Eco Holidays

posted by Catherine on Jul 3

It can be eco friendly to take less medicines on vacation, so pick your destination well!

If you are hoping to go to a far flung travel destination, it’s not all vaccinations and tablets - and in fact these can add to your eco footprint along the way.

Now I am not saying don’t take medication if it is available and recommended by your doctor or travel clinic - but maybe by choosing your destination with some care - you can avoid the potential for disease and so reduce your chemical uses!

All medications - even the contraceptive pill and paracetamol can leave chemical residues in the environment so lets not be silly here - but if you choose from malaria-free countries, you could have a less stressful holiday too!

So here is just a simple list or the main malaria free holiday destinations by continent that you could consider:

Continental Europe:
Every country in Europe (2010) does not have any malarial risk, including the whole of Russia.

Africa:
The only countries currently listed as malarial-free destinations are Tunisia, Lesotho and Libya as well as the Seychelles.  However seasonal variations mean that many other destinations will be declared ‘malaria free’ for months at a time - as will certain cities which are above a certain height.

The Middle East:
Due to the harsh dry climate, countries like Jordan, Israel, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Bahrain, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon and Qatar are all declared as malaria-free countries - so no worries here!

Central & South East Asia:
The islands of Japan, North Korea and South Korea are free as well as the expanse of Mongolia, but all other tropical areas and islands are at risk virtually all the time.

However, there are 2 cities in south-east Asia that do remain malaria free amid the jungles and swamps - Brunei and Singapore.

North America:
The whole of North America (including Hawaii) Canada and Greenland are not in any way at risk of malaria - so any vacations here will not require malarial medication.  The area though does still have other illness in the more remote areas - so don’t think any destination is completely safe!

The Caribbean:
The islands making up the Caribbean are as good as free of the disease, apart from the island that makes up Haiti and the Dominican Republic.  But do check for local reports if travelling to swampy areas.

Central & South America:
Unfortunately these areas are dotted with various patches of malaria in all the forested and wetland areas - so you need to be specific about where you travel to.  The only countries in Central or South America that are completely free of malarial risk are Chile and Uruguay.

Other Destinations:
The delightful Maldives in the Indian Ocean are always a popular destination not only due to their dazzling beauty, sandy islands and azure dolphin filled waters - but also because of their malaria-free situation - unlike neighbouring Sri Lanka!

Needless to say; Australia, New Zealand and all affiliated islands are completely risk-free for this disease - but of course have plenty of other things to worry the tourist!

However, bite avoidance is an obvious first step in any holiday destination - as insect bites can pass on many such debilitating diseases! 

Just make sure that you are aware of all the risks in all the destinationsyou are considering before you use this guide to choose your next eco holiday!

posted by Catherine on Jun 13

That just means taking part in a butterfly counting survey to assess the surrounding environment!

A few months ago there was a nighttime lepidoptera survey taking account of local moths - but now the daytime equivalent is approaching - and a lot more people can join in!

All you have to do is go sit in your garden, a local park, national park or nearby woodland and watch the butterflies passing by!  You can even do this on a walk in the countryside or along a riverbank and count the butterflies that you pass by!  Sir David Attenborough will be taking part too - as will Alan Titchmarsh!

It takes place in the height of summer (24th July - 1st August) as most of the native butterflies are in their adult form at that time - and the bright sunshine is what makes them active!  This gives you plenty of time to learn to id British butterflies before the survey…..

Step 1:
So to get prepared - go to their website and download yourself a butterfly identification sheet to show the most common butterflies that you will encounter on the count.

By learning these few, it will help you to better participate in the count as many butterflies look very similar to others unless they land closeby to you and hold their wings open until you have a good look!

By looking out for these species in advance of the count you will have learnt to identify some of the more common types in advance, so you can focus on learning many more species.  If you just turn up on the day with the id sheet, you won’t be able to give as good results as if you had put in a bit of advance research!

Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly

Step 2:
Read the Butterfly Conservation website for great advice about butterflies, moths and our environment.  They believe that these creatures react very quickly to environmental changes and so can be seen as a great indicator or environmental change - hence the survey.

Butterflies are plant specific in that the adults feed (mainly) on one plant species, and their young will feed (mainly) on another single species - and this is where they lay their eggs.  Therefore if certain plants are becoming rarer or more abundant in response to changing habitats, industrial pollution or the effects of changing climate - these species will have to move from one region to another.

