Eco Holidays

posted by Catherine on Jun 23

Try something different for your Independence Day Celebrations – July 2010!

Add a little green to your red, white and blue this year to make sure that not only can your celebrations still be as great and grand as last year – but also considering your environment, your neighbors and your pocket too!

How?  Well, just a little bit of forward planning can make all the difference here, and I have put together a few suggestions to help you make the change.

Decorations:
There is always going to be a 4th of July right, so don’t worry about getting hold of specific celebration novelties and flags – as if you pay that little bit extra for the longer lasting things and store them well – they will last you for years, reducing the need for replacements every year.

However, if you can – why don’t you choose flags, garden ornaments and posters with a changeable theme or plain colors that you can mix up a little for different events.  For example, buying separate red, white and blue flags can be more eco friendly than buying loads of Stars & Stripes one’s - as you can’t really use the latter for your birthday party!  But mix in a few yellow or green similar flags and you have Easter parties, birthdays, and yard sales all covered!

Fireworks:
Well, we know we need fireworks – but why all just have a few in your yard throughout the day. Smaller packets cost more, use more resources and can be more dangerous and polluting with all the rubbish every household creates – well you don’t go and pick up all your spent fire crackers and rockets do you?

So why not plan ahead with your neighbors and sort out a few larger displays in one yard or on common ground. That way, you can club funds together and get more for your money – and all the waste is in the same place!

Also, only your family (2-6) people can enjoy your fireworks and only next door (another 2-6 people) can enjoy theirs!  It seems that a lot of fireworks are being let off without many people to see how fantastic they are!  It almost seems a waste of bright colors and bangs!

And don’t forget you can get eco friendly fireworks too now – so you can make the event twice as good for the environment!

Food:
Let’s not forget our bellies!  We all love a variety of great food during the celebrations!  Whether it’s traditional food – or we are trying something a little different this year.

Wouldn’t it be great if your got together with a few families or arranged a community feast instead?  Rather than every home buying 20 burgers and buns, chips and a few bottles of soda and beer (along with all the individual trips to the store and all the individual packaging for smaller product packs) – why not bulk buy 200 burgers and buns, wholesale chips and kegs of beer!

Get the whole lot delivered to one place with one journey and share the cost!  All chip in some time to sort things out and get tables set up – and again – all the rubbish and all the people in one place, making everything so much more cost and energy efficient!

Maybe you could even get a local farmer to supply a whole hog for a great hog roast – or a bull depending on the number of people you are inviting!  If yu are using the local municipal grounds – why not get in some bouncy castles and adult games too!

Isn’t the whole point of July 4th to celebrate America?  Not just to sit alone in your own back yard!

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 Mar 7

Going on a riding holiday can throw up a few uncertainties for you.

Rather than just book anything and turn up with just your suitcase, you really need to consider a few important things before cantering off along the beach!

So the following 10 tips might answer a few of your questions:

1) The Horses:
Make sure that someone you can trust has either been there themselves or has seen or heard about the horses used.  You really don’t want to be funding an organisation that doesn’t care for their horses as you would care for your own.

2) The Human:
Make sure that you haven’t over estimated your ability and comfort zones!  Could you really sit on a horse for hour after hour crossing mountains or rivers?  Can you keep up with everyone else if they are going to be galloping up hills and around the edges of volcanoes?

It’s not just the horses that have to be fit for these adventures!

3) The Weather:
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to check the weather for your destination as people do better in certain environments – and getting wet isn’t any fun either.

Will you get sunburnt the higher you go up a mountain?  Will you get sand blown on your eyes if you are cantering across a desert?  Will it be raining or misty when you head through the cloud forest?  Make sure you are prepared for it all…..

4) The Facilities:
Depending on where you want to go riding, there will be different facilities – and you need to be happy with this – as rather than releasing in a nice hot bath after 6 hours racing through the wilderness – you might only get a warm shower and a night in a tent!

And, make sure the clothes and toiletries you pack take this into account to – and throw in some extra first aid supplies too!

5) The Agenda:
If you are going to spend your money on your perfect holiday, then make sure you only settle for what you want rather than something that looks ‘ok’.  For example, if you want to ride from one accommodation to the next every day rather than returning to the same place day after day, then don’t settle for something else because the rooms are nicer or the price is cheaper.

You might only get one holiday like this for a year or 2, so spend the extra and get what you want out of it.

6) The Room Mate:
Is your accommodation going to be for just you, with a friend or with a complete stranger.  Maybe it is is bunk beds shared with everyone!

Check these things out in advance – as for a small amount extra you could plan alternative arrangements before you arrive.  However, if you don’t realise this until you arrive – it could be too late to make changes.

7) The Food:
If you have dietary requirements that stray from the ‘I’ll eat anything’ rule, then make this clear when booking your trip.

Most companies can be flexible with food and make vegetarian options almost as standard, but never assume anything and make sure you check the alternatives or nearby restaurants you could use instead!

8) The Equipment:
It is always recommended that you take your own riding hat, as although these will be supplied by the riding centre, they may not be certified to your home countries high standards if you are riding abroad – but even riding at home could mean wearing a hat that isn’t quite the right size, but was the best fit at the time!

