Eco Holidays

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 Aug 6

Are you working for a company that are looking to save money without losing staff?

Then why not offer to help them by taking 6 months off to work in an orphanage in Africa or rescue wildlife in Central Asia?

Maybe your company haven’t thought of letting staff take reduced or unpaid time off to help save money. So why not tell them?

How Will It Help My Bosses?
When your company pay your wages, they also have to pay other contributions on your behalf as well as many other expenses that you may not have really though about.

So, when you take unpaid leave - you could be saving them more than just your salary. I’m not talking pensions, petrol and other expenses here, I’m talking general costs.

Take the following things as examples:

Toiletries: Toilet paper, tissues, soap, dryers are all used on a daily basis by all staff, running up energy bills and paying companies to do the dirty work.
Cafeterias: Ordering, cooking, preparing, eating and disposing of food and drinks isn’t cheap - and there is always waste. If your company know they have less staff, they can cut down on deliveries and reduce waste.
Other Vending: Water coolers, hot drink machines and food vending machines can all be re-filled less often if there are less staff - therefore lower costs of maintenance and staff to refill them.
Stationery: I know people will still need to use stationery even while you are away, but there will be a noticable reduction in use if there are less people in the office. For one: there will be less people to leave notes for - so your Post-It notes use will drop! Less pens will get ‘lost’ or taken home by accident, less email to print, etc……

Other Benefits To Your Bosses:
If they can reduce outgoings with reduced wages then they may well be able to stay in business and pull through the current financial crisis. Therefore - you are actually helping to make sure that you keep your job!

Your gap year may also help you to learn new skills and bring them back to the company on your return. For example, many developing countries have to learn to make do with less - and the skills and techniques that you pick up while working abroad could really benefit the company on your return.

You may even find that the skills that you bring back to your role are better and more usefull and applicaple in this changing climate - possibly even giving you better propects on your return!

However, make sure you check the details before you leave to make sure that you return to your role exactly as you left it - otherwise a great trip could be followed by a heavy thud back down to earth!

posted by Catherine on Jul 9

Plan Your African Adventure With A Volunteer Organisation Based There.

Rather than look for a trip to Africa with a global company - why not make a bee-line for someone who has been working there - and only there.

I spoke to the company myself and asked them a few questions about their ethics and eco friendly policies - and you can read their answers for yourself:

What Is African Impact All About?
At African Impact, we see ourselves as the on-the-ground AFRICAN SPECIALISTS in volunteer travel. Whether it be a summer break, a gap year, a well earned holiday or a career break we have something for you. 

Established in 2004, we are proudly African-based and have our busy Head Office in Cape Town, South Africa. We also have supporting operations offices in Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. This year we were proudly recognized as the 2009 World Travel Awards finalists for our involvement in Volunteering in Africa so far.
  
Our Mission Statement:
African Impact is a volunteer travel organisation that works towards establishing meaningful programs throughout Africa for a positive and measurable impact on local communities and conservation efforts.

African Impact aims to promote and actively consign volunteerism for various projects in Africa. As a result, we generate income to sustain and provide ongoing support and resources for community and conservation initiatives across Africa.

What Ethical Guidelines Are Most Important To You?
We aim to be an ambassador of responsible tourism and endeavour to increase the positive impact of our volunteers and operational practices on the social, cultural and physical environment within our operating countries. 
 
What Sets African Impact Apart From Other Companies?
In 2008 we launched a UK-registered Charitable Trust, The Happy Africa Foundation which is our supporting arm for the sustainable and accountable manner in which we aspire to manage our projects.
 
In addition to this we have founded the UK-registered ALERT Trust (African Lion and Environmental Research Trust) to facilitate the expansion of our lion rehabilitation and release into the wild project as well as to raise awareness for conservation efforts in Africa. 
 
In 2009 we were 2009 World Travel Awards finalists, which The Wall Street Journal refers to as the travel industry’s equivalent of The Oscars.

WYSE Travel Confederation is a not-for-profit industry association dedicated to making travel experiences affordable, accessible and exciting for young people worldwide. African Impact is a proud member of this organization and through our association with WYSE we seek to enhance the sustainability of our projects through volunteering forums and interaction with other leaders in our niche of the tourism industry.

How are your Staff qualified to assist?
The African Impact team of office and field staff is made up of people with vast experience living, working and travelling in Africa. 

Our team members have an unparalleled passion and enthusiasm for their work.  Many of our assistant field workers are past volunteers who came to Africa and are yet to leave!

