Eco Holidays

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!

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 18

Qualified vets are always needed to help the local people of Iquitos, Amazonian Peru.

It’s not just the wildlife in the amazon that needs our care and attention – the dogs and cats that keep the community happy need a bit of help along the way too.

Pets form an important part of a community, and they get ill the same as we do but not everyone can afford the vets bills!

So, What Can You Do?
Well, you can visit the website of Amazon Cares for a start, and take a look at the great work that volunteers carry out there on the banks of the mighty Amazon.

Take time to read about the projects they run and their dedication to the people they help. Have a peak at their constantly updated images and blog posts of vets and vet nurses already out there helping out in their clinic.you should seriously consider a short (or long) program with Amazon Cares!

Think you can spare a few weeks of your life to make a huge difference to some poorly pets across the globe – and add a great bonus to your future veterinary resume!

Working closely in a surgery like this will teach you a huge amount about yourself – and you will learn a huge amount from the resident team even if you are newly qualified. So, if you have recently finished your training and wanted to travel a bit before settling into a permanent veterinary position back home – have a look at their site.

What Do They Do?
They work tirelessly to promote great animal health and the reduction of breeding animals in the community. They also work closely with the communities as well as their pets, including:

• Free mobile veterinary clinics to more remote areas
• Humane education and domestic violence programmes
• Assisted animal therapy for disabled children
• Free wildlife veterinary care and ‘animal orphange’
• Continued veterinary support to national veterinary collages and surgeries

They really have it all covered!

The Results:
My friend recently returned from a trip working with the team in Iquitos and not only did she help neuter and treat thousands of animals in the short time she was there – she made some great friends.

She also got to live in a riverside home on stilts (!) took some amazing photo’s of the surroundings, the Amazon and her team working in the surgery.

She also got the opportunity to travel to Cusco afterwards as well as a quick visit to the lost city of Machu Picchu as well.

I’m not suprised she was so glad that she went!

posted by Catherine on Dec 14

This is the story of an amazing 20-month journey around the world without flying!

Nick Tuppin and Holly Gee decided that they were going to travel the world together, but not by buying a round-the-world plane ticket and bouncing across the globe in 6 months!

They wanted adventure – and they wanted it to be an eco adventure.  Whether it’s walking, cycling, buses, trains, or freighters – they will use it!  Talk about inspiring!

And they wanted to give back to the communities they were visiting as well, so they volunteered and worked their way around as well. Working in a school and helping to set up a website are just some of the things that they became involved in along the way.

The Route:
Starting out in France in September 2008, they passed through Spain and across the Atlantic to the Caribbean.  On from there to Columbia and up through Central America, the States and finally out the top through Canada and Alaska in September 2009 to Korea, China and ending up in Nepal for The New Year.

In 2010, the journey will continue across Mongolia and Russia, then down south to Turkey and up across eastern Europe on the Danube river, then hopefully home for May 2010.

So far they are right on track and their latest blog posts show them in Kathmandu.  The articles are certainly detailed and shows how they are getting by – including an impromptu job interview!  It also details about the attempts of locals to get into the British Gurkha Army and their participation in a house blessing ceremony!

They have included some great photos of their journey – every step of the way.  They include maps and historic images along the way too – making you feel like you are part of the journey with them.

Although they do have a history of travel – they are just two ordinary people who had normal jobs and just wanted to make a difference.  So they got up and did something about it!

That could be you!

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 25

There is an opportunity on the horizon to get support for a mass tree planting session!

BBC Breathing Spaces is trying to break a Guinness World Record for ‘the most trees planted in 1 hour in 1 location’ – and they aren’t aiming low!  The current world record is 18,124 for this record – and they really want to smash it!

It is part of their drive for National Tree Week in the UK, but you can be from anywhere in the world to help them break a more individual record of ‘the most trees planted in 1 hour in any destination’ – currently standing at 653,143!

The Big Planting:
Basically, they will need your group of at least 100 people (and up to 100 helpers) to aim to plant around 20,000 trees (around 3.33 trees a minute) in the specified hour (between 11am and 12 noon on the 5th of December 2009) - so you will need the land (over 5 hectares) and the trees (all suitable for the environment) already planned!

The great thing is that Breathing Spaces will offer advice and support through the whole thing – so if your local group were planning to improve a woodland or parkland, then now would be a great time to do it.

There are of course strict rules governing your planting attempt – as it is a World Record after all – but you will get all the publicity and advice that could make a real difference to your community or local group.

They have prepared a list of guidelines for larger groups to answer all your questions etc, and they would love to help you break the record!

Not Quite So Big?
If you think that 20,000 trees is a bit too much for your group or community – you can still take part in their main event – planting however many trees you want to plant in the same hour.

This way, if you can only plant 500 trees, 50 trees or just 5 trees, they will all count towards the record attempt anyway – without the stress of the full on planting frenzy as described above!

It’s all about improving the environment and encouraging biodiversity – so literally every tree can make a difference. They would rather you plant 10 trees that you could maintain and would improve the environment, rather than rushed in and planted 50 trees that didn’t all survive or were too overcrowded.

So, get yourself onto their website, read all the guidelines and advice – and get pledging!  So far they have had pledges to plant 263,669 trees – way off the current record of 653,143!

Help make a difference – sign up for Tree O’Clock 2009.

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 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’!

posted by Catherine on Mar 11

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The One Life Live show is on in London this weekend, and will be a great place for you to find inspiration and advice for your eco holidays.

Although the actual show is about making that change to get a better work/life balance – there is plenty there to offer the eco traveller!

Many travel and volunteering companies will be there to offer you travel plans, charity treks, responsible tourism advice and to basically make sure that if you want to travel you will get the chance.

The Show:
There are 8 zones for the show offering all sorts of companies up for a chat with you – and if you come well prepared you can get all your eco answers in one sitting.

There are also many free seminars on offer throughout the few days covering topics about volunteering, life changing adventures and advice on planning that grown up gap travel – even some on how to make money while you travel and getting qualified to teach abroad too.

What’s It Like?
Well, I have been several times myself, and it is a great (but tiring) day out as there is so much crammed in!  There were so many companies there that I hadn’t heard of – or some I knew that were offering something different!  There was a whole overland adventure vehicle for you to explore, yurts and canoes – plus the chance to sign up to adventure travel magazines at a massive reduction.

Of course there are also people running the stands that have already done what you are planning, and many who have even lived in the countries you want to go and visit – so make sure you talk to as many people as you can – and make sure you live the only life you have.

This one right now!!

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