Eco Holidays

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 Jun 2

If I raise enough money for charity - will it off-set the cost of the flight to get there?

A friend of mine is going to be taking part in a Charity Trek across Patagonia later in the year - but it made me think of the eco side of things - not just the ethical part.

Don’t forget that ethical holidays are all about the people - so raising money for a humanitarian charity and supporting the local population as guides and hosts along the way fit’s the bill perfectly.

But what about the eco friendly side?  Flying a group of up to 70 charity trekkers and all their equipment across the globe to the very south of South America isn’t really carbon-friendly is it?

So, can we justify these as Eco Holidays or Eco Adventures at all? They are for charity - and they all have responsible travel codes of ethics - but the flight is a bit of a sore point.

The Eco Side: 
Well, they certainly offer the particient something to remember - and the experience of another culture and meeting like-minded people in their group.  And no doubt, a large percentage of these people will be taking a holiday anyway - so why not make it count?

Added to this, they will have worked hard to raise the money, sharing experiences with other people and opening other peoples eye’s up to the charity they are raising money for and for the culture and country that they are going to be visiting. 

It’s not like they are going to be a drain on the country either.  There is no chance of my friend just sitting around the pool, eating all inclusive burgers and ice cream!  They will be out taking advantage of the natural world and eating local food cooked by local people - maybe even learning the language too!

Not So Eco:
Firstly, think of a group of up to 70 people all turning up in the same place at the same time.  This is certainly something that is avoided on very ethical tours. And for good reason.

Another friend went to Machu Picchu a few years back with a group of 75 people, and a second group of charity trekkers overlapped them in the same hotel - so that’s over 100 people all blundering around Cuzco at the same time, wanting the same things at the same time! 

All those people booking on to the same plane, creating all that waste - and possibly bringing foreign products into the local stores, just through demand.  And could it create a market for child beggars and child salesmen - taking time off school to make money in the markets?

And - what are you raising the money for in the first place?  If it is for an eco charity like WWF -  should you be using all those resources on your journey - including a flight - to raise money to help reduce the effects of carbon in the atmosphere.  I mean flying to the other side of the world to raise money for a company that is spending their donations on trying to reduce carbon emissions couldn’t be more ironic.

But - I fancy a long horse riding ’holiday’ across the Mongolian plains, living in local homes and eating yak butter - and that would be a great eco holiday if I went there by train.  Now, wouldn’t it be a good idea to raise money for a charity at the same time rather than just save the whole experience all for myself?

What do you think?

posted by Catherine on May 13

There is a very unusual evening event taking place across the UK - but are you too squeamish?

This event focuses on those sometimes scary and often unwanted nighttime moths - but if you read more about them, you will find that they have much to offer your garden and the environment.  And you may even get to like them after this!

The event has been running since 1999, and takes place on a date where the conditions should be best for moths to be out hunting.  This year is falls on the night of May 15th - and there are events all over the country that you could become a part of.

The Event:
Run by the Butterfly Conservation Trust (BCT), this annual event allows you experience the world of moths when they are at their best, and to help the trust to identify species distribution and any new arrivals in the country - for example in 2008 a species was found in Ireland that hadn’t been seen in the UK ever before!

However 62 moth species became extinct in Britain during the 20th century - so it’s not always good news!

This year though, is the first time that the BCT are teaming up with the Bat Conservation Trust (confusingly also the BCT - so BatCT for this article).  As bats are also found hunting at night (mainly the moths you are trying to record!), it seemed the best use of resources to get the people who were already out at dusk counting moths to record and bat activity they saw at the same time.

This extends the nighttime adventures you could have!  Whether you are aiming to just watch from inside you home at the creatures who fly up to your lights, whether you want to head out into the woods and set overnight (live) traps or whether you want to join a group bat watch and get to use their specialised equipment to hear their communications.  It’s up to you!

There are 16 species of bat to be found in Britain - and they all feed on moths!

Habitat Change:
However, as the bats feed on the moths and other insects, they are just as much at threat to land use changes.  This includes your gardens and local parks and woodlands. 

