Eco Holidays

posted by Catherine on Jun 28

When the little guy took on 1 of the largest petrochemical firms in the States!

I just love a David and Goliath case - it makes you proud to be the little guy!  That is why I wanted to tell you about this amazing film I just watched about just that: A newly qualified young Ecuadorian Lawyer is fighting a case against Texaco (now owned by Chevron - one of the 6 ‘major’ petroleum companies in the world).

Basically, over the past 2 decades petrochemical companies have moved in on the Ecuadorian rainforest to drill for oil and haven’t really paid much attention to the effects on the local people and the local environment.  And although it was only really a short while ago - the people involved didn’t really think it was ‘that much’ of a problem - and so did nothing about it.

But now a local has changed all that.  Sickened by all this pollution, disregard for human life and wanton destruction of such a beautiful and irreplaceable environment - Pablo Fajardo struggled against the odds to get a law degree and is now fighting for the 30,000 indigenous people who have been affected.

The Facts:
In The Ecuadorian Amazon there were many indigenous tribes living a peaceful existence off the land.  The habitat was lush, the wildlife plentiful and the people were healthy.  Then they found the Lago Agrio Oil Field.

Texaco moved in to the area and started setting up drilling and refining factories and littering the rainforest with miles and miles of oil-carrying pipelines.

They took over large areas of the rainforest either for mining or for waste dumps - and in their time they really made an impact - a bad one!

Yes, the Ecuadorian government gave them permission to drill for oil - but I don’t think they were aware that the results would be so damaging to their own country and people.

As a result of their presence here and their bad management and control practices they are quoted as having dumped ‘18 billion gallons of toxic filth into the Amazon’; ‘flooded 17,000 square miles of both rainforest and agricultural land with toxic waste and cancer’ and have spilled so much oil here that they have surpassed the Exxon Valdez disaster by nearly 30 times!

One of Texaco’s responses was that people shouldn’t be living here anyway as it is a working oil field and that ‘it isn’t contamination - it is industrial exploitation permitted by law’!

The Effects:
Amazingly, there is still totally obvious areas of pollution today - literally pits of thick oil waste all over the place! 

They do not need to rely on witnesses from the past - they can simply take people to some of Texaco’s waste pits and see the destruction for themselves - and the new Ecuadorian President did just that in 2007; nearly 20 years after the lawsuit was first filed!  It’s all still there……..

As the local people have no real water system for their homes - they all bath and drink from the rivers and stream where they live - and unfortunately this is where most of the toxic waste has been and still is running into.  There has been an increase in cancer and leukemia across the area as well as many other illnesses that we associate with pollution and petrochemicals.

However, the Texaco Chief Scientist claims that they have tested water across the area ‘all the time’ and that ‘99% of streams sampled meet US EPA and WHO drinking water standards’!  I doubt if a test on US streams would ever be that high!  Anyway - she then goes on to say that all the rashes and skin complaints that babies and children are getting are because they have ‘poor sanitation’ and that ‘their water contains fecal bacteria and sewage’ - so how does THAT pass for ‘drinking water’?

I love it when their own arguments contradict each other!

The Results:
Well, you can still help with this battle and others like it by supporting charities that work in these areas. 

I mean you don’t have to become a human rights attorney to make a difference - although if you did - that would be great! You just need to keep yourself aware of all the injustice in the world, and try to support those charities and groups that are making a difference in the areas you are passionate about.

Charities involved in this area include the Rainforest Foundation Fund, Oxfam America, Amazon Watch, Amazon Defence Front, Rainforest Action Network, Unicef, WWF, Flora & Fauna as well as Pablo himself!  And I’m sure there are many more.

So whether it is just people in general, sick children, the environment, the wildlife, the Amazon itself or the rights of indigenous people - your volunteering or regular donations can all add up to get things put right!

I’m not going to tell you what happened in the film - you will have to go out and watch it yourself and add your support to the cause!

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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