization that strives to restore and protect the natural, cultural, scenic, and recreational qualities of the river we all love so much. Helping the river and the surrounding communities to have a stronger voice, FOWS seeks to educate the public and support responsible river practices.