By mapping these movements and general trends over time, they will be able to monitor such national changes and try to see if there are any changes we could make to reverse or encourage such trends.

Step 3:
The count itself takes place between the given dates and you can do as many counts you want in that time and in as many different locations as well. 

This means that you can not only help out with the research by submitting more than 1 set of results, but that you can take your new found identification skills out to new habitats to see - and identify - as many different butterfly species as possible.

For example; sitting in my mum’s garden I mainly see speckled woods, in my sisters garden it is large whites and on the South Downs it is peacocks and small tortoiseshells!  It all depends on the proximity of their food and egg plants in the main - and by finding an established sallow plantation (and a lot of luck I am told) I saw my first purple emperor!

Anyway - record your sightings during just a 15 minute period at any time throughout the survey week following the guidelines on the website, and then you have up until the end of August 2010 to submit your results on the website form online.

Step 4:
Now you know how to identify some common butterfly species - why not take part in other surveys in your area for the Butterfly Conservation Trust or other local or national groups?

Any by finding their associated plants you could then learn more about their habitats and start to become involved at a local nature reserve surveying plants as well.  It take time to get to learn identification skills - so you need to get lots of practice.

And once you have the skills - why not put them to good use?

posted by Catherine on May 8

Did you know that 27 European Union countries are now using the same emergency services number?

Now, you know that you can call an emergency expert wherever you are on the continent - from France to Finland, Sweden to Spain - it’s all the same number: 112.

Of course, some countries still have other numbers working alongside this, like the UK still uses 999 - but generally, all 112 numbers are directly sent to the emergency services of that country, or are diverted to a place where they can be effectively dealt with!

Why Know This?
Well, when you are backpacking across countries, or travelling by train - you never know quite where you are going to end up that night.  Sometimes you may only be in a certain country for a few hours as you pass through, and others you might turn up in and stay for months!

So, it’s not likely that you will learn and remember all the different numbers - but what if you see an emergency situation like a house on fire, or are involved in an incident?

But, how can you help if you don’t know who to call?
Two things can really help in this type of situation and they are as follows:

1) Your Cell Phone:
All GSM phones are pre-programmed to recognise their local emergency numbers - for example 999 in the UK.  This means that you can get through to an emergency service immediately if you dial this number - even if their is no SIM card in your phone!

It will also let you dial this number when your keypad lock is on or when you dial the emergency number instead of your pin - it is designed to do this to get your call answered as soon as possible and therefore your emergency service to deal with the situation without delay - I mean every second really does count when there are lives involved.

And, because it is registered as an emergency number, it also gets priority over other numbers in the pecking order of networks.  This means that if you witness an accident and call 112 your call will get put straight through, while other callers might be made to wait for a ‘line’.

So, it is worth checking that you phone does this for the countries you are planning to visit for any length of time - so that your calls are taken seriously.

2) The Number 112:
Yes, there are other emergency numbers for a variety of specific services - like coastguard and drugs hot lines in many countries - but you will get straight through to an expert if you dial 112.

So rather than either panic and try to find someone to help or guess at a number to call, you can at least try 112 first.  And if it’s not the first choice number of the country you happen to be in - at least it will be a trained emergency service person that you speak to. 

For example in Norway, 112 will get you straight to the Police, whereas you need to dial 113 for an Ambulance - however at least you know that the Police will be more help to you than a farmer you happened to find down the road!

Other Tips?
Make sure that you take out travel insurance before you travel.  I know the emergency services will come to your aid, but medical treatment, helicopters and other rescue services could well charge you thousands!  And make sure you read the policy details before you go too - as not calling them before getting treatment could void some policies completely!

Also try to take a Basic First Aid course before heading off on longer journeys or at least get a medical tips book to cover all the basics.  I mean knowing the simple cures and treatments for common holiday woes could save you a lot of wasted time - and make sure that you buy remedies locally rather than taking a whole pharmacological first aid kit with you from home!

And finally - if you accidentally dial this or any other emergency number - DO NOT HANG UP.  The person on the other end of the phone may think that you are incapacitated or unable to continue with the call due to some type of emergency!  And we don’t want them to waste time finding out…….

So, stay on the line and explain why you no longer need them - otherwise they could be wasting money and resources trying to locate you again to help you out - when in fact you are just now carrying on along your journey without a care in the world!

