Green Options » eco-tourism

Largest River Protection Area in Europe — in Croatia and Hungary

Zachary Shahan — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:51:08 +0000

Croatia and Hungary signed an agreement yesterday to protect a major biodiversity area that crosses borders along three rivers. The agreement is being called a “Trans-Boundary UNESCO Biosphere Reserve” and has resulted in the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) awarding the two countries with a “Leaders for a Living Planet” award.

The reserve will preserve several endangered species, among other environmental jewels. There is also the possibility of the reserve expanding several times over into neighboring countries in the future.

Ecovolunteer: A New Kind of Travel Agency

Allison Boyer — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 23:47:50 +0000

You could say that Ecovolunteer is a travel agent. But the trips we organize are not your average holidays. They bring you to places that are not accessible to tourists. Where you get the possibility to protect nature and its inhabitants.

A friend told me that she was planning an eco-vacation, so I did a little research on the subject. As it turns on, a lot of eco-tourism is more about the tourism and less about the “eco.” Then, there are companies like Ecovolunteer.

You aren’t going to relax on your “vacation” though this company. Instead, think if it like a missioin trip. You can search for options by location or by species that interests you most. You apply for the trip, rather than just booking it, and although costs are fairly low, you won’t be sipping mojitos on the beach at any of these locations.

It’s a once in a lifetime experience, though. If you can afford it, consider travel that saves the earth, not just travel that looks at the natural environment and comments on how pretty it is! To learn more, check out the Ecovolunteer website.

Picture via sxc.hu

LivinginPeace Project Offers Travel, Art, Green Education

Adam Williams — Wed, 20 May 2009 00:44:22 +0000

The LivinginPeace Project combines travel, art and education into a sustainable business model that is self-sufficient, energy efficient, environmentally responsible and socially empowering.

The project includes a backpackers’ hostel (www.rongobackpackers.com), a motel complex (www.karameamotels.com), a gallery (www.globalgypsy.com), a community radio station, permaculture farm and eco-tourism adventures. It is run by a group of dedicated, enthusiastic, positive volunteers from all over the world.

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Delhi Urban Ecotourism: Getting Urbanites Interested in Conservation

Govind Singh — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 04:13:56 +0000

Tourism is the world’s largest and most promising industry. The concept of ‘eco-tourism’ is perhaps the most abused, little understood and least explored. Going to the mountains or a National Park and all other forms of natural tourism are often, though not always, marketed as ‘eco-tours’. While Ecotourism can be distinguished from nature tourism by its emphasis on conservation, education, traveler responsibility and active community participation, there is a severe paucity of efforts and attempts in the right direction for conducting such eco-tours.

Now, a youth led organization and an urban think tank in Delhi, India has taken to itself to research and explore ‘urban ecotourism’ as a means to connect the citizens back to their city, and raise awareness about the ‘nature in the city’. Underlying to this initiative is also the understanding that for the first time in human history, a majority of people live in cities or towns and that cities are the future of the world!

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Malaysian Mosques Offer Guidance on Poaching

Kay Sexton — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:30:32 +0000

In the Malaysian state of Kelantan (called Darul Naim or ‘The Blissful Abode’ in Arabic) which borders Thailand, Friday sermons will contain advice on how to conserve wildlife – both plant and animal, and will talk about the need to prevent lawless acts such as poaching, and illegal logging which forces elephants and tigers out of their natural habitats and into farmed areas where they raid villages for food.

It’s a situation that’s difficult to monitor, and even more difficult to assess – in some places it’s the income produced by illegal logging that is causing the movement of animals which are then shot, either in deliberate poaching activity or as a result of their predation of villages. In other places the trees that are cut down are worthless – they are removed simply to force the animals to vacate the area so that they will be easier targets for poachers who have ready markets for tiger-skins and organs and for ivory.

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Green Lodging & Key Card Progress

Delia Montgomery — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:16:58 +0000

True confession here. When I first read about eco tourism, it was frankly, – a bunch of bull. Travel agents thought that a green hotel meant that it was located around trees! We’ve come a long way, friends.

