Green Holidays

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Should you avoid holiday destinations that require extra vaccinations or tablets?

I know it is only a small thing - but taking malaria tablets does have an impact on the environment as do specific vaccinations like Rabies and Yellow Fever - just like any medication or remedy.

Now I am not saying that you should travel to regions of the world that have these risks WITHOUT taking the necessary precautions - I’m just considering the option of not visiting those areas just for a vacation.

Taking a 2 week sunshine holiday in Kenya might mean 6 weeks of malaria tablets and a Yellow Fever vaccine.  All are using natural resources - all being used up for you here when a trip to the Maldives requires neither (nor the expensive Visa!).

The Maldives

If it was the safari you were after then consider Southern Botswana (Kalihari) and Lesotho (Drackensburg) which are both virtually malaria free.

The Holiday:
If you are just after a holiday somewhere warm with a few interesting sites to visit then there are plenty of places to choose from around the world where you are at no risk of malaria or other diseases.

Take the Seychelles, the Bahamas, Cuba, the Canary Islands, Japan, Hawaii and anywhere in Australia and New Zealand - all free from Malaria and Yellow Fever - and nearly all of these are rabies free too!

Not only are you limiting the initial purchase and use of very strong medications - you are also planning to not use any more in the future - as opposed to exposing yourself to the disease in the first place and having to have follow up treatment for months or years to come afterwards!   

The Green Holiday:
However, if you are planning to help out either paid or voluntarily abroad for a specific cause - then you might not have such a choice in the matter of destination.

And depending on what you are doing, you might need to have extra vaccinations or medications, so why not make it worth while by staying for longer and/or visiting the same locations over and over again. For example, if you have had all the vaccinations to work with animals in Asia - then keep doing so.

Planning Ahead:
The same goes for all sort of other medications - including headaches tablets, antiseptics, after sun remedies and even anti-diarrheals!  Try to avoid the reason to use them.

Don’t sit in the sun unprotected - and wear a hat.  Use natural insect repellents and wear suitable clothing.  Don’t drink untreated water or eat uncooked or unknown foods. Avoid excessive alcohol and unprotected intercourse.  And on and on….

All these obvious things can reduce your requirements for routine medications and lotions, and keep chemicals away from delicate habitats.  As they all get urinated out or washed off - by reducing your reliance on remedies and therefore using less product - you will help to reduce the concentrations of pollutants in community drinking water and wetland habitats as well.

And don’t get me started on packaging and transporting these things around the world in the first place!

Think. Plan. Prevent

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Hello again, and I hope you haven’t been caught up in all this airline trouble at the moment!

No doubt if you had booked a quiet trip by train across Europe, it could have been affected by thousands of other holidaymakers who couldn’t get on a plane! 

Your quiet out-of-the-way hotel could have been besieged by families waiting for a ferry or coach to turn up!  It could make for some really interesting articles but wasn’t much fun I’d imagine!

Anyway, lets get on with those already in the system - starting with a great post about travelling around the States using car-shares rather than the hassle of hiring one yourself or dragging your car across the country!  Follow the tips offered by Byteful Travel in How to Get Paid to Travel 1,000 miles: Craigslist and see if you can go on a great plane-free car-sharing friend-making adventure!

If you are traveling north to Canada instead then why not take a peek at the photos in Mark H’s article: Wicked But Stunning (Jasper National Park, Canada) where you can see images of pure tranquility! And imagine if you a life there for next too nothing - wouldn’t that make it all the more magical?

Eco Living Advice wants to share with you some destinations on the other side of the Atlantic with 7 Eco Friendly Tourist Destinations in the UK, showing that you don’t need to travel across oceans to see some great sites - you have plenty right where you are now!

And if you want to take along some pretty unique clothing and accessories when you travel - maybe for yourself (laptop bag) or for others (hair bands and wallets) - then take a look at some of the links which Gabriella White has in the post 100 Amazing Upcycling Ideas Anyone Can Do and maybe give one a try! It makes using all your rubbish so easy - and you get something totally unique virtually for free!