Take Care!

posted by Catherine on Apr 18

Why not use the ‘no flights’ situation to help persuade others to travel by train or boat!

We know that you can get around Europe very easily by train, coach and boat - so why not help revive their use during this time of aviation standstill!

Rather than just listen to your friends and work colleagues worry and moan about how their holidays or whatever are ‘ruined’, why not help them find alternative routes to the destination using more eco friendly means.

Depending on their insurance policy details and how important their travel is, you could easily find a route to their destination for them using all the support of the internet - and some logical thinking.

The Route:
The hardest part of their journey will not be the crossing of the Atlantic or the 13 hours to South East Asia it will be the parts closer to home.

It’s easy to forget that direct travel isn’t the only option, for example London to the Caribbean doesn’t have to be a one stop shop. Flights go from all over the world to these delightful tropical islands.

So, you can get a flight from Spain to Bermuda or Italy to St Kitts - all you need to do is get to the nearest working airport to your home that is allowing flights.  Whether that involves a boat or a hi-speed train, the result is you get to arrive to your destination.

Now, although this still involves a flight, many trips people are looking to book could easily be shaped by a non-flying decision.  Why not suggest a romantic train ride through the Alps to Italy, or a sail-boat trip around the Mediterranean.

The Alternatives:
Don’t forget that many people will not be so open to looking for other modes of transport of a ‘greener ilk’ and this could be your chance to open their eyes to an alternative means of travel - and possibly a great short haul holiday.

And, if you are offering to take the sting out of arranging all this for themselves, they may well be more likely to go ahead with it - in the same way that people might not want to cook themselves a vegan meal, but in cooking it yourself they can experience the new!

I’m not suggesting that you start interfering in your friends or bosses lives, but a bit of gentle persuasion never did anyone any harm! 

And if all these people still want to travel after the suspension is lifted you can imagine the number of extra flights that might be laid on to clear the backlog of passengers?

The more of these people who travel by other means can only alleviate the strain.

And, what a great way to a bit more towards reducing air travel!

posted by Catherine on Mar 30

It felt like being in an Agatha Christie novel - but in a slightly smaller room than they show on TV!

I recently travelled overnight on a train from London to Edinburgh in a sleeper car.  It was a lovely gift that someone had brought me as I was going on about a visit to the city for ages.

However, the journey I made a few years ago to the Cairngorms was a bit more boring and a lot more carbon-emitting! 

I had decided to drive there from Hampshire, and it had taken me over 10 hours of driving up motorways to arrive.  And, of course on arrival, I was so tired that I had a shower and fell asleep - thereby wasting a lot of my first day!

However, on the train - The Caledonian Sleeper - I was able to snuggle up in a cosy bed for the whole night and arrive in the centre of the city bright-eyed and bushy tailed the following morning - ready for a full day of sight-seeing.

The Train:
It was 13 carriages long and still had the 1st class division, but as it was part of the whole adventure - seeing them settling down for an evening meal at their cute little tables didn’t put me off.

We got to our cabin and found a delightfully cheery man waiting to check us in on the platform.  He welcomed us aboard, checked our tickets and then asked the ‘most important question’ - What do we want for our complimentary breakfast in the morning!

He explained that there are toilets in every carriage, as well as a dining carriage if we didn’t want to go straight to sleep or got peckish in the night!  He also explained how the catch on the door worked - but I never managed to figure this out on either journey!

We stepped into our cabin and although it was a bit snug, it had everything you would imagine for the journey.  It had 2 bunk beds decked out with crisp white bedding, 2 fluffy pillows and a bedside light each as well as the main cabin light.  There were plenty or coat hangers on the wall for your clothes (with their own little seat-belts to stop them flapping about).

Each bed had a table flap coming out of the wall about mid way down and a solid shelf along the end of the beds to put your bags on - and in my case some overnight nibbles, drink and a good book!

The lower shelf was wider as it had a flap that lifted up to expose the sink with complimentary soaps and toothbrush sets as well as 2 hand towels!  There was also a full length mirror, a button to call the attendant and a window.

All in all it was just what I was hoping it to be!  And I couldn’t wait for the return journey either!  It felt as though - even though we were leaving Edinburgh - that there was still a whole part of the trip to look forward to!

And, it was my first holiday of the year, and it was eco friendly! I’m definately starting as I mean to go on!

posted by Catherine on Feb 27

That’s exactly what the National Trust in the UK are offering to everyone who fancies it!

