I hadnt expected to see a green mamba on a behind-the-scenes tour of Chobe Game Lodge in Botswana. Thankfully, it wasnt one of Africas deadliest snakes, but a powerful machine that crushes cans and bottles given that name by Albert Ndereki, the lodges ecotourism manager, because it is so aggressive.

The green mamba is just one of many waste management projects that has earned the lodge and Albert accolades. In May, he won the Shape Africa Innovation Award at the We Are Africa show in Cape Town for his commitment to sustainable initiatives in one of the countrys oldest lodges.

Albert joined Chobe Game Lodge as a builder in 1971. Nearly 50 years on, he takes guests on behind-the-scenes tours like mine to see his inspiring initiatives. They include producing biogas from food waste and grass cuttings, burning rubbish in incinerators and using the ash as fertiliser, and making bricks out of crushed glass bottles. Theres solar power, too, and Chobe was one of the first lodges in Africa to offer silent safaris on electric vehicles and boats.

Alberts award reflects the significance now being placed on a greener safari experience, with the emphasis on protecting a fragile environment. Our clients love to see sustainable camps, and they object when they see poor practice, says Chris McIntyre, managing director of specialist tour operator Expert Africa.

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