However, if you want a taste of a country without actually going there, take a look at the huge choice given by Rowena Hebert for travel literature that summons up the taste and feel of exotic or distant destinations that could interest and inspire you: 100 Novels That Let You Travel The World Without Leaving Home. I have added a few to my reading list that I hadn’t heard of before……

……but if you want to see rather than read, then take a look at Daniel Jones’ list of Top 100 Travel Photography Blogs and see some amazing shots - and like me you might wonder why you aren’t doing your own travel journal like this!

And finally, Jerry Rogers offers up a huge list of links for the student and includes a small section on green travel links 100 Essential Blog Posts for Students Going Green, and you might even find something else inspiringly green that you weren’t really looking for as well!

So, get reading and change today for the better…….

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Which charity should you donate to, to help the Haitians get through this terrible natural disaster?

Well, that is the point of the DEC - the Disasters Emergency Committee which have been working hard for humans since 1963 - basically they join all the main humanitarian charities together to fight one cause.

These humanitarian agencies include Save The Children, Help The Aged and the British Red Cross, and in times of emergency - like the earthquake that recently devastated Haiti - they join together to make big things happen - and fast!

This way funds, supplies and more importantly - information, gets passed to the right people at the right time  - rather than having all of the 13 single charities all trying to ‘do their bit’ to help separately but at the same time basically treading on each others toes!

It makes perfect sense to organise emergency relief this way - otherwise there will be too many people all on the same place at the same time all using valuable funds to do the same thing.

The DEC makes sure that none of the funds are wasted and that every charity can work in it’s area of expertise without wasting time deciding who is going to do what.

Your Donations:
By donating directly to the DEC, you can save even more of these funds by limiting the administration costs (and wasted time) of transferring money to Help The Aged, who then have to process and bank this money, only to then process these funds again when working with the DEC.

And, donating directly to the Disasters Committee means that that is exactly what your donation is going to be used for.  It isn’t going to pay wages for charity workers who are not directly helping the victims of the earthquake; it is going straight to the problem - and fast!

The DEC can also call upon huge international broadcasting agencies and distribution companies to help spread the word and facilitate collections and direct action - like free-phone numbers and televised broadcast appeals.  Your money makes this possible - and gets results.

Emergencies:
No one can plan for such emergencies, so these ‘on demand’ appeals are the best way to get the publics attention and to get one-off donations from companies and individuals.  These disasters don’t happen every week - so treat them as a rare event that you can help out with.

I mean, no-one is going to become a member of the DEC and get newsletters from it - it is an instant decision charity, and everyone can help by lifting the phone or getting online.

If everyone in your street gave just £5 that could be over £500 raised - multiply up your close neighbourhood - and it rises to £3000+. 

It might only be a small amount to you - but it soon treats thousands of wounded people - feeds hundreds of families and eventually helps to rebuild homes, hospitals, schools and cities.

Have you donated your £5 yet?  Donate Now.

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Learning to Tango in Argentina can be just as important as visiting a rainforest…….

There are a whole host of festival and events that may well rely on your visit to survive the next 30 years or so. 

I’m not talking about the modern Rio Carnival or Oktoberfest - I’m talking about traditions that have lived for centuries in small communities across the world.

UNESCO has set about preserving these traditions with their Intangible Cultural Heritage scheme - to which they have recently added the Tango - but which holds many many more already including many little known cultural delights from across the globe.

Take for example, the Indonesian Wayang Puppet Theatre. This art of story telling has been used in Indonesia for 10 thousand years, across the royal courts and in towns and villages, to bring the regions epic history to life.

There is still an interest in the puppets - either 3-dimensional or brought alive by shadows - accompanied by musicians and singers, but it is having to compete with television and the internet for viewers. 

By making sure you add a visit to a traditional theatre show on your trip to the area, you could be making sure that it is worth continuing the tradion and worth training for.  Would you invest your time learning a skill that people might not need in 5 years?

Or a trip to Mexico in late fall could coincide with the huge festival: el dia de los muertos - the Day of the Dead.  Thousands of local villagers spend the day in celebration of their lost loved ones who are said to come alive for the day and to bring properity and good luck to the families.