They are opening up all their sites for 2 days this month with no entry fee - that’s a saving of up to £15 a person at the larger sites, so well worth investigating.

Check your diary for Saturday the 20th of March and Sunday the 21st - and make sure they are free!

Many of the larger properties have huge grounds for you to explore - and some even have their own deer herds…..

There are great lakes, hidden follies, secret churches, trout-filled streams, rose gardens, miles of glass houses and acres of woodland walks - and that’s just a few of the things you can find with the National Trust.

And the fact that they have properties all over the country means that you don’t need to travel too far to make the most of their offer either.  You could be just a few miles away from something magnificent!

So, here are a few of the best sites, and the normal price for 2 adults and 2 children under 16 - kids under 5 are usually free (but do check for exact prices for your group before you go!).

Wakehurst Place - West Sussex: (Family: £22.70)

This huge landscape is also the home of Kew Gardens Millennium Seed Bank, and also has plants from around the world in distinct gardens.

A family could spend hours walking through the pine woodlands or along the scary limestone ‘wall’ where trees have grown almost out of the very rock itself!  There are great water worlds and a few bird hides too.

The Japanese garden is a delight and there is a wonderful walled garden to explore for the adults - and of course you can all marvel at the amazing challenge of collecting every single seed from every single plant from every country in the world!

Stourhead - Wiltshire: (Family: £18.30)

This world-famous 2,650 acre landscape is set within it’s own valley and has miles and miles of chalkland trails - including 2 iron age hill forts - and has a view over 3 counties.

With a huge lake, classic temples and follies with many rare and exotic trees to discover, this could be a great place to wear out the kids whilst learning about some unusual and totally native plants and habitats.

St Micheal’s Mount - Cornwall: (Family: £21.75)

Take your kids to the most amazing place on the south coast - well actually, just off the south coast - this place is an island.

However, there is no boat involved - you have to walk across the sea floor at low tide to get to the island - and be off before you get wet feet!

There is a cobbled causeway (covered in crabs and seaweed) leading up to the gates of this property, and plenty of nooks and crannies to explore inside.  A castle with narrow passages dominates the island and the house, monastery ruins and church can fill the rest of your day.

Have a look at all their sites on the website and see if something appeals to you and your family - you need a voucher for the free admission - so don’t forget to print it out before you go!

posted by Catherine on Feb 18

March 27th 2010 will be the 4th Earth Hour across the globe - and you can get involved in something big!

After the reportedly pointless Copenhagen meeting last year, we need to try a different tack - and I think the Earth Hour is certainly getting results.

Not only is it so easy for you to get involved and make it even more of a success than last year, but it is also an opportunity for you to learn more about the tireless and endless work of the World Wide Fund for Nature (the WWF) and to keep up-to-date with global wildlife news and activities.

The Challenge:
Earth Hour is as simple as turning off your lights for an hour - that really is all you need to do to be a part of this global movement. 

Of course, you sitting in the dark for 60 minutes isn’t much fun and it only involves you - so why not make a night of it with your friends and family.  The more people that are at your event the bigger the impact:

• If they are with you then they don’t have their lights on at home either.
• They will know more about Earth Hour so can pass on the word.
• They will know more about Climate Change and so could lower their impact.
• They will have so much fun that they might organise their own event next year, inviting more people!

There are also massive events being organised across the world and in major towns and cities that you could become a part of too.  And there is even a video competition for Earth Hour this year - you need to create a short video that the WWF can use to promote Earth Hour on the website - and you could win £1000 for your efforts as well!

The Results:
Although turning off your lights for an hour at 8.30pm local time will help visually show the cause - you should really Sign Up on the official WWF page so that your numbers can be counted towards the global targets and be used in official figures.

The numbers of people involved has been steadily rising - and this year they are aiming for 1 billion to join in!  So make your actions count, and be a part of this.

Only 37 days left to sign up - so get organising!!!

Read a related article from WWF’s 2009’s Earth Hour.

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 Jan 25

All your outdoor and adventure needs and resources under one roof!

And it will actually be filled with real life adventurers who have travelled to the North Pole, the South Pole, across the Sahara and having rowed the Atlantic! Including Ranulph Fiennes, Simon King and Ben Fogle.