My optimism for truly environmental lodging shifted when I read about BIO-hotels. Their admirable slogan is taste the natural life. This is an association of independent hotels that base their offerings around natural products. Choose between a wide selection of lodges in many different regions, primarily Austria, Germany and Italy.

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Would Obama be Good News For Development and Eco-Tourism in Kenya?

Meg Hamill — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:01:50 +0000

Many in Kenya hope that with Barack Obama as President, they will see more US support for development projects in their country, as well as an influx of eco-tourists.

Barack Obama has many relatives living in Kenya, but they aren’t the only ones rooting for him today. Pretty much all Kenyans, including Cabinet ministers, religious leaders and businesspeople, said a victory by Obama would be good for the country.

Kenya has long been a popular destination among eco-tourists and some hope that with Obama as president, more will be drawn to visit the country. Despite the uphill struggles faced by Kenya’s environmentalists, the tourism industry is definitely doing its part to save the country’s fragile wilderness.
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New Lonely Planet Hawaii Series with a Special Focus on Green Travel

Lucille Chi — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 21:59:51 +0000

Living in Hawaii has been a dream of mine for a while, and it’s something I’ve been lucky enough to do for part of the year the past several years (go telecommuting!). The fresh island air, peaceful tide pools and rainforest hikes are just a few of the perks we’ve enjoyed. There is so much to do on the island, and we’ve slowly been finding the hidden gems among this lush, tropical paradise. Well now our search just got a lot simpler with Lonely Planet’s new Hawaii series — it has a special focus on outdoor adventures and local goodies.

One thing I was really impressed with was the awesome reviews of the local craftspeople that have made a beautiful, creative, natural livelihood out of their work. As an artist I admire the special artist features, as well as the galleries and community guides. But they’ve gone a step further by marking sustainable businesses as well highlighting ways you can contribute on your trip…

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Fodor’s Green Travel Guide

Courtney Carlisle — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:00:39 +0000

If you are planning a big holiday trip, check out Fodor’s Green Travel, which features the best eco-friendly lodgings around the world.

The foreword by Richard Hammond discusses how travel can still be responsible and what main elements a savvy traveler should take into account. Fodor’s also explains what criteria they use to rank each resort in different regions of the world.

The “EcoFile” sidebar gives information on rooms, rates, locations, times to travel, how to get there (including average CO2 emissions and estimated cost to offset). At the bottom of the sidebar, it further highlights why the chosen resort is socially or environmentally responsible and ranks it using a 6 leaf system - 6 being the highest award.

This is perfect for planning your next trip or as a gift for an eco-savvy friend.

For Related Posts on Green Travel:

News from Paradise :: Daintree Rainforest Lodge and Spa

Lucille Chi — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:39:49 +0000

“Come stay at a private, boutique accommodation in an ecological environment of exquisite natural beauty - rainforest villas set amongst the miracles of nature.” ~ Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa

Set deep within a thirty acre rainforest sanctuary, feauturing secluded treehouse villas, is award winning green Daintree Eco Lodge Retreat in Queensland, Australia. Daintree takes pride in including aboriginal Kuku Yalanji culture into the entire resort, including spa treatments with centuries-old, indigenous holistic healing techniques. With forest walks, art workshops, energetic healing, reef and rainforest trips and everything a nature explorer could hope for, this is truly an earth honoring experience for the soul.

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Travel Green - The Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar

Courtney Carlisle — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:25:16 +0000

Not only is the new Kimpton hotel in Los Angeles exceptionally stylish, but it’s also very eco-chic from the in-room recycling to the locally and organic sourced ingredients at the restaurant.

Immediately upon arriving, I was greeted by lovely hotel staff serving complimentary local organic wines at the Kimpton’s standard happy hour in the very comfortable lobby.

Kimpton hotels recently received the California Environmental Protection Agency’s highest ecological honor, the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award, which is given to businesses that focus on preserving the state’s resources.

