Eco Holidays

posted by Catherine on Feb 7

Last time you went on holiday – did you inadvertently encourage animal ‘tourist attractions’?

Sometimes it’s a fine line between having the opportunity of seeing a rare or unusual animal and having that animal abused or used in some way that isn’t natural or has caused the death or injury of others of the same kind.

You probably think that it is easy to tell the difference – but not always.

Take for example the dolphins used in ‘friendly dolphin events’ across Mexico and many other countries.  Yes, they are in a nice beach-side enclosure, seem ‘happy’ enough to swim around you and are fed by the keepers – but were they wild caught?  And separated from their family pod?

What about ‘pets’ in hotels and lodges around the world?  Yes we have parrots and lizards as pets back home, but were theirs taken from the wild at the cost of the parents – or the habitat itself!

The Obvious Ones:
However, sometimes it’s all too obvious that an animal is suffering.

A monkey chained to a tree, a bear made to dance or small donkeys made to carry tourists around a historic site!

These are the ones that need to be dealt with – but the frightening part is that these cruel acts are only to be found because they are making someone a lot of money.  And that means that there are tourists across the globe that are paying local people to show them or photograph them with (maltreated) exotic animals.

Think about it – if a local man traps a young bear and spends months training it to dance to music but no-one gave him a single penny for his troubles – I doubt if he would bother to do it again.

And if every tourist visiting that historic site told the man with the donkey that they would not pay to ride one of his donkeys as they could only really carry the weight of a child – do you think he is going to keep buying more donkeys and standing around in the street for days on end for nothing!

What Can You Do:
There are plenty of organisations out there who are striving to protect these animals and to try to stop their abuse and you could help them to achieve their goals.

The International Primate Protection League would like to help stop abuse of monkeys and apes with their campaigning and the rescue of mistreated animals.  They can send you a small form that you can complete if you ever see monkeys or apes being abused, containing details on location, time, date and possibly with photographic evidence to help them identify the species and the abuse.

You can of course just donate to their efforts without ever seeing an abused animal – and your donation will help make sure that you never do!

Donkeys have got someone fighting their side too with The Brooke amongst others, that are trying to make sure that donkeys, asses and mules used to help people make a living are kept in god health and looked after.

Because equines help to earn a living for their owner – they are sometimes put though a hard time or made to work through injuries just to earn more money.  So, to make sure that these animals are still helping their owners without getting hurt or abused, charities like the Brooke give advice and support to their owners to help them make better use of their resources (and less stress for the donkey!).

It’s not just these species that are used, I have seen baby anteaters, baby elephants, tiger cubs and even sloths that have been waved infront of tourists to try to make some money.

Have you paid to see one of them?

posted by Catherine on Feb 1

Use the MOT test requirements to check your car’s road worthiness for your vacation!

The annual MOT car test for cars covers a whole list of things to check that make your car safe to be on the road. So you can use this before heading off on a long journey like a vacation to make sure that you and your family will be safe.

Obviously, there are parts of the MOT that are not something you can check – like you cars emissions – but that isn’t a safety feature anyway…….

So here is a quick checklist of things to do or look out for on your car before heading away from home (and away from car mechanics, garages and motor stores!):

Seat Belts:
Make sure that all seat belts fit securely into their holders even if you are not planning to use them – as you may need them at some point! Make sure that when sharply pulled they jam up as they should. And all seats should be able to be secured in the upright condition to allow the seat belts to work properly.

Mirrors:
All the mirrors in your car are clean and not cracked. It is not illegal in the UK to drive with a damaged or missing passenger mirror, but obviously inhibits your ability to drive as normal, and could cause you to look behind you when driving to check for other cars.

Boot & Bonnet:
Both of these need to be able to close securely as do all the doors on the vehicle – which also need to open freely as well for exiting the vehicle safely.

Lights:
Check that all your lights are working either with a friend watching in the evening, or by reversing close to a window or mirror in the dark to see that everything is in order. If someone can’t see you are braking or want to turn left or right, they could come right into the back of you!

