For family reasons, I have to return regularly to my home town, Nancy. So I've decided to spend more time meeting people who make a difference, in this case Laurence Flayeux and Gwendoline Dessauvagesof Destination Nancywho were kind enough to share their approach. Being very involved in sustainable and increasingly regenerative tourism in Quebec, I wanted to know how my city was addressing this issue, and I was impressed. First and foremost was the focus on accessibility for people with functional difficulties, a subject that has long been taken into account and applied to urban tourism. I really appreciated the way the topic was structured around four limitations: mobility, sight, hearing and neuro-diversity. Each of these has its own answers, designed with people living with these limitations in mind. Specific computer tools and activities are offered to the clienteles concerned, with trained guides and dedicated communication tools, such as this ultra-simplified guide to the city's history, written and illustrated by people with neurodiversity backgrounds.  

The label Sustainable and Innovative City for a holistic approach to tourism. As the city's umbrella for corporate and cultural events, one of the key issues is obviously that of eco-responsible events. Gone is the concept of carbon neutrality, now banned from the French vocabulary for products and companies. Instead, the low-carbon label label, created by the French government to authenticate emission reduction or sequestration projects in France. Project promoters are put in touch with organizations wishing to finance the transition (with the understanding that it's not a question of carbon offsetting to make their activity carbon neutral, but of contributing to the reduction of the national carbon footprint).  

My favorite part of the Saint-Nicolas market (yes, in northeastern France, Saint-Nicolas is the superhero, not Santa Claus!), the family hemp products company, Chanvr'eela hyper-local, fully-optimized company producing everything from oil and soap to protein powder. With a second prize in the international competition for the best hemp oil (yes, there is such a thing!), the company has made its mark in the field of sustainable agriculture. Very low water consumption, use of the whole plant, preservation of biodiversity and nutritional and cosmetic qualities, as well as being an eco-renovation material, since it captures carbon intensively.

In preparation for my trip to Colombia, I was looking for BCorp companies to meet. I was lucky enough to be welcomed at We Work Medellin by Alejandro Zapata Arangoa counterpart, founder and CEO of Portafolio verdea consulting firm quite comparable to Ellio, but adapted to the local needs of a country where the social floor is not guaranteed for all. Like us, his team works on decarbonization and strategic support issues, but in this context, they are particularly involved in rural and community development projects. Our favorite is the Portafolio Verde foundation, which invests in biodiversity regeneration projects in one of the world's most biodiverse countries.

Another favorite, in the coffee industry, which lends itself very well to agroecology. When combined with the establishment of cooperatives with indigenous populations, notably Arhuacas, and the production of educational documentaries, it becomes downright regenerative and hyper-inspiring. Thanks to Santiago Roa Duque, founder of Jaguar Siembrawho collaborates with 17 indigenous families in the micro-production of coffee and cocoa, and is working to set up a cultural center to showcase the culture and traditions of these communities.  

It's also interesting to learn more about what's at stake in the banana industry, thanks to Carolina Jaramillo Ferrer of UnibanColombia's^leading agri-food marketing company. For a product whose price hasn't risen for decades, the entire financial burden of implementing organic farming measures and environmental certifications falls on producers, who struggle to meet the expectations of the big companies. It's worth noting the lack of realism on the part of Western buyers, who generally have little idea of what's going on in the field, or of the feasibility of the measures they demand.  

Thank you for these windows of awareness and inspiration that fuel my reflections and help make me a more enlightened human being...

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