Cultural Heritage:

We all know how important it is to encourage traditions and festivals, but of course we need to make sure that we don’t make them into a side show, like the Kayan women from Thailand have become, but we want to make sure that they know the importance of their traditions.

Also, they do not want to freeze cultures in time.  There is no intention to force people to continue with customs that are no longer relevant, but to empower cultures with their past - rather than force them into an uncomfortable future.

Things like Morris Dancing in the UK are well known not to be a part of modern culture - yet we all love the tradition of the dancing and the people who dress up for this know the history and pass on the reasons behind the colors and the stick-bashing!

Society will always evolve - but why not hold on to the things that were once important.  Hopefully governments are working with these groups to make sure that these traditions are not lost forever like many languages around the world have been.

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I know it’s early yet - but keep the date clear in your diary!

I have been to this show for several years now - and I love it! 

It has got everything from volunteering, gap year advice, great products, specific seminars and great food!

I would really recommend a visit here for any travel related queries. The experts on hand can offer you all sorts of tips and tricks and new ideas - whether you know what you want already or you want to be taken completely by surprise!

This show has inspired us to finally travel to Costa Rica for a month to watch the wildlife - which was one of my best travel experiences yet - as well as numerous other trips and ideas!

I remember sitting in the Overland tours bus that was rolled into the hall watching a great video about Africa wondering where on earth anyone was supposed to go to the toilet!

So whether you are looking for inspiration or want to fine tune your ideas - this is the place!

Go to their website: Adventure Show 2010 for more details and to sign up for their newsletter…..

Make sure you choose and clean and an eco friendly beach for your summer vacation!

I know that there are some great beaches around - but do they comply to strict standards of safety, information and services.

When you are travelling with the family - you want to be sure that the beaches that you want to spend your time at and the waters you want to swim in are safe for everyone involved.

Now, there are some beautiful beaches around the world that are stunning, isolated, crammed with wildlife or jagged cliffs - but they are not for families and usually not that safe for children.  The waters around them may also not be safe for swimming either.

What the Blue Flag programme offer is the knowledge of cleanliness and safety.

Who Are They?
In 1985, the first French municipalities were awarded the ‘Blue Flag’ after complying with certain criteria relating to sewage treatment and therefore bathing water quality.

2 years later, it was the European Year of the Environment and so many changes were made across the continent - including the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) putting forward their extension plans for the Blue Flag Scheme.

It was accepted, and plans were drawn up for an international scheme for beaches and marinas to prove their cleanliness.  It also looked at sustainable coastal development and future planning policies.

In that year 244 beaches and 208 marinas from 10 countries were awarded Blue Flag status.

Where Are We Now?
Since 1987, more beaches and marinas in more countries have sought to be registered and identified as a better beach, and now over 3300 beaches and marinas in 39 countries are certified.

From the Bahamas to Morocco and from Russia to New Zealand, people are seeking out these clean, safe and sewage free places to relax!

The criteria for beaches are pretty simple and include Environmental Education and up-to-date information about water quality, code of conduct and the Blue Flag scheme; Coastal Management with regards to dog fouling, litter bins and how it is run; Safety & Services including life guards, first aid stations, maps and toilets.

There is slightly different criteria for marinas - and there is also a scheme for boat owners too.  They need to agree to modify their behaviour to benefit the coast, the sea and the wildlife on both.

Criteria include no disposal of waste or sewage overboard, using eco friendly products both inside and outside of their boats, fishing techniques must be controlled to not affect the fish or sea beds and boats are not to encroach on bird breeding grounds or other sensitive landscapes.

Your Contribution:
Don’t forget that beaches are businesses - so make sure you only support those who have bothered to make them clean and safe. 

If less people visit beaches and seaside towns that haven’t tried to attain Blue Flag standards - those places will start to see revenue and visitors fall - hopefully kick-starting them into action to raise their standards in the future.  Your future.

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Want to see a 7.5 meter-wide giant Manta Rays swimming around you?

