Eco Holidays

posted by Catherine on Oct 22

If you are going to travel across continents – then why not make the most of it?

Having travelled regularly myself – I know that there is a huge distinction between going it alone based on guide books and actually taking a reputable escorted tour or longer guided trip.

Now, I won’t say that all of my ‘go-it-alone’ holidays have been rubbish – far from it!  I loved every minute of my trips from home otherwise I wouldn’t do it so often – but there is more to see than just what’ in the guidebooks – and it’s great!

People In The Know:
A friend of mine recently travelled to the Canadian Rockies for a vacation, and it was going to be just the 2 of them in various log cabins looking at a few things here and there – but I encouraged them otherwise.

I feel that if you are going to clock up the energy costs of travel in the first place, you should really cram as much into them as you can so that it is still enjoyable; but that you come away with a big grin on your face which hangs around for several months afterwards.

So I suggested that they look at some escorted tours Canada to get a real insight into the place before they headed off on their own.

photo credit: savillent

It Changes Your View:
Having signed up for a guided tour myself in this area – I know how much the experience can offer.  Not only does it allow you to learn a lot more about the history and the workings of the area, it also highlights wildlife patterns, tips on getting the most out of it and safety regarding the larger mammals in the woods!

Discovering that some beautiful birds flock to certain trees early in the morning is indispensible; locating an idylic mountain stream and waterfall is another ‘perfect’ moment; and finding out from a local how to act if a pack of wolves cross your path really helps to settle your nerves!

And hopefully a great guide on your tour will be able to fill you with enthusiasm about the whole region as well as the smaller things.  They will make sure that they add a bit a magic to your vacation.

There is no point getting home and feeling like you didn’t see everything or that you need to go back to see more sights – you’ll want to go back because you loved it so much the first time!

posted by Catherine on Jul 21

Why buy one car to suit all your needs – chop and change whenever you can!

Just like buying that house with a spare room just incase a friend comes to stay, or keeping that extensive wine cellar just incase you throw a party – or even buying that hat for just one wedding – why do we need to buy something so short term?

To help save resources and to make sure that you always have exactly what you need only when you need it – hire it instead – and that is a very eco friendly choice, wouldn’t you say?

Well, the same can be said of cars; why have a variety of vehicles for the family that you have to use for everything that you need, when you could hire a more suitable car when you need it.

Flexible Hire Cars:
We all still need our family car for shopping and school runs, but do we need the spare ‘nice’ car when we want something less ‘family’. And why compromise on a more economical vehicle in luie of those odd holidays; I mean why drive around in a spacious 7-seater every day just so that during the school holidays you can get the scooters and suitcases in the boot!

Hiring cars is no longer such a hoo-haa, and there are varying prices, vehicles and hire periods these days that can help you make the most of different vehicles for your changing needs.

So if you are looking for long term car hire – why not consider all the options – and get the exact car you need whenever you need one.

Why Change?
Well, a sports car doesn’t do the same thing as a camper van. One is perfect for that romantic fast-paced get-a-way but isn’t really suitable for pulling over in a field and making a bacon sandwich! However the other is perfect for that impromtu lunch and life at a slower pace.

Yet you wouldn’t want both sitting on your drive all year waiting for that break!

So just like hiring your wedding dress, a holiday cottage or even a carpet cleaner – hiring a car to suit your needs is the perfect eco friendly alternative – and why not?

photo credit: Land Rover Our Planet

We can’t all afford a minibus, 2-seater or off-roader – yet these might be the perfect vehicle for our short-term needs. And if driven properly and to full capacity, they could be the most eco friendly choice for your needs.

So if you need a vehicle for more than a month and for a specific purpose – consider a hire vehicle which fits the bill perfectly and make the most of your trip or business needs.

No need to stretch your family car to the limit doing something it’s not suited to!

posted by Catherine on May 31

Why take your safari in the same place as everybody else if you don’t have to?

Kenya, South Africa and Botswana get all the coverage with the big names for Safaris – but there is plenty to see in less visited countries – so don’t overlook places like Uganda and Rwanda too fast.