Your own riding clothes and gloves are essential for your own comfort, but crops, reins and spurs may or may not be accepted.

9) The Insurance:
It might be worth checking out the riding centres insurance policies with regards to any injuries to the horse.  If you are riding a horse when it becomes injured, are you free from all costs – or should your insurance cover this? 

Have you even checked that your holiday insurance covers horse riding without exclusions?

10) The End Result:

 Make sure that this is really what you want to spend your money on!  There will be a lot of things to consider on a vacation like this, so make sure that you want to even start with a long trip, especially if a) you have never used this company before, and b) if this is the longest horseback trip you have been on in a while!

Use your holiday time and money wisely, and you can make even a great holiday even greater!

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 Dec 28

There is a great way to see things thousands of miles away without flying – look into space!

You don’t need all that technical, astronomical and expensive equipment to see the stars - there is plenty you can see just with your own eyes.  And what great way to add to your camping experience than to watch distant planets and other-wordly stars pass by through the night.

Obviously the one thing you do need is a dark clear sky to start with, but there are many places even just on the outskirts of cities that will do just fine as well.  You need as little ambient light as possible – so steer clear of huge street lights, football stadiums, airports, late night shopping centers and motorways and you should be fine!

So, below I have listed some things that could enthrall not only your children, but even yourself.  And they are not difficult to identify even by a very beginner!

Venus:
The small gaseous planet next in towards the sun after earth (Sun-Mercury-Venus-Earth-Mars-Jupiter-Saturn-Uranus-Neptune-Pluto (if it’s still in your books as a planet as otherwise it ruins the saying: My Very Energetic Mother Jumps Several Universes – No Problem!).

Venus is best seen right after sunset or just before sunrise due to the way it moves around the sun, but it is the brightest thing in the night sky after the moon – and like all planets: it doesn’t twinkle – it’s a solid light and will be quite low in the sky.  

Orion’s Belt:
These 3 bright stars are in a slight diagonal line and appear in the south if you are in the Northern Hemisphere (north of the equator).  They are part of a larger constellation and once you have identified the ‘belt’ part, you can look out from there to see the 4 other bright stars in each corner so to speak, the top left being Betelgeuse – a red supergiant star, nearing the end of it’s life and ready to explode!

The Big Dipper (part of Ursa Major):
This is a well known constellation of stars in the shape of a kitchen pan, and can be seen in the Northern Hemisphere as well but looking north.  It is basically a square to the right with a curved handle leading off to the left.  It makes up the rear end of the mythical bear (ursa is the latin name for bears).

It’s quite a large constellation to – as opposed to Ursa Minor – it’s smaller equivalent and sort of upside down!  However, Ursa Minor has the Pole Star at the very tip of it’s tail – so can be easy to find in the dark sky as well.

The Milky Way:
You really can see the Milky Way up there on a very clear night.  It takes a while to actually see it as it is a huge expanse of ‘cloud’ – really a multitude of stars all overlaid and twinkling away – some estimate it contains up to 400 billion stars!

All of these stars are actually Suns – just like ours.  They can be different sizes and different colours depending on what stage of life they are in (ranging from 1 billion to over 13 billions years old!) and what elements they are burning.

So, get out there, and have a look!

posted by Catherine on Mar 4

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If you want to visit Bhutan – you need to pay at least $200 per day for every day of your trip!

Basically the King of Bhutan decided that levels of tourism should be controlled by high taxes – and these taxes should be used to fund the national health care system in Bhutan and to increase levels of education. Good idea?

Well, there is a certain amount of ‘eco’ to it, in that the country isn’t over-run with back-packers and package holiday hotels churning out buffet lunches and free drinks 24 hours a day. The airport can be kept small and no chain stores will set up in the departure lounge!

However, if tourism is so ‘damaging’ should you even go there in the first place?

Bhutan:
High in the Himalayas sits the Kingdom Of Bhutan. 70% of the country is forested and 60% is protected for life by law for future generations. The population are all Buddhists.

National Parks cover 25% of the land and there are some endemic species that aren’t really found anywhere else. The landscape is amazing and beautiful – and virtually untouched by technology and modern accoutrement’s. Cattle draw the ploughs, farmers tend the fields and national dress is seen in every village and homestead. Mobile phones and televisions have only just been allowed in the country (in 1999).

The King wanted to preserve the national culture and this pristine environment – and after watching the influx of hoards of travellers to neighbouring Nepal – he wanted to prevent that in his country – so he set up the current visa system for tourists.

He also gave up his complete power over the country, by becoming a constitutional monarchy where the countries citizens could make the decisions. They haven’t changed anything yet – so he obviously got something right!

Bhutan is currently held up as the best example of sustainable development and responsible tourism in the world.

Travel In Bhutan:
In an extreme version of forced ‘responsible tourism’ everything must be book through a Bhutanese travel agent and there are many other clauses that make sure that all monies stay within Bhutan and all services used are with Bhutanese people. The cost of the visa covers all you expenses when in the country – unless you book luxury hotels or extras that will take you over this lower limit!