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Eco-Tourism Destination: Bokeo, Northern Laos

Gavin Hudson — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 06:58:09 +0000

Laos sits at #1 on the New York Time’s list of places to go in 2008. According to the Times, it’s a country where “ancient sites like the Wat Phou temple complex and the capital city of Vientiane are drawing culture seekers.”

Loas also offers exciting opportunities for seekers of eco-adventure. If your travels bring you this way, seek out The Gibbon Experience.

The Gibbon Experience is trying to bring sustainable self-sufficiency to local people in the Bokeo Nature Reserve. The vision is “to transform their economy from one based on slash-and-burn farming, logging and poaching, to one based on long term, conservation focused activity.”

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Support Ecuador’s Decision Not to Drill

Gavin Hudson — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 18:59:49 +0000

GO and ENN news articles have reported on Ecuador’s high-minded decision to leave its largest oil reserve untapped. The unexploited oil fields lie in Yasuni National Park, home to at least two indigenous tribes. Drilling them would add a pretty penny to the country’s purse. However, under the YasunÌ-ITT Initiative, President Rafael Correa has vowed to leave the oil in the ground. The initiative also sets the lofty goals of developing greater renewable energy, building greater mass transit, and stimulating eco-tourism.

How can the average person reading this article encourage Ecuador to do the right thing by the Earth and its indigenous people? Is it enough to say "good job, well done?" With the rest of the world fumbling to look busy over addressing climate change, it is our opportunity and perhaps our obligation to stand up and support Ecuador for its brave move.

Ecuador hopes to receive some compensation from other governments for the unexploited oil due to the benign effect on the global climate of leaving it in the ground. But for the average person in a country that exports 420,600 barrels of oil a day, President Correa’s decision may seem like a risky one. Ecuador’s official unemployment is 10.6% and an estimated 47% are underemployed, estimates the CIA World Factbook.

41 year-old Maritza Salazar owns a stationary store in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city. She is one of a long list of Ecuadoran entrepreneurs requesting a loan through the micro-financing organization, Kiva.org. For vendors like Mrs. Salazar, national oil revenues may be less important if she’s able to fund the growth of her non-oil-dependent business. By funding businesses like Mrs. Salazar’s, the average person from anywhere in the world can make substantive progress in alleviating Ecuador’s dependence on oil and encouraging its transition into one of the world’s leading environmentally friendly nations.

Another green option that may appeal to the lover of travel is to visit Ecuador and make use of its rich eco-tourism opportunities. Tourism is the Ecuador’s fourth most valuable source of revenue. Eco-tourism is a great way to get the memorable experiences that tourists often look for when traveling to Ecuador, including visiting indigenous tribes, experiencing local customs and tasting regional foods, horseback riding, animal-watching, and setting out on guided hikes through the unbelievably beautiful scenery of virgin rainforest. Take this opportune moment to visit the land that eco-tourism company, Global Exchange, calls "a bastion of cultural and biological diversity… home to one of the most successful and peaceful indigenous movements in the Americas." See the list of resources below for some ways to take advantage of Ecuador’s eco-tourism industry.

The decision not to drill in Ecuador’s Yasuni National Park will benefit the entire world, by protecting an ecological heritage and indigenous lands as well as effectively preventing 436 million tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. Ecuador must know that its decision was a good one, and here’s where you and I have the opportunity to step in. As usual, if you have other ideas about how to encourage Ecuador’s exciting, ecologically minded move, please leave them here below in the comment and discussion area.