Not to name drop but you would be missing out on Bwindi Inpenetrable National Park and it’s mountain gorillas; both the Congo and the Nile rivers; the Great Rift Valley; and Lake Victoria.

When you are choosing an African adventure, make sure you give the less well known companies and countries their fair share of your attention and subsequently your funding. If we want to show countries that it is worth them keeping something – then we have to pay them in return.

And that is what your eco friendly travel plans should consider – what benefit does your vacation have on the people you spend it with – and those people you don’t spend it with?

So, here is a little bit of information on these 2 countries to show that there is plenty of Africa to see without sitting in a coach filled with 30 other tourists all looking at the same sleeping lion or baby elephant!

Uganda:
Home to an estimated 50% of the World’s mountain gorillas as well as chimpanzees, 120 species of mammals, 250+ species of butterflies and 360 species of birds in the Bwindi alone – making this site one of the richest and most diverse wildlife site in East Africa (beating Kenya hands down!).

photo credit: Kabacchi

It also has over 200 species of tree, 100+ ferns and 86 species of orchid! A plant lovers dream location too then!

In total there are 9 National Parks in Uganda – so you won’t be short of a wildlife adventure or two for your efforts.

There are a variety of habitats including wetlands, marshes, mountains and cloud forests to explore as well as 40 different languages to discover amongst the 4 main areas of the country.

And due to its high altitude and rings of mountains it is cooler than other countries on the equator – as well as being less prone to tropical diseases than many of it’s neighbours – always a bonus for the traveller!

Rwanda:
After being in the news for everything but it’s wildlife and culture – why not take a look at the eco adventures on offer in this less visited country. After all, gorilla safaris are this countries leading tourist attraction!

There are habitats here ranging from active volcanos in the Virunga mountains, through rolling hills, savannah, plains and swamps as well as all the lakes that fill this part of the Great Rift Valley.

There are only 3 National Parks here – but you won’t be disappointed with the wildlife: gorillas, giraffes, forest elephants, 14 species of primate and over 700 species of bird.

The people of Rwanda all belong to one ethnic group and so share a common history and culture, including dance, music and story-telling – as well as shared and local arts and crafts.

Eco Adventures:
These 2 countries border each other (as well as Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo) so you could easily travel between them all on an overland tour – either with an organised group or independently depending on your needs (overland tour buses don’t usually have toilets!).

So when you are planning your Safari Holidays - don’t look to the same old same old – think of something new and you might just have the best safari ever!

Following your heart – not the tour bus rules……

posted by Catherine on Oct 20

Skiing can be a great eco holiday choice if you go to the right places!

Obviously, if you have a ski resort close to your home – then it will be a far better eco holiday choice than one in the sun on the other side of the world!

It’s far better to go to a ski center that is only a drive away rather than a flight; such as an Oregon ski trip for those in the States.  Rather than travel all those carbon miles to Europe or Chile – stay home! 

An eco adventure in the snow is also more likely, as there are animals and birds that you might not see if you travel to warmer climates – or travel to other continents even.

The Wildlife:
Some wildlife species that live in colder climates or up at high altitudes don’t get so many visitors and admirers as say dolphins and turtles – but they are equally important for biodiversity and the environment.

By visiting these areas on your vacation – you can be indirectly helping to make sure that they stay there. And this goes for plants and trees too!

There are certain plants and trees in and around ski resorts that are necessary to actually create the ski resort in the first place! Without certain land formations, plant cover and wildlife habits – the snow may lay differently, not settle on mountain sides – or be trampled before you get on the slopes.

And the fresh snow is great for finding animal footsteps!

photo credit: razvan.orendovici

The Resorts:
Some ski resorts do get a bit of bad press about the stresses that they put on the local area – but other smaller or less ‘tourist hotspots’ locations can give you equally great skiing – but without the eco disaster trail!

By searching for local ski centres, as well as discount ski vacations in your area (as new or expanding companies like to offer promotions), you could find a real gem of a resort or location – that is under-crowded!

Also, they may well be only just starting to make their business eco friendly – and you could help them with that! By making suggestions and acting responsibly – you could help shape their policies with regards to their eco activities.

By asking about their waste and recycling facilities, and showing a keen interest in the local landscape and nature – you could infact encourage them to offer certain services in the the future.