If plants are cleared for driveways and decking replaces grass, there is less food for the insects and less nesting sites for their young - like caterpillars.  Caterpillars need to eat plants when they are growing - and they eat a lot, so rather than only having delightfully ornamental plants in your garden for your own pleasure - make sure there are some local plants still around that they can use to grow and breed.

That way, when they start to eat through young plants, you won’t be tempted to use chemical to keep them away.  And their prefered plants are often fast-growing native plants that can be planted away from your favourites!

The same goes for ponds and other waterways.  Bats are commonly associated with water as well, as many insects lay their eggs in or around water and as they hatch - along come the bats for a feast!

Counting Them:
Take a look at the event website for details on local events or how to make your observations count - and how to download your photos of the event.

You don’t need to buy any special equipment to take part - unless you are very enthusiastic - but there are some easy home-made ways to trap moths of all sizes.  And some are truly beautiful to look at - not all of them are brown or grey!  Take the Elephant Hawk Moth - it’s pink and lime green and a good size!

photo credit: Wm Jas

There are obviously many tips on how to make the night a success - and you never know, you may well find a new species along the way!

posted by Catherine on Apr 24

Should we visit somewhere degraded but in desperate need of tourist dollars - or leave it to recover?

I was talking with a friend about the need to show (financial) support for locations that are in danger of being destroyed by construction or farming, etc - and that the best way to show that an area is worth money as it is, would be to take a vacation there and spend money on local services.

But then I thought, if the location is very fragile or in an area that is highly volitile - would it be better to stay away and let it recover before demanding tours and accomodation to be found (or built)?

Add to this as well, the fact that if you choose not to visit one of your favourite destinations or to see an endangered animal - it might have been your last chance before it is lost forever.

What I Want:

I myself am torn between visiting certain locations around the world as I am worried that my trip there and intrusion in the area could actually be supporting the very things that are destroying it.  But if I don’t go, I will have missed my chance to see something truly wonderful. 

Whether it is to experience the march of thousands of penguins in the frozen landscapes of Antartica, to marvel at the giant tortoises and marine iguanas in the Galapagos or the chance to see thousands of bats at dusk flying from a cave in Borneo - the very act of my ‘eco’ trip could put stresses on the wildlife or habitat itself by changing their behaviour. 

It could also help sustain or even create a market for hoards of others to follow afterwards or even affect the culture of the people who have lived there for centuries.

However, my needs I suppose are only for my own pleasure, unlike the people and the wildlife involved.  Just because ‘I want’ to do something, should I do it - even if the trip is ‘eco friendly’ and ‘responsible’?

The Alternatives?

If I decide not to go myself - how else could I help?  Well, finding a charity or NGO which was working in the area would be a great start, then donating money or time to them will be of endless help.

Don’t forget you don’t need to offer them directly for that specific location or creature, as all their time and funds are intricately linked.  So offering your spare time to them in your local town will ultimately help them spend money to work in the area you are rooting for abroad!  I mean if they are able to spend less money in 1 country, they can spend more in another.

And by creating other demands at home you can affect change.  Examples include the more obvious ones like choosing not to buy certain products, or products made in certain countries, or by subscribing to eco magazines.  Investing in certain energy suppliers or financial companies is another powerful way of showing businesses where you want to spend money and where you don’t.

Even creating a demand for cuddly toys might change future plans for charities and larger companies.  How?  Well, if more and more people start buying toys and products linked to rainforests for example, then it will be picked up as a national trend and things will eventually happen.

Take for example, the current demand for eco friendly cars.  They wouldn’t be making them if nobody was buying them would they?  If people were not so interested in the environment these days - the cars just wouldn’t sell - and as result, they wouldn’t make any more. 

Imagine if in the 60’s before we knew what ‘climate change’ was, they started making hybrid cars that cost more than ‘normal’ cars - would you buy one?  Do you think there would have been a successful business in the 40’s selling carbon credits?  What if someone today set up a charity to help save seagulls or raccoons - would you donate money to them?

Everything you do today, has a huge effect for tomorrow - so don’t rush into anything to quickly.

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 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 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 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!