Windscreen:
Obviously there needs to be nothing on this that restricts your view forward and the windscreen wipers need to clean the entire windscreen and the washer fluid must exit freely. Obviously, a large crack in the windscreen on the drivers side is very dangerous – and that a small crack left untreated could cause the entire pane to crack at any time!

Tyres & Steering:
Your tyres have a minimum tread allowed before they are illegal and too little tread will mean that they will not grip the road safely, especially in difficult weather. So make sure that they are fully inflated as per your guide book and that they have ample tread depth.

If tyres are not properly inflated they will make steering a little bit harder and will also damage the tyre itself and the frame itself. Steering can also be a problem if there is too much ‘pull’ to one side or the other when driving at speed, so make sure this is all checked before you head off on the motorways.

Brakes:
It goes without saying that your brakes need to be responsive to touch otherwise your vacation could be cut very short indeed – so judge for yourself if they could do with being checked before you head off – as a car loaded up with people and belongings can take a lot longer to stop at speed than and empty one!

And finally…..

Recovery Services:
Ideally before you set out on a long journey or if you drive regularly, you should make sure that you a a member of a roadside and recovery company. That way if anything you can’t check for above goes wrong – someone will be at hand to help fix it or to take you to a garage that can!

posted by Catherine on Jan 11

Have you decided that this year is going to be the year that you make some changes to your eco life?

I mean, it can be hard to start something new when everyone else is talking about presents, eating and drinking all your favourite things and not working!

Well, now it’s all over, it’s a great time to think back over what we did last year and put together some great ideas for your new year ahead.

It doesn’t matter if you make a great list with loads of stuff on it – even some quite outrageous claims can be on it – as long as it inspires you to try something new and to get out there and challenge yourself to do things you may not ordinarily do.

Things that require a little extra effort from the norm – and aren’t across the other side of the world. 

Why can’t you spend an extra few hours a week training for a charity walk? Are you really to busy to put aside a few hours a week for teaching a skill to others at your local college, or a few hours a week volunteering for a local charity?

Just like saving money – if you plan far enough ahead, then you can find the time to do anything you want, and on my list this year there is a little bit of everything. 

Even I know that a year has only got 365 days in it – so there is a limit in that sense – but most people forget to use all the time off they have.  There is also a frightening number of people who don’t claim their full holiday entitlement from work!  Why would you want to be there any longer than you had to when there are so many other things you could put your hand to.

Any Ideas?

How about some of the following to get you started:

Little Effort:
1) Join a local charity that does work or has a centre near you, like a wildlife sanctuary or children’s hospital.  Maybe you could plan to visit every other month and learn about what they do.

2) Join a national charity that interests you, like the National Trust or the RSPB.  Take part in some of their surveys or activities, and maybe volunteer at a site close to home.

3) Subscribe to a new specialist magazine about something you have always liked but never excelled at, like digital photography or outdoor adventures – maybe find some courses that you could attend to get that ‘hands on’ experience too.

Medium Effort:
1) Put yourself out for others and get involved in more community activities.  Find out when the local wildlife groups are going to clear rubbish or scrub from a woodland or beach near you and join in.  Find clubs that help the elderly or disabled which need volunteers for coffee mornings or the like, or set one up if you are feeling brave!

2) Re-home a pet this year.  Why not see if you could help the numerous animals that are abandoned each year by taking one (or more) into your home.  And it doesn’t always need to be a dog – I once took in something as small as a hamster from a shelter and gave him a great home!

3) Teach your family (and yourself) something new this year by taking a short course.  Whether it’s a new language, a new skill like cooking or woodwork, taking on an allotment (or your own back yard) to grow veg, learning to identify wildlife, or many of the other courses that are always available at your local colleges and schools.

Huge Effort: (but worth it!)
1) Sign up to a charity trek somewhere challenging like crossing the Sahara or climbing in the Himalayas – and raise money to make a real difference to something you care about.  You can choose your charity – but you will need to work out how to raise the several thousand pound you will need to partake – and put some effort in to getting fit enough to complete it.  They are very rewarding though!