I mean if you ask then to show you the local geysers/mountains/forests/wolves/bears/waterfalls/etc are – then they will know that this is an area where they could improve the customer services they offer in an eco sense. And to offer a wildlife service – you need to make sure that the wildlife is there!

Needless to say – if you offer a whale watching tour you want all the whales to be healthy to make a living – so you might make sure that the water isn’t polluted and no new mines or factories open up in the area. The same can go for all wildlife – people keep an eye on them to make sure that they are OK!

The Equipment:
And finally – all that ski equipment you need. Well most great ski resorts – like in Oregon – have plenty of ski shops – crammed full with different equipment.

Whether you want to buy your own eco-label goods when you arrive, or whether you want to hire the larger items (to save the hassle of transporting them to site) – you can.

Obviously there are plenty of other services available at these resorts – and you can be as eco friendly as you want to be while you are there.

Whether you try to eat only the local foods and fresh caught game or whether you plumb for self catering and supply all your own foods is entirely up to you. Heated rooms by flame or by electricity – again – it’s all down to you.

Just remember that a holiday close to home is already more eco friendly than any other holiday – regardless of what environment you are in.

posted by Catherine on Oct 7

Nobody likes paying for a car park – but you aren’t paying for the parking bay!

We seem to get so annoyed about paying a few pounds for a parking space – particularly if we aren’t going to be a long time there – but we should turn this thing on it’s head if we want to be eco about it!

Don’t forget – there is a car park right where you are becasue there is a reason you want to be right where you are – and usually so do a whole load of other people.

It is usually a beauty spot, close to a historic building, the coast, a river, a church, museum, or some other natural or man-made feature which you want to visit.

However, why is that feature still there and so beautiful and clean – and why is that car park there and litter-free?

The Car Park:
Needless to say the car park is there because of the nearby feature – having possibly evolved over time from a grass verge, to a layby, to a proper carpark – and no doubt has been ‘taken over’ by a local group or national company or charity.

So, why do you think it is still there today?

Because someone has been looking after it!  Most likely somebody or some group have been keeping it tidy and litter-free, mowing the grass, removing trees or large hedges to keep this space clear for cars. 

They may well have altered the road-side entrance to prevent car damage on high kerbs or to eliminate congestion or to reduce the risk of dangerous parking on the road or near junctions, etc.

Now, don’t you think that they should be paid for their efforts?  They have made sure that you can easily park close to the castle you want to visit; they have helped keep clear land close to the footpath you want to use to get to the beach; they have put up signs to inform you of the local amenities and historic landmarks. 

They may well have made it accessible for wheelchairs and prams for example – or put in raised walkways, sign posts and even something as basic as footpaths.

Sometimes they are only asking for 50p or a £1 for their efforts.  But for some of the larger sites this could be £2 or more for the whole day as there is more to do there.

The Thing You Went To See:
Now, say that these people didn’t bother to create you a nearby parking space.  You would have to park some distance away from that church or castle, or there is nowhere close by to park at all and so you will not be able to visit where ever you are hoping to go without enduring a really long walk or bus ride instead!

And, some of these beauty spots don’t even need to be open to the public at all!  They may well be on private land where the landowners have granted permission for visitors to park there on the premise that they pay a small fee for the privilege to help maintain the gardens/house/landmark etc.

Basically the reason you want to park here is because there is something close by that interests you and makes you drive all the way to the car park in the first place.

So what harm is there is paying for your experience?  If you want this beauty spot to be here every time you come here – then surely someone has got to pay for it to be maintained and staffed as necessary.

You can’t afford to pay for the whole thing yourself – or look after it yourself – so why not pay a small contribution towards a company or charity that can.

That way – everytime you come here – you get to see something beautiful.

It Was Free Before!
I know we seem to have to pay for everything these days – but that is because we now realise the damage we were doing before by NOT doing anything.

Erosion of land by inappropriate or non-existant footpaths; plant damage by over-grazing – or not grazing at all; damage to buildings or structures where no guidelines or safety information were in place; and all manner of things that were ‘fine’ 20 years ago are no longer deemed so.

