Ecosphere safety is the maintenance of our planet and all its life-sustaining regions in the healthiest possible state. This means maintaining a healthy balance of conservation, community, culture, and commerce—what the Zeitz Foundation calls the 4Cs. The balance of these 4Cs is at the heart of achieving sustainability. These four dimensions also form the core of the Global Ecosphere Retreat (G.E.R.) certification system. G.E.R. certified Long Run Destinations take the 4Cs to heart, continuously striving to achieve the highest standards across these dimensions of conservation, community, culture, and commerce.
4CS
CULTURE
As Long Runners, we strive to strengthen intercultural relationships and understanding, safeguarding cultural heritage while raising awareness of cultural diversity. We want to inspire others to act in kind. Creative activities in this dimension encompass all expressions of art—from local cuisine and architecture to film and music, from sculpture to folk arts and crafts—as well as the promotion of social cohesion and cultural interaction through sport.
COMMERCE
In the context of The Long Run, commerce is an integral dimension because it affects the sustainability of a destination inasmuch as it affects the people who live in and near natural habitat areas. It is important to all Long Run Destinations that their communities have positive ways to make a decent living. Individuals and communities are an intrinsic part of an area’s ecosystem. Sustainable commercial operations offer the capacity to provide a source of income for people that depend on it, as well as for reinvesting back into the initiatives in each of the 4Cs dimensions. These include sustainable tourism and non-tourism activities such as reforestation, the harvesting and trading of Non-timber Forest Products (NTFPs), agriculture/horticulture, wildlife management, and livestock ranching.
COMMUNITY
People matter. Long Run Destinations support activities that enhance the well-being of all relevant communities who have a socio-economic relationship with them. Activities in this dimension address fair working conditions, local and regional relations, social ventures, social accountability, capacity building and support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), among others.
CONSERVATION
Conservation is a core component amongst all Long Run Destinations. They support the sustainable use of natural resources that safeguards the integrity of the ecosphere. Activities in this dimension address issues related to ecodiversity and ecosystem services as well as management of energy, water and waste, land planning and carbon impact reduction, among others.