2) Start changing your home into a more energy efficient and green home by finally researching your eco friendly options for all things new.  Starting with your energy suppliers which you can switch to green without too much fuss, and working through your supermarket choices, cars and travel options, cleaning products, electronic products, home furniture and even clothing to replace the old with the new.  Now I’m not suggesting change things for the sake of change – I’m just suggesting that when something needs replacing – look for the greener alternative.

3) Change your job to one that is more satisfying!  Big old heave-ho here – but why spend day after day in a job just for the money when you are so miserable every day that you never feel like doing anything outside of work!  There are many jobs with eco friendly companies, charities, green energy and overseas that could really turn your life around.

Any of those take your fancy?

posted by Catherine on Dec 8

Responsible Travel in association with Virgin Holidays have announced the winners for 2009!

As always, r:travel magazine is being distributed to everyone to let us know which travel companies are exceeding the standards for eco holidays, eco tours and responsible tourism.  Helping you choose a better holiday – and making sure that those companies that make a difference are recognised!

Here is a sneak peak at some of the winners – or go to their own website for more details:

Best In A Marine Environment: Whale Watch Kaikoura – New Zealand:
Offering some of the best whale watching tours – totally staff and owned by the native Maori population.  Not only have they grown this company from nothing for themselves, but the tours are all low impact, and the money has allowed them to purchase some of their ancestral land!

Best Low Carbon Transport And Technology – Alcatraz Cruises – USA:
This small company are really striving to make their tour boats as eco friendly as they can, investing in new technology to reduce nitrogen and carbon emissions – and they have created the worlds first hybrid ferry boat which uses solar energy for power!

Best Volunteering Organisation – People And Places – UK:
Rather than a large scale operation for everyone to choose where they want to go for their volunteering, this smaller company match up your skills to where they are most needed and will be most useful. 

This ensures that your time is well spent doing things that you enjoy and are good at – and you get the results for the community that they desperately need as you are a perfect match!

Best Destination – Cape Town – South Africa:
This destination has been chosen as the best overall location for eco friendly travel and tourism.  Building up for the 2010 World Cup has seen many companies and organisations here investing in huge eco improvements and schemes with support from the Cape Town Responsible Tourism Policy & Action Plan.  Making sure that important eco policies are adopted from the start of projects through to the end.

Hope it helps you choose your next eco holiday!

posted by Catherine on Dec 4

If you have ever wanted to become an eco travel writer and broadcaster – here is your chance!

Every year, the Royal Geographic Society (RGS) offer someone the chance to win the Journey of a Lifetime award, to go travel to and write about a pressing and inspiring story from around the world.

The Award:
The RGS offer a prize of UK£4000 to someone who want to communicate their story – their passion – to the world.  Someone who wants to investigate a location or an event that they feel needs to be brought to a wider audience.

Whether it is about a local village close to your home or on the other side of the world, a small family-run enterprise or a global event, whether it affects a few people in one place or thousands across a continent – it doesn’t matter.

Its your version of ‘their’ story – and they help you make the most of your time too – they offer you radio and broadcasting training from the BBC so that you can best create and record your journey – even recording it for a Radio 4 documentary.

And of course the winner will feature in their own magazine Geographical – with last years winners article in the December 2009 edition.

The Details:
You only need visit the RGS website to read the guidelines for applicants – and you can also learn about previous winners stories and watch their video diaries.

Basically, you need to let them know the outline for your independent journey – and why it needs to be you that tells the story!  And you need to pick somewhere to go that is different to the norm – and some aspect of that journey that makes you unique and your story unforgettable.

You need to be at least 18 years old – and it could be you alone or you as part of a small group of travellers – but it must be something you alone are doing – it can’t be part of a tourist trail or charity event organised by others.

The guidelines make it almost look too easy to apply – there is virtually no previous experience needed to apply, and the first stage is just to send them a brief overview of what you are thinking of covering.  There are interviews later down the line and the 2 finalists play it head to head for the winner – but that is a long way off.