And installing footpaths, lighting, information, safety wardens, flocks of livestock, car park attendants, information kiosks, litter bins, blah, blah, blah – they cannot possibly be done for free.

So you may well have been ‘coming here for 35 years’ – but now we are improving the site and correcting the damage from people like you who have been using the site for the past 35 years – possibly without a care for the future.

We Are All Individuals!
Now I’m not saying that everyone who goes anywhere is going to deliberately cause damage – but 35 years ago, no-one in their right mind would even think about picking up their dog poop in the countryside!

Infact even today – when people are paying for the honour of parking so close to a natural landscape like a river or steep valley – they still think it is OK to drop litter!

It amazes me that people still drop litter anywhere anyway – let alone drive all the way to a delightful countryside carpark near something amazing to drop it there.

But then I suppose if they brought a ticket – at least they are paying someone to pick it up for them afterwards!

posted by Catherine on Sep 16

Travelling around Costa Rica on your next eco adventures couldn’t be easier!

Forget internal flights when you are visiting this amazing country (or any other country in Central or South America) – you need to be on the ground to see the best bits first-hand.

Seeing the top of a cloud forest from way up in the sky or a winding river out the corner of a window is no way to really get a feel for this luscious, verdant and wildlife-filled location. You need to be on the (probably bumpy) road or floating on a murky alligator-filled lake or river – interacting with the landscape!

From Experience:
Having spent a month travelling around this amazing country myself (can you tell I loved it?) I have decided that not only is ground transportation more eco-friendly anyway – but it gets you more involved with the country you are visiting in the first place and can lead to some one-off experiences.

Rather than the immediate (and cocooned) straight from A to B; indirect travel brought me the following:

1) Stopping off to find 6 semi-tame macaws in the trees above us,
2) Watching a boa constrictor eating a huge green iguana,
3) Finding a ginormous Leaf-Cutter Ant’s nest the size of my kitchen!
4) Viewing a grumbling volcano while powering across a huge man-made lake,
5) Having to ask for directions to a hotel in bad French (I asked a tourist by mistake),
6) Stopping to watch a family of 6 coatis (take their time) crossing the road,
7) Getting to eat roadside snacks and fruit from the fields whenever we felt like it!

Long Or Short:
It’s not just the short journeys that can be taken by road, rail or river – longer rides can be organised too.  Many buses head out of Costa Rica into Nicaragua and Panama – as well as the long-haul buses that start and end in Mexico.

You can choose local transport with every else crammed on with you – including local people, animals and other tourists (which are very reliable considering the roads and numbers of people using them) – however, if they are full when they arrive at your stop (and I mean full to bursting) – you won’t get a ride.  And some buses only come through once or twice a day!

However, we mostly opted for the semi-private buses (which varied from giant trucks to personal taxis) to get around.  Not only did these ‘buses’ collect you virtually from your accommodation, but they collected other people too and generally stopped at main hubs all over the place for food and sights.

We were crammed on a minibus from San Jose, but on arriving at a half-way stop for yummy local food, we were divided up and we alone got onto a truck all the way up to the mountains.  The others headed off in their directions in other versions of transport.  On the way down 2 weeks later, we were with about 6 others, in the oldest mini-bus I’ve ever seen - but on splitting up at the side of the road (somewhere deserted), we got in the back of a lovely air-conditioned taxi all the way to Samara beach: perfect! 

Costa Rica Vacations:
In general, any trip to Costa Rica should be a travelling holiday!  It would be such a waste to just arrive in one location and stay there the whole time before heading home!

There are so many different landscapes and climates in this varied country that you need to move about a bit to see them all!  We had a month and visited 3 different regions – but we need to go back!

We don’t like name-dropping trips though (“I’ve been to A,B and C yesterday and whizzing through D and E tomorrow”) – we like to savour the moment – so “2 weeks in A, 10 Days in B and staying in C for a week” is more our preferred conversation.  D and E will just have to wait!

Hopefully not too long!

posted by Catherine on Sep 4

Can I really get through a month without my car?

I spent the past month using public transport instead of a car to see if it was a practical option for the outdoor types.

I was not adverse to traveling any routes, any time or any type of transport – but I needed to get to work and to a few outdoor events along the way.