We subject all our projects to careful sustainability planning with clear and measurable goals and objectives, as well as collaborative focus with our local partners. In addition our project managers submit detailed quarterly development reports to both African Impact and The Happy Africa Foundation.
 
What Sort Of Trips Do You Offer?
We offer a range of projects from short term through to much longer placements in any field from medical, teaching, wildlife conservation to sporting projects.

• Volunteer in South Africa for a Veterinary Clinic and Animal Rescue Center:
  From 2 weeks to 2 months - From $990
• Volunteer in Zimbabwe & Rehabilitate Lions & Their Cubs:
  From 2 weeks to 6 weeks - From $1800
• Volunteer in South Africa with Community Clinics & Child Day Care:
  From 2 weeks or longer - From $990
• Volunteer in South Africa with a Coastal Biological Research Course:
  4 week course - From $1520
• Volunteer in Mozambique for HIV & Aids Education:
  From 2 weeks or longer - From $1390
• Volunteer on a Great White Shark Research & Conservation Project!
  From 2 weeks to 2 months - From $1600

The list just goes on and on………..  Go to African Impact to see more.

posted by Catherine on Jun 2

Seriously - think of you favorite wild animal - and then ask yourself the question: What am I doing to keep them alive?

Many people love pandas, tigers, penguins or even great white sharks - but many of us don’t really make a difference to their fight for life on this planet.

What Can I Do From Home?
Watching a documentary about them on TV does actually help believe it or not. If the TV ratings for a show on African Hunting Dogs gets top ratings - they see money they are making and go out and make another one. But to film these creatures, they need to make sure that they are healthy and their habitat is kept safe.

Buying specialist magazines or books can also make larger companies aware of an interest in certain wildlife or habitats so that they focus more on them and possibly invest more money in research and/or protection.

Similarly, you can join a charity or wildlife group that is helping to educate local people to live with dangerous species (as with the lynx), train specialists to protect endangered animals (as with gorillas) or just stop people chopping down their home (as with orangutans)!

Some charity organisations also sell ‘gift’ packs for certain animals or habitats - such as the WWF. This allows you to buy a gift for a friends birthday/wedding/event that actually sends fund directly to your chosen destination!

Your friends get a cuddly toy, information and magazines all about the dolphin or turtle or whatever - and they get to help protect the wildlife! Rather than buying some consumer gifts and throwing away loads of packaging and sticky tape to haunt future generations - your gift will be keeping those habitats alive for future generations (and yourself) to enjoy!

What Can I Do Abroad?
Obviously joining a charity vacation abroad to actually work with the animals or local communities involved will be a great help. You will be there first hand to help protect your favourite creatures - and learn so much more about them.

You could even just take a vacation to the country that they live in and just support that nation in terms of tourism - maybe booking a tour specifically to see those animals in their habitat. By telling your local hosts and native tour guides that these animals and this habitat were the only reasons for you trip here will make sure that they are aware of the importance of preserving that.

If you went to India and didn’t pay to go see the tigers - why would they bother to help keep them there? Tourism runs like a business - if the tea plantation makes more money than the tiger reserve - guess what might happen? The reserve is taken over by tea!

Make sure that you also tell tour companies the reason for your holiday - I mean if you (and 100’s of other vacationers were asking for a whale-watching holiday in Mexico and they didn’t offer one - I’m sure they would start looking into it!

You must be active in telling companies why you are or are not booking with them. If they don’t know what their potential customers are wanting - they can’t offer it. Don’t just leave them to guess - make the choice for them - make them support your cause.

It may even have a multiplying effect as some people who aren’t so active may book an alternate holiday instead - but if they saw a new wildlife trip on offer in the brochure - they may book it themselves, sending even more funds and interested people to your favorite location or to see your favorite animals!

Basically - you need to get active and show your support for the things you like. Just like you favorite store: if you don’t support it - you could lose it!

posted by Catherine on May 7

Would You Believe That The Orangutan Could Be Virtually Extinct In 15 Years?

Some experts would have us believe this if the current trends in rain forest destruction and mono-cultures continued to be profitable in Borneo.

Are people more important than animals?

What’s The Deal?
There are only some many places on earth that Orangutans live, and they are being destroyed at a very fast rate.

Over 50% of the wild population has been lost in the past decade, and it is likely that this figure will continue to decline unless we stop it.

By volunteering, you could help to make sure that the destruction was slowed or at least channelled into the least damaging areas of the forests - rather than key retreats or wildlife ‘corridors’.  Of course any destruction of their habitat is a bad thing - but once the key areas are lost, or the links between those areas, then the species cannot survive.