Just put pen to paper now – and it gives you virtually a whole year to think about the final details – the closing date isn’t until September 2010!

If you are enthusiatic about something – this could be the best way to explore it and share it with the world!

Certainly something to think about.

posted by Catherine on Nov 28

I can’t tell you how much it will improve your experience and enjoyment of your vacation!

I was always one to accept what I saw with the naked eye, and to enjoy just that.  I could identify the basic species where I lived and would hazard a ‘best guess’ at the others.  Until I borrowed my friends binoculars!  They were only 8×25, and nothing too fancy or expensive – but what an amazing difference they made!

The ‘muntjac deer’ I saw at the woods edge was actually a hare!  And another muntjac was actually a ginger dog!  What have I been doing these past few years?

I mean, the habitat was right for the munjac as I had seen then hopping away – which a lost dog simply wouldn’t – but I had assumed what I saw was actually what I thought.

Now with the binoculars, I have become a new wildlife enthusiast.  I want to see the different colour beaks of the 2 similar birds in the tree, I want to know if it is a house sparrow or tree sparrow by looking at the cheek patches – I want to know!

A Changed Person:
Also, as I see a closer image of the wildlife – I am learning the things to look out for when trying to tell similar species apart – for example the white wing colourings on the back of the great spotted woodpecker is a downward band, whereas on the lesser spotted woodpecker they are horizontal.

And you can tell the sexes apart too – for example the female common kingfisher has an orangey bottom mandible whereas the males is all black.

I always get well versed in a guidebook, so I can learn what key features to look out for when using the binoculars – there is nothing worse than getting a good look at a key feature of a creature – like a stripe on the face – and you get back to the guidebook and it says ‘did it have a dark or a light spot next to the stripe?’  Too late – it’s gone.

A Perfect Team:
Binoculars, guidebook and planning.  The perfect team for increasing your wildlife enjoyment 100-fold!

posted by Catherine on Nov 10

Going into caves that support beautiful wildlife could actually be destroying it!

We all know that many animals live in caves, whether it’s the obvious bats or the not so obvious creepy crawlies, but could we be damaging the very environment that they evolved to live in?

I recently read a report on the fact that groups of people who pay to go into giant caves to see the nesting bats are actually driving the bats away and making the cave inhospitable to other creatures as well.

What Is The Problem?
For a start, many ‘in demand’ caves are fenced off or boarded up so that you can’t go into them yourself without paying the fee.  This alone not only restricts animal movements, but prevent wind and rain (along with seeds and insects) from entering.

Many larger caves have also added lighting and footpaths without any consideration for the wildlife at all – let alone the increase in traffic on the journey to the cave in the first place.

It is obvious then that this will affect both the food chain and the delicate habitat that you may well have been paying to see!

Since cave tourism was implemented in one cave in China, the fruit bat population has plummeted from around 5000 to less than 2000 in just a few years.

And Humans?
Although this industry stops a lot of things from getting into the caves – it also lets in more dangerous things – basically humans!  Lots of humans.  All that exhaled CO2 can be devastating to the micro climate within these environments.

Picture it.  A large group of tourists have just walked some distance, possibly up a hill to get to the cave.  They are breathing heavily as they enter the cave, talk a lot to each other and possibly get out of breath while exploring, leaning on walls and slipping on plants and guano.

Many of them will be dripping with sweat from this or the increased temperature inside the cave, and they will possibly trample in areas that are not suitable for walking boots.  As most tourists are generally selfish, no doubt they will break things, drop things and probably have food with them.

All three of these could destroy wildlife or bring disease to the cave.

Then, when they have had their monies worth, the door is locked shut, trapping all that nastiness inside until the next tour.

Please think before you enter any environment that is widely advertised for tourists or touted on the streets.  The people who pay to go on a spur-of-the-moment trip to somewhere different are usually not the least bit interested in the longevity of that location.  It just looks fun right now.

So, think before you join them.

posted by Catherine on Nov 5

It doesn’t have to be an Eco Holidays Show – but there are people there to answer your questions!