I physically got rid of the car for the 4 weeks too so that there was no temptation, and told all my friends and family so they all knew my reasons.

Then it began.

The Scenario:
I currently live in Town A, and I work just outside Town B (which is around 10 miles away).  I live with my partner and we are both ‘outdoor types’.  A friend lives 25 minutes walk up the road, but everyone else lives in Town B.

I am right next to a train station at home, but my work is 3 miles away from a train station, and there are various buses that travel within a 30 minute walk of my work from both Town A and Town B.

I like to volunteer in the countryside, visit a few reserves and go for lovely outdoor walks.  I also like to visit my friends across the county.

Problem 1:
Straight away there was a problem – I had to get to a work meeting for 8.30am – and there was no bus at that time – it seems that country buses work on a timetable that nobody can work out!  So favour number 1 came into action: borrow someone’s car!

In addition to this, I also had to travel on the trains during peak times – so not only was the train packed to the brim with business types, but I had to pay an extra £2 to stand up all the way there – while cowering under some gentlemans armpit for the 30 minute ride!

Problem 2:
I had a training day in the middle of nowhere for the Wildlife Trust.  And although the organisers were very happy to arrange a car share – I would have had to have caught the train to the nearest car to share – in rush hour, changing 3 times and costing £22 return!  Needless to say I decided to decline the event. 

It wasn’t the first event I couldn’t get to without incurring huge costs.

Problem 3:
Well, this was another big one, as everytime a friend wanted to meet up with me – we had to arrange to travel in their car. 

Whether I walked to theirs or caught a bus or train to a meeting place – they had to drive me around like a taxi.  And it didn’t feel too nice either.

It seemed as though I was avoiding using my car by using their instead!  Yes, we were technically car sharing – but we would have been doing that anyway when we met up!

Problem 4:
The shopping was beginning to become a hassle – and I don’t just mean the food shopping.

Yes, I could walk to town and get bit’s a bobs – but nothing too big, as I couldn’t carry it.  Planning the order in which I brought things also added an extra angle to shopping as I had to make sure I brought all the small things first leaving the heaviest things till last.

However, anything too big or bulky was out.  For example I was hoping to get a large fish tank from a car boot sale or the local paper, but there was no way I could go an collect it myself.

With all shopping there was the option to have things delivered to me by other people – but it all added to the cost and sometimes greatly increased the time it took to get to me. Sometimes too long or too much!

Problem 5:
We hadn’t really noticed this one until a few weeks in either – but we weren’t going anywhere for fun.

I had spent so long planning just getting to work and the basics, that we realised that we couldn’t even get to the places we loved.  Visiting a local nature reserve, castle, zoo or park was going to be a logistical nightmare!

Not only would we have to carry everything with us – like waterproof and lunch, etc – we would have to mix and match a chain of transport links to do so – and cut our day short as necessary to get home before the last bus!

And, I wasn’t able to combine journeys as before.  Going to and from work was virtually an A to B then B to A pattern.  Usually on the way home from work I might do the shopping or visit a friend, etc – this wasn’t possible anymore. 

My route to work didn’t really pass by anywhere of any use so either a separate bus ride or a long walk were needed to add anything on to the day – and it was already an extra 2/3 hours a day just doing the basics as it was!

Problem 6:
The money was becoming a key factor too.  I don’t mind spending a bit extra for the more eco friendly options – but over £150 a month just for work.

This obviously didn’t include all the days out I wasn’t having – but there was all the little extras spent on treating all the people who were giving me a lift here and there.  Well, I couldn’t just take lifts for free – so I ended up buying lunch for someone or offering them a few pounds here and there.

Infact, I even started walking everywhere to save money – putting myself out and adding hours onto my day to stem the endless trickle of money from my account!

Or declining lifts and days out with people to avoid having to ‘owe’ people favours!

Solutions?
Well the only way I am going to be able to survive without a car is if I change my lifestyle and get myself a different job!

Basically – the outdoor-loving lifestyle with a job in the countryside cannot work with extreme eco friendly travel – unless money was no issue and there were 4 more hours in a day!

posted by Catherine on Apr 18

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

posted by Catherine on 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 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.