Flights- The country only allows their own airline (Druk Airlines) into the country’s airport. Druk Airlines are not affiliated to any other airline so all flights into the country must be booked through them. Basically you need to book a seperate flight to one of their destination airports that Druk Airlines fly to, to be able to then catch their flight into Bhutan.

Accommodation And Food- All hotels, hostels, homesteads or other accomodations must be booked in advance through a Bhutanese Tour Operator – as with all food and drinks. All these locations involve living with local people or staffed through small local businesses therefore keeping the money in the country.

Basically, you need to give details in advance of where you want to stay during your holiday here and who you are going to using for your food and drink supplies. You will not be granted the visa for your trip here unless all this is booked in advance. For some of the more recent luxury hotels, you will need to pay more than the $200 per day for your stay.

Guides And Tours – Again, these all need to be booked in advance of your trip and can be included in the visa cost – as are National Park entry fees. You need to pay for and be escorted at all times by your local Bhutanese guide, and you cannot visit national parks or certain landmark sites and locations without one.

Extreme tours and helicopter rides for example may well be charged as extras on top of the visa fee.

In Summary:
There is no point planning a visit to this country unless you are serious about seeing specific things within the Kingdom. With a 3 day trip here costing a minimum of $600 it will certainly put a dent in the budget of a long-term traveller.

But travelling there just for a few days could cause more environmental damage than benefits – and the pleasure of taking a longer look at what’s here to be discovered. A flight in and out of Bhutan for just 3 days will rack up your carbon footprint, but will be benefiting the people no end with 35% of your costs going into the government projects, and most of the remainder going to help local communities and pay individual wages.

However, if you don’t visit this nation now, you will miss out on the sheer excitement of being one of the first and the few visitors who step into this magical world.

The Trips:
There are several companies that come up ‘green’ in Bhutan and can offer very different services:

Nature Tourism – specialising in the natural world, they offer birdwatching and botanical tours, entomological tours are also available as are many other niche interest groups. They also take part in community work, forestry projects and river cleaning.

Snow White Treks & Tours – specialise in cultural tours – and can offer some of the best home-stays and festivals while in Bhutan. They offer a huge selection of cultural tours in the region as well as remote trekking in the National Parks.

Yangphel Tours- offers a whole range of diverse trips and tours while in Bhutan and is one of Bhutan’s leading Tour Operators.

Booking the whole trip yourself direct with Bhutanese comapanies can be done but is quite tricky, so try using one of the following companies to be the middle-man and make everything run a bit more smoothly:

UK – www.exodus.co.uk
US – www.mtsobek.com
AU – www.perigrineadventures.com

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posted by Catherine on Feb 17

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Instead of visiting a jungle to help plant trees – why not learn how to live there and survive using it’s natural resources?

There is an ethical company that can offer the opportunity to venture deep into jungles, learn a second language, teach children and adults, and even learn to dive. Their motto is ‘tread lightly…. go far’ and they have a great reputation – even training up Bruce Parry and employing him for years!

Who Are They?
Since starting in 1990, TrekForce have offered expeditions and adventures into some of the most remote locations in the world, helping local communities along the way.

They have also been responsible for setting up over 100 new national parks, carried out biodiversity studies, completed hundreds of separate local projects, planted a quarter of a million trees (they are running as a carbon neutral company now) and placed over 600 teaching assistants in over 300 community schools overseas.

They also run packages for charities and CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility – which can boost big company profiles and help to attract future employees.

What Do They Offer?
As part of their packages – and depending on how long you can travel with them – they offer a whole host of skills and experiences. These include the following:

Jungle Training – Instructors will help train you to set up camp, how to navigate, find food and water and basically make it through the night in the jungle.

Explore New Locations- They will set you on a challenge in some remote location at the request of the country you are visiting. This could include cataloging and mapping new areas or archaeological sites – never before visited. It could include building or repairing important structures for research and community support – and supporting local wildlife and conservation.

Living With Host Families- While traveling into these areas you will live with families across the region, learning the language and the culture. You can travel independently during this time, or spend more time with the local community.

Teaching – You have the opportunity to be placed as a teaching assistant within local schools within small or large communities. You may well be involved with field trips, helping to practice your leadership and language skills along the way.

Diving Lessons – Some courses end in a dive party having learnt PADI basics in location, then you can enjoy the clear waters to refresh your mind after all the hard work of the previous months!

Where And When?
Eco holiday destinations include Guatemala and Belize, Ecuador and Peru, Borneo, Papau New Guinea, Nepal, Morocco and Australia.

The adventures range from as little as 2 weeks (basic jungle skills) for around £1200, all the way up to 5 months (the full package) for up to £4100 – that’s less than £30 a day!!!!  Cheaper than a night in a Bed and Breakfast!

And don’t forget that that price includes a pre departure meeting, all meals and accommodation, transfers, training and emergency back-up – and a meet-up reunion afterwards. Not bad in my book.

The trips to Ecuador and Australia include the long term possibility of working there for up to a year from as little as £900 fully supported, and there is also an extended course where you can train to be a qualified expedition leader for over £6000 – this is real serious stuff and could lead you on a whole new career! Just ask Mr Parry about that!!!!!

Are you up for the challenge?

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