Resources:

Kiva.org

Ecuador | Iloveecotourism.com

Adventure Ecotourism in Ecuador | Piedra Blanca

Ecuador | Global Exchange

Department of Tourism | Ecuador National Website

Ecuador Adventures | OARS

Ecotourism and Ecuador | Ecuador Tierra Viva Travel Company

Rio Muchacho Organic Farm | Guacamayo Tours

Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands | Lonely Planet

References:

Ecuador to Leave Oil – And Revenue – In the Ground | GO

Gutsy Ecuador proposes to put a lid on oil | Environmental News Network (ENN)

Introduction to Ecuador’s Economy | Ecuador Ministry of Tourism

Ecuador | The United States Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook

Daily Tip: Greening your Travel Accommodations

Amy Stodghill — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 11:02:48 +0000

When planning where to stay while traveling you probably consider cost, location, and comfort. Adding green to that list of criteria isn’t difficult and can make for a more rewarding stay. Here are a few things that can make your next trip a little greener.

Find a green hotel. While you might not be able to find a LEED rated hotel, you’ll more than likely be able to find a place with environmentally responsible practices. There are websites such as the Green Hotels Association, Sustainable Travel International, and The International Ecotourism Society that list member hotels committed to green. However, just because a hotel hasn’t joined these or other associations doesn’t mean they haven’t implemented environmental policies. Make a few phone calls to hotels you are considering before you book to find out what their environmental practices are. If you’re making international travel plans or there isn’t a toll-free number, try e-mailing. Things to ask about include water conservation measures, and waste and recycling policies.

Do your part. Turn off the television, room lights and the AC when you leave. Don’t keep the water running, and don’t hoard the free soaps and shampoos.

Communicate with housekeeping. Many hotels provide information cards on nightstands or in the bathroom reminding guests of their energy and water saving policies. Doing simple things such as leaving the towels on the floor indicates to the housekeeping staff that you would like new ones. If the place you’re staying doesn’t have this policy, call the front desk to let them know you would like your room serviced, but that you don’t need fresh sheets or towels.

Give positive feedback. If your hotel does offer these type of services tell them how much you appreciate it. If they don’t, write a letter or e-mail expressing that these features are important to you and will influence your accommodation decisions in the future. Sometimes this is the only way hotel management will find out if their customers care about environmentally responsible practices.

Ceres - Green Hotel Initiative

National Geographic - Green Guide

Sustainable Travel International

Green Hotels Association

The International Ecotourism Society

More information on eco-travel from Green Options:

Daily Tip: Green Hotel Detectives

Green Places for Travelers

Traveling Green Is Getting Easier

The Green Options Interview: Jeff Lazar, JLF/Lone Meadow

Red, Green & Blue: Eco-Tourism or “Green” Colonialism?

Shirley Siluk Gregory — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 12:53:21 +0000

You know, just 10 years ago, few vacations sounded as thrilling to me as an "eco-vacation." Maybe two weeks in a rustic part of Costa Rica on the lookout for wild scarlet, green-wing and blue-and-gold macaws squawking in the trees, flocking to claylicks or just soaring through the warm, moist tropical air from one spot to another. Or, though I’m not the cold-weather-type, cruising along the Alaskan coast to drink in the astounding, other-worldly beauty of natural blue ice 10 stories high, majestic snow-capped peaks and, possibly, even the rare thrill of spotting a polar bear doing its thing in the wild.

But now, a decade later, I’m far more conflicted. Yes, eco-tourism has helped lift many marginal or struggling indigenous communities out of poverty or hopelessness. Even in parts of the developed world, such as the Florida coast where I live, tourism brings a bounty of dollars and, as a result, a more-vibrant, liveable community for the locals as well. But a travel-based economy is a double-edged sword.

Even beyond the negative echoes of colonialism and cultural arrogance some types of travel might conjure up, there’s a far darker aspect to eco-tourism today: the possibility that sincere, well-meaning travelers who seek only to benefit a fragile environment or a developing community are actually causing, in the long term, more harm than good. Primate groups managed so as to be viewed more conveniently "in the wild" are stressed to the point of infanticide, while the very notion of "global-warming-based tours" seems nothing less than perverse. Plus, the whole notion of offsetting the carbon emissions damage of your vacation has, I think, been fairly effectively discredited: there’s no free lunch and there’s no carbon-free globe-trotting either.