These large-scale travel shows are a fantastic place to get some real info on eco holidays and adventures! But also to get some opinions out there.

Not only will you have all day to wander around asking all the eco questions you ever wanted to ask, and to buy some fantastic gifts or equipment at discount prices, and to speak to people who have already been there – done that, but you will be able to make one huge contribution to the eco holidays movement!

What’s that you ask?
Well, if all the big names in holidays are here in one place, listening to consumers and offering their services – then what better place for you to voice your opinions and concerns about the way holidays impact the environment, tours affect communities and the way profit is spent!

If the companies at the show hear person after person asking about their eco credentials and how their packages and tours support the people and wildlife they visit – they will start to improve on those areas to keep the customers?

Imagine if a person approaches ‘Company A’ and asks them whether or not they employ local guides on their tours. If they don’t, then they will find themselves in a sticky situation, but could still answer you politely enough for you to carry on at their stall and that might be the end of that. No one else gets to hear of it.

But what if 50 people ask that same question?

How will that company feel after a day of saying ‘no’? I’m sure that there will be some serious re-thinking of their tactics for the next day – and I can almost guarantee that this feedback will get back to the people who make decisions. Hopefully spurring some change.

Now imagine the positive buzz around those companies that can answer ‘yes’ to that question.

We all know that the companies which survive are those that offer what their customers want or need. So, if they offer holidays that encourage eco tourism, habitat conservation and community development – they will get your eco dollars!

If they can’t answer your questions positively or they blatantly offer tours or cruises that offer no benefits at all to the destination – then they won’t see your money – and hopefully they will have empty seats on their trips!

If people don’t ask for things – they won’t get them.

So, get your questions ready and make a difference!

posted by Catherine on Sep 30

Staying on a working farm that promotes wildlife has got to be good!

I recently stayed in a holiday cottage in the Weald in Sussex, England for 2 weeks, more out of urgent necessity than anything else (we needed to move in tonight!)

Therefore, my eco wants and needs were rather pushed to one side with the need for somewhere to sleep in the south-east of England with Internet access!

We called one place that looked adorable but was full for most of the 2 weeks, but the owner very thoughtfully and totally of no gain to herself, recommended a friend of hers that was just starting out so would no doubt have spaces! 

I called them hesitantly, knowing that my first concern was the Internet, then availability then price.  In that order.  (Some of the cottages are so highly priced that even if they came with free food the whole time you were there and a complimentary pony, it wouldn’t be worth it!)

Anyway, I called up a friendly man who answered all my questions and gave me his website address to view the cottages.  We had been viewing others and had found that a great many were just large sheds in some-one’s back garden – not ideal really in terms of the freedom to wander about and come and go as you please without the curtains twitching!  However, his cottages were in the middle of the countryside and a delight to look at, so we called back and said we’d be there by 5!

The Cottage:
It turns out that these 3 cottages are part of a rescued 150-year-old barn on the farm (now a fully functioning equestrian center), and had been very thoughtfully renovated up to a high standard and carefully furnished.

They all had a countryside feel to them, with paintings and pictures or the local art and landscapes.  The inside was spacious and showed the beams of the roof space and had a mezzanine bedroom on top.

There were some eco features including a half-bath, reclaimed furnishings and furniture and all modern appliances including an efficient microwave, condensing boilers, gas stove, nicely they had limited electronics but plenty of books magazines and board games instead!

And it turns out that the cottages aren’t the only thing that the landlord thinks are important.

Nature Comes First!
Since taking over the farm, the owner has focused on keeping it preserved.  Based in the Weald – an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) – and with centuries and centuries of history behind it, there was a good basis for him to start from.

His ancient hedgerows divide his 80 acres of pasture and woodland, and many were almost 1000 years old from my estimations of noticeable species present (oak, hawthorn and ash to name a few).  He also leaves a good 6 feet of untreated land on each side of the hedges to promote their use as a wildlife haven and hasn’t removed any of them at all – I found his farm on a map from 1880 and they were all still there today.