Well, you can if you take part in a manta ray project anywhere around the worlds oceans. These giant rays live anywhere there are warm tropical waters - including the Maldives, Thailand, Baja California and all around the coasts of Africa.

Why Manta’s?
Manta Rays (Mantra birostris) is the largest species of ray in the world - and there are around 500 species of ray - and can reach up to 2,000kg or around 5000lb. Yet in water, they look like they are flying!

Although sharing much of their evolution with shark - rays have no true teeth and are filter feeders as a result, eating only plankton - not green volunteers!

Manta’s are also extremely curious of humans and so will approach divers close up. Many tropical holiday resorts feed mantas all year round to make sure that they are around for the tourists. This isn’t always a bad thing - but don’t pick a destination that sells itself of semi-tame individuals - go for the wild ones - they are just a friendly!

Due to their size, manta rays are rarely ever found in aquariums, so seeing them in the wild is one of the only ways most people can get close!

Why Do They Need Help?
This species are classed an near-threatened according to the IUCN as they have reproduce at a very slow rate meaning numbers can be devastated by over-fishing or habitat loss.

Tourists coming too close to their feeding areas or breeding grounds could easily drive them away or prevent natural behaviour - putting them under stress. And there are plenty of people and un-reputable companies who offer diving and snorkeling in these sensitive areas.

Local communities need to see that there are other options for their time and money. If they can only make money by fishing, developing isolated beaches and running desperate ‘guaranteed manta ray tours’ then that is what they are going to do.

However, with education and further study, they may realise that the rays and their habitat are worth more in one piece - and for longer.

Who Can Help With This?
You can for a start, by not paying for a diving tour that doesn’t offer a completely beyond-all-doubt eco friendly and manta friendly trip! Make sure you seek out those trips that respect the environment and the wildlife in the seas - and let them know that that was the reason you chose them - remember demand makes things appear!

You can also join a society that support them or their habitat - without getting wet! Save Our Seas Foundation will willingly spend your donations on indepth research! You can read about all their projects and the people in charge of collecting and interpreting the data. You can also sponsor a Manta for free with Save The Mantas who carry out plenty of research.

Or, the best option is to join a volunteer trip that sets out to monitor their movements, feeding and breeding.

Volunteer Latin America are offering a Manta Ray project in Ecuador from 2 to 12 weeks - where you will help with photo-identification of the individuals living in the area by swimming with them!

African Impact offer a combined Manta Ray and Whale Shark conservation project in Mozambique. These projects can last from 4 weeks or much longer - as long as you are over 18 - with all meals included as well as plenty of close encounters!

I’ve seen these beauties swimming along the shores of the Maldives - albeit at the smaller end of the scale (about 1 meter wide) - and I think they really are worth learning more about!

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Hello, and thanks for joining us again here at Green Holidays And Adventures Blog Carnival.

We have some very different articles for your this month, including on the road tips for cutting down your impact, to a school competition and on to a delightful eco resort in the south-west of England!

Handy tips:
So, beginning with Myscha Theriault covers some of the ways your choice of toiletries and accessories on the road can really lessen your impact and save you time and money to - so enjoy Going Green on the Road for these tips.

Then a rather analytical Brian Maxwell covers some great points for all you people out there who don’t know where to get started with the whole ‘eco friendly’ lifestyle.  Take a moment to read his pensive article on The Green Movement’s impact on Environmental Problems and go from there.

Local Trips:
Joshua offers up a selection of ideas on how to keep to kids entertained and close to nature at the same time - and all close to home!  Read his Tips for Learning during Summertime to get started.

And if you already have some great ideas for getting those kids out and about and enjoying themselves, then take a look at 00FF00’s article - which is a competition. Basically, you enter your ideas on how to Get Kids Outdoors and you could win a part of the £500 of prizes and an eco friendly computer for your chosen UK school.

Other Hols:
Cherie Ve Ard offers up a perfect example of how people can live on less and offer reason why a lot of people don’t!  Check out Excuses #5: Environmental Impact for a peek at how they do it.