Not only will you be able to listen to these great explorers talking about their inspirations and future plans - you will be able to indulge in some activities you have been meaning to get around to for some time!

And as the Outdoors Show is at the end of March this year, you have plenty of time to research the types of travel and outdoor experiences you want to find the most our about - therefore making the best use of the resources available.

What’s There?
Well, if you have ever wanted to use a climbing wall - you won’t be short of opportunities here, there is also abseiling, slacklining (a bit like tight-rope walking but with a wobbly flimsy line to walk on instead(!)) and even using crampons for some ice climbing too!

And it’s not all about far flung destinations - and for those who like to stay closer to home you can enjoy the careers zone focussing on your 5-year plan (basically seeing what type of things employers you like the look of are looking for in a new recruit and aiming for them with courses and real-life experiences).

Add to this the Wilderness section, where you can get hands on advice about bush-tracking, cooking, and camping whether you are at home, in the Arctic or the desert!

Many UK tourist boards will also be found pitching the outdoor appeal of their part of the country to you!

If you are like me, then you will be wanting the opportunity to take advantage of some of the retail offers - I am looking for new walking boots and a nice fitted waterproof coat.  So, I can find out the best styles and prices beforehand - and hope to get a great deal at the show!

Why Go?
Well, if you have any sort of adventure in your heart and need a tiny bit of a push to really get excited - then there could be no better place.

Yes, there are other travel shows going on around now but this one should really get to the ground roots of eco adventures.  Other will talk only of far-flung places, whereas this show is all about advenutres at home as well.

The UK is a great country and can appeal to all sorts of people - and so why not find out what landscapes and cultures we have here before heading across the world to see what they’ve got!

And, you might just meet someone famous along the way…….

posted by Catherine on Jan 21

Get away from the snow and step into a heated haven - filled with free flying butterflies!

RHS Wisley in Surrey, England, is cramming it’s huge glasshouses with butterflies from around the world to make a magical spectacle of colour.

The huge glasshouses cover an area the size of 10 tennis courts, according to their website, and it is already filled with wonderful temperate, tropical and desert living plants.  All these plants are arranged on different levels, with a root section underground for you to explore as well.

With waterfeatures, orchids, ferns, cactus and passion flower curtains - the glasshouse will be a perfect habitat for butterflies to reside.  They will be able to act as though they were in their natural habitats, so you will see them chasing each other around, feeding, and just resting on leaves - basking in the sun (hopefully).

There will be species from all over the world - including the huge Blue Morpho, one of the largest butterflies in the world which flies like a piece or fine tissue paper on a gentle breeze.  A real sight to behold.  I recently saw them flying free whilst in Costa Rica - and it is certainly something I want to see again!

The Theme:
Butterfly Conservation (a UK charity) are helping to arrange this event in Wisley, and it’s focus is to be on native species here in the UK.  There will be experts from the charity on site to answer your questions and help you to identify species that you have seen in your gardens over the past year.

There will be displays throughout the centre, filled with information on plants that butterflies need to lay their eggs on, plants that the young caterpillars feed on and all sorts of tips for vreating a wildlife haven for them in your own back yard.

Butterflies make up a really important part of your gardens ecosystem, with the caterpillars feeding a whole host of garden birds and their spring chicks, and the adult butterflies are essential pollinaters for many British plants - not to mention a lovely sight in the wilflower meadows!

It won’t be long now until the spring brings out some early butterflies, and they want to encourage you to be ready for them.  So there will be recommended plants to help them feed, plants to help them breed, and plants for their offspring to eat!

It’s also the time of year to start paying attention to the garden again - as things you plant now will be in full flower for the summer - perfect for these chaps!

The Site:
RHS Wisley is a huge outdoor wonderland with plenty to do outside of the glasshouses. So, if you only spend an hour or two inside - there will be plenty to keep you busy across the rest of the extensive site.

There is the never-ending orchards, the fruit gardens, vegetable plots and greenhouses and many many more sights to get you inspired for your own eco adventures back home.

The library, garden centre, field trials (row upon row of magnificent plant varieties hoping to achieve accreditation), landscape sculptures, the ornate water features, rock garden, maze and woodland paths. It is going to be a fun packed day out.

And the more people you go with - the cheaper it is to get in, and kids uner 6 are free anyway - so get your friends and family together and book a great day out with a difference!

Last time I went, I didn’t make it around in one day - so what a great excuse to go back!