He had also banned hunting on his land – which has got clear traces of pheasant farming and many a spent shot gun cartridges from the past.  In fact he does the opposite – he helps release animals back into the countryside from his farm. 

He has already released whole families of badgers and hedgehogs, has re-homed a flock of battery-farmed chickens (of which he gave us plenty of tasty eggs from) and has re-homed 2 lovely dogs and 4 feral cats into his clan!  However the 2 owl boxes in the main barn haven’t yet been used permanently – but the pair of tawny owls in the woods make up for that!

A Work/Life Balance.
Being a working farm, he has of course, got plenty of farm machinery all about the place and no doubt his isolated location brings many large vehicles some distance from towns to run a successful business – but I think it is worth it.

Most guests here no doubt never traipse around the countryside like we do, and so all of his land hardly gets disturbed by man – and how frequently we saw fallow deer and how close we were able to get to them before they crashed off through the woodland shows that they are at home here – they like it here!

He has created a veritable British wildlife reserve here, and so what if he hasn’t got composting toilets or a wind turbine?  He has ‘saved’ this little piece of the countryside for the next generation, creating a safe corridor for wildlife travelling around this area which include Ashdown Forest to the north and the South Downs National Park to the south.

And anyway, does ‘eco’ have to mean completely self sufficient?

If you are in this area and want a great place to stay for wildlife and peace and quiet in a beautiful landscape then use this link to get more information on this farm stay.

posted by Catherine on Sep 16

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You can make sure that your big day is remembered in more ways than one!

If you are getting married away from home or abroad, then you really need to consider the eco friendly tactics of all your service providers.  Is the caterer using local foods for your dishes?  Is the building using green suppliers or preserving it’s local environment? 

And, equally importantly, is your green wedding photographer helping to buy areas of rainforest with the World Land Trust as a wedding gift to you?

The Whole Package:
There can be many environmental concerns about the digital processing of your pictures and of course the electrical equipment itself and it’s energy use – but with an eco friendly wedding photographer – there is one less thing for you to worry about when you should be enjoying your big day!

I am sure that there are a whole range of wedding photographers from those who are using the most ethically credited equipment, using only the most environmentally friendly rechargeable batteries and only printing on recycled paper, right the way to those that just still use whatever materials and equipment they have always used regardless of it’s environmental impacts.

But you need to be happy that all the actions of the people you employ for your wedding are as green as you would like them to be.  So if you are arranging an eco holiday to a conservation area or getting married at home in a ruined castle or are travelling by train to the event rather than flying – the last thing you want is for your photographer to be the only weak link in your planning.

Every Bit Counts:
It may be that you have other constraints on you for your planning and events which can restrict your ability to find the service and the eco credentials you want your service provider to adhere to – but of course sometimes the finances can control the final outcome.

Even if you only do one thing – it is better than nothing – so take this into account when you are researching.  I recently found a wedding photographer in Nottingham, England who has made some of those important steps towards being one of the most eco friendly photography companies in the country based on changes to his lifestyle.

They have a small section on their website detailing their ‘Green Pledge’ making visitors to their site aware of the steps they are taking in their quest including the reduction of the use of gelatin in traditional celluloid processing to make their products less dependant on animal by-products.

They are, more importantly, reducing to very low levels the amount of paper-based advertising materials to promote their business and focusing on more digital advertising and other on-line advances to reduce wasted printing and printers!

They also send out their sample pictures for you choose from on a disc rather than actual hard copies – again reducing materials used that are only going to be thrown away.  If for some reason you do require them printed before your final selection, this company are beginning to offer these on eco friendly paper.

And the final eco bonus is the fact that they work with the World Land Trust by pledging to buy acres of rainforest for each couple – different sizes depending on the wedding package chosen – for which the couple receive a ‘Thank You’ certificate for.  They can then find out about that area of woodland that has been preserved for ever on their behalf!

So if you are going to get married in England, plan yourself one of these Nottingham weddings.  That way you can make a difference to the world by just saying ‘cheese’!