Erika however, just offers a great idea on really getting into the heart of the earth on a low impact green holiday beneath the ground!  Here’s Going Caving in Mexico.

And finally Tamara gives us a short interview with the owners of an eco resort in the UK’s West Country - a very picturesque region where I often take vacations myself.  So read Eco-speak with Trevenna’s Jonathan Rowe to learn more about it.

Thanks again for your time and thanks to all those who offered their articles.

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What is Ecotourism, and what does it mean today?
There are many interpretations of the word ‘ecotourism’ - even the spelling changes to eco-tourism or eco tourism! However, many consumers have a different impression of the word to the companies that are selling it.

For example, many companies seem to think that any holiday outdoors that may involve animals or wild areas is ecotourism.

Whereas consumers are hoping for something a bit more impactful and meaningful. And this includes real ethics, focus on the local communities and ‘treading lightly’ on the earth.

Below are a selection of areas that ecotourism should be focussed on and be able to prove!

Adding Value:
Ecotourism should be an efficient way to add economic value to threatened natural areas, endangered habitats and cultural sites.

As I have mentioned in previous articles - if you want something to be saved - you have to support it. By visiting areas that contain the animals or plants or people that you ‘love’ you are adding to their perceived value by that country and the community.

If you sit at home and talk about how ‘bad it is’ that Orangutans are being made homeless, dolphins in Mekong being poisoned or migrating birds being shot - you aren’t doing anything to save them!

Change your shopping habits to avoid illegally produced or badly managed palm oil and soya; join the WWF to support international projects; or travel to the Mediterranean and help volunteer projects to protect the birds yourself.

Offering Alternatives:
It should be seen as a way to provide simple job opportunities as well as alternative financial benefits for the local people. This way they don’t need to destroy their own natural environment to make a living!

For example offering alternative forms or agriculture - such as bee-keeping, or offering more fuel efficient stoves so families need to cut less wood to cook their food. It could also lead to more successful local businesses that helps make for a more stable lifestyle for all involved

Alternative Tourism:
Ecotourism allows for travel and holidays to take a different turn. It inspires a new kind of tourism that actually helps to improve natural conservation and cultural preservation with a much lower impact on the environment than ‘normal’ tourism.

This of course can make it more enjoyable for all those involved as it is more down-to-earth. The traveller gets to see the natural world as it should be, the tour operators get to make sure that the places we go to see are still there in 5 years time, the local inhabitants get to feel involved in their own future and communities, and of course the wildlife gets to carry on being wild!

Fasted Growing Travel Sector?
Ecotourism really is one of the fastest growing areas of tourism at the moment.

People want these types of holidays now - they want to support these environments, these people and these animals. They want to stop destroying every place they go, and they want to see travel companies doing their bit to change the face of world travel too.

Have you played your part? Got your friends and families to do the same?

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Hello, and welcome to the first edition of the Green Holidays and Adventures Blog Carnival - where writers from all over the world can offer you their tips, their experience and tell you all about their great adventures!

To start with are 2 personal stories about different modes of transport when abroad - the first is an elephant(!) and the 2nd is the famous ‘chicken buses’ of Central America. So, Shannon starts with her story of Traveling Through Rural Laos, then Ben Connor Barrie gives you some info on Chicken Buses!

Elizabeth Hargrave is next with some tips on being car-free as well - but in Washington DC. This article: Car-free DC: Rock Creek Park is one in a series of local walks that use public transport only! Leave that smelly car at home!

And, as with many people at the moment, the following articles relate to camping tips! Why not take a vacation in the woods or the mountains this year?

Smart Camper offers a trio of great articles revolving around he great outdoors - firstly tips on Working at a Campground, then to fill your tummy, you can read about some Easy to Prepare Campsite Meals- then tips on taking the young uns with you in Camping with Young Children

If anything goes wrong while you are out there, Dorrie offers some tips on Basic Camping First Aid as well!

Hope you enjoyed the articles on this Carnival, and please offer your stories up for the next one in June. Thanks again to all the writers here, and see you again soon!

Catherine.