So what’s the answer? I’m not sure. Few experiences are more illuminating than a first-person glimpse into an exotic, even threatened, locale, and such encounters can go a long way toward encouraging those with means to help make meaningful changes for those without. But the thought of cruise ship after cruise ship anchoring off the coast of Greenland to let travelers watch ice sheets melt is, to me, abhorrent. Rather than taking a strong stance here, I’m more interested in hearing how others view this environmental Hydra facing the world’s most privileged.

What’s your take?

Green Places for Travelers

Philip Proefrock — Wed, 02 May 2007 14:43:21 +0000

Photo Credit: State of Michigan
Eco-tourisim is a growing field, but it's not the only sector where people want to find a green option when they need travel accommodations. Whether they are traveling for business or for recreation, even if they aren't headed to an eco-destination, travellers need a place to stay. And while the Building Design + Construction magazine's 2006 white paper on green building suggested that the hospitality industry was "missing an opportunity" by lagging other construction sectors in green building, there are some places that are beginning to offer greener places to stay.

I started looking into this when a developer in New York City sent out an announcement concerning their plans to build a hotel with a range of green features, including striving for LEED Gold certification. The press material also speaks of organic cotton sheets and other amenities. Unfortunately, this project is still more than a year from completion, and I do not like to write about proposed or incomplete projects, because they can so often fail to meet the expectations, or the final product does not match what was originally promised. And LEED certification is no guarantee that the building or its rooms will be attractive either.

But, perhaps even more important than having a place to stay that was built green, there are programs that recognize lodgings that are operated in a green manner. The first such program I learned of is in my home state, where green tourisim is a major industry in the northern half of the state, and around the many lakes throughout the state. The State of Michigan has initiated a Green Lodging Michigan program which "encourages hotels, resorts, motels, and bed & breakfast facilities to implement environmental initiatives and cost-saving ‘green' practices to conserve energy, reduce water consumption, protect air quality, reduce waste, and participate in environmentally preferred purchasing."

Michigan's program is only a few months old, but has already added almost a dozen locations, ranging from small Bed-and-Breakfasts to corporate hotel chain locations, to a ski and golf resort. The State of California has over 100 places listed on its Green lodging website, and Vermont and Florida are also leaders in green lodging programs.

Green lodging facilities promote improved indoor air quality, energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation, and improved programs for communication, education and purchasing. These aspects are reflected in such ways as having water saving fixtures, energy efficient lighting, Energy Star appliances, proper insulation, and materials recycling. Hazardous and toxic cleaning materials are reduced or eliminated altogether. Most facilities are also smoke-free.

There is also a Green Hotels Association with a list of members across the globe (though often just one or two locations in any state or country). In Canada, the Hotel Association of Canada has a Green Key Eco-Rating Program that rates hotels on their energy and environmental operation, much like other building certification programs. As part of its support for the program, the Canadian government requires many of its employees to stay at Green Key hotels.

At the far extreme, there are some resorts that take themselves and their green attitude a bit too seriously. I came across one location about a year ago that used green as a justification for their no children policy: "The building design and fragile ecosystem are not conducive to young children or pets." If the ecology of the location is so fragile that children should not be there, maybe you ought to re-think whether you should be there either. A friend of mine wonderfully summed it up this way: "I think the concern is that with children constantly playing on the rock formations, they could be eroded down to nothing in as little as 10,000 years. Also, children like to throw stones into the water, and when you think how long it took for those stones to actually make it to shore, such actions are violative of the stones' geo/ecological rights and can lead to serious self-esteem issues, not to mention the forced involuntary water displacement that is inflicted on the lake."

Green lodging can be a lot less pretentious and a lot more useful for everyone. Give some consideration to where you are going to stay as you make your summer travel plans. Even if you aren't going to be an eco-tourist, your travels can still be a little bit greener with green lodging facilities.

Links:

State of Michigan Green Lodging brochure (PDF)

Michigan's Tips for Travelers