It’s not just home to the Orangutan either.  There are pygmy elephants and the Sumatran tiger competing for a living in the same jungles, not to mention a whole host of birds, insects and smaller mammals.  All rely on this land and these habitats.

Who Can I Go With?
There are several companies offering volunteer trips to these areas, and all have slightly different aims.

Frontier: from £350, departs all year.
Offer a 9 day or 2 week conservation and adventure package in Indonesia, focusing on the Orangutans habitat and the wealth of other wildlife that needs your help.  It also contributes to local communities and is very open about where your money is spent for each project.

The Great OrangUtan Project: $1575 for 2 weeks with baby Orangutans.
This trip is leaving right now as 2 babies are due to be born in the next few weeks!  However, they do offer a ‘no touch’ policy for the young and their parents…..

They offer plenty of other trips to Borneo so you have a choice with regards to what your experience can offer the project.

Responsible Travel: from £730 for 6 weeks in June & August.
On this trip you also get an insight into the Indonesian culture and learn the language with this longer than average trip to help out.  You will get involved with all aspects of the Orangutan rescue and habitat maintenance programs.

Discovery Initiatives: at £2195 for 9 days with Orangutan experts.
This company offer you the chance to go behind the scenes at the Orangutan centre as well as spending time in the forest with the experts in the field.

Funding goes to offer you a years membership to the foundation as well as a contribution to Rain-Forest Concern.

How Else Can You Help?
Well, here is your chance to make your voice heard on the subject - by volunteering with an effective charity in the region and helping them to make a difference with your time and your money.

And why not make your trip into a longer vacation, by offering to teach in the area, or one close by.  Rather than fly all the way there for just that one eco adventure, why not see what else is out the on offer!

However, your money can also help by not spending it at all!

If we know that un-certified Palm Oil and Soy are one of the main reasons that the jungles of Borneo are worth more cut down than standing, lets make a stand. 

If you are buying toiletries, margarine, biscuits and detergents with palm oil in them, regardless of their point of origin - then it doesn’t matter how much time we volunteer; it won’t break the destructive cycle or our consumer behaviour.

Imagine the irony of travelling to Borneo to save Orangutans, but blatantly using the very ingredients that are destroying their habitat to wash and style your hair each morning!

posted by Catherine on Mar 27

This longer-term volunteer project could be the opportunity of a lifetime!!

There are many short-term opportunities out there for volunteering and fit with most peoples work schedule - but some of the longer-term options will very likely change your life!

Take the following volunteer placement as an example: 12 weeks working in a Safari Lodge in Africa for about the same amount of money (rent, bills and food) that you would be spending back home!

As with all volunteer packages it doesn’t include international flights or other travel arrangements, but everything else while you are there is included.

What Do I Do There?
Well, you will be helping to run the lodge, so it will include general maintenance, working with the guests, helping the local community and enjoying the wildlife of course!  There will be many an opportunity to get close to the wildlife here.

The company involved will plan to speak with you at length before you go so that you are matched up with the best location for your abilities, skills and to a certain extent your preferences.

Naturally, they will not want to waste their time and money and your time and skills by putting you in a location that is beyond your ability or in a country you didn’t want to visit!

And you certainly won’t perform at your best if you really aren’t happy sleeping in a tent and using an outdoor shower! All options are considered carefully to make the best of your time and to get the most out of your trip.

What Else?
The package comes with training in the UK before you leave and 24 hour support the whole time you are away. You even get a small salary to spend whilst you are abroad.  All food and lodgings are included as is on-site training.

All the camps featured are eco-friendly and strive to be responsible locations - for example using local resources and natural energy. These eco-credentials are a integral part of the camp and your experiences and training will allow you to pass on your knowledge and enthusiasm to all the guests that visit during your stay!

Education is a very important part of this trip.

You may also be required to work alongside nature and wildlife teams in removing snares and rehabilitating injured and orphaned animals - which would of course be amazing! 

Many sites also have strong links with local communities, so if this is an area you are interested in or have the skills to teach in your skill set, then this could become the main focus of your trip here.

Getting There & Away:
Depending on the time and season of your eco adventure, they can also offer international travel options, or allow you to make your stop at your safari lodge as part of a larger or worldwide trip.

Why not travel the length of Africa by overland tour bus to get to your lodge and then head down to The Cape afterwards? Or stop-over in Africa as part of your round-the-world journey from India or Australia on your way back home?

The Details:
Holiday Details: Responsible Travel act as the agent
Countries: Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi.
Costs: from £2400 (12 weeks) - depending on location and park fees

I am seriously considering this one myself!  What an experience, and what a story to tell……

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