Green Holidays

Could Supporting Local Bee Farmers Help Reduce Demands On The Environment?

We need to think big these days – and certainly look to be sympathetic to the developing world – who are living in conditions similar to those that we were only a few 100 years ago.

They are mainly subsistence farmers or herders who live on what they can grow and the little that they can sell.  They have to rely on resources that are local to them and are as good as free – just as those in the US and Europe did not so long ago.

Now, unfortunately – we are painfully aware that living like this is not going to be possible for the millions of people now currently living in the developing world.

The climate is changing to make herding and farming virtually impossible in some areas; the population has risen to ridiculous and unsustainable numbers making a few trees for the family firewood become a whole woodland for the expanding village; and the demands of the (comparatively) richer individuals are stripping whole countries bare of resources, taking land and water from local people and dumping waste in their backyards.

So – What Can We Do?
Well, as we know what is currently ‘damaging’ to our planet – we can use our buying power to make the right choices.

Just as back home – what you buy determines what manufacturers make – the same applies to internationally traded goods.  Although the honest truth sometimes slips by us:

If you keep buying illegally logged hardwoods (ie. by not opting for FSC approved alternatives) you are actively supporting the destruction of the rainforests and the extermination of orangutans, jaguars, and the endless number of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and plants that depend on them.

If you keep buying any old fish or seafood that you like the look of (rather than opting for MSC approved sustainable alternatives) you are actively supporting the extinction of many endangered species that are being over-fished.  You are also actively supporting the wasteful and destructive nature of bottom-trawling and long-line fishing that are killing off more than just the fish you get to eat; this includes all sorts of birds, mammals, other fish and sea creatures.

I could go on with this list – but sometimes we don’t think or the end result of our ‘easy’ food choices.

Alternative Living:
So back to the bees: They reproduce extremely fast, do all the hard work themselves and don’t need a huge amount of space to grow. What a great alternative to cattle and dessicated crops! But they need someone to buy the honey.

And so, if a family has chosen to ‘farm’ these insects rather than farm something illegal or damaging to the environment – then shouldn’t we support that?

All across the globe we are trying to help communities to become more self-sufficient and sustainable by introducing bee-keeping, fairtrade specialist products and co-ops so that they don’t have to plunder their local area just to survive. 

We are also helping to make sure that they have access to biomass heating, solar cookers, water purifiers and education and skills so that they don’t have to depend on limited rainwater, local forests, bushmeat and food handouts.

So, make sure that you support these efforts back home with your shopping choices.  If they are making something that you don’t buy – then they won’t be sustainable alternatives, will they?

If they are saving the rainforest and it’s endangered wildlife buy manufacturing fairtrade honey, organic coffee or FSC approved furniture – then you had better make sure that you buy it over the ‘not so eco friendly’ alternatives.

If not – then they will have to go back to living off the land – even if that means killing another tiger, clearing some lush forests or over-grazing their land with cattle.

Your choice!

Hello – and welcome to a one man/not many tigers Green Holidays Blog Carnival!

I chose this one post to use today as it really made me think about the whole ‘green’ and ‘eco’ travel ethos. And the fact that WWF are currently running a campaign to help save the tiger (still).

Time and again there is the ‘grey area’ that catches out so many people trying to ‘do the right thing’ on their vacations.

Should you/Shouldn’t you?

Sometimes it just isn’t so straight forward once you take into account all the alternatives as well as comparing experiences and events like for like – especially when you are traveling outside of Western Nations in countries with a whole different culture and belief system.

Take this article as a classic example: A Tiger Petting Zoo « Travels with a Nine Year Old – a blog I regularly read for the great pictures and the amazing discoveries this young lad is lucky enough to experience.

But this article shows both sides of animal tourism – as well as the choices that parents can make with their kids.

Should you deprive a young child of an amazing experience because it isn’t really ethical or should you allow them to do everything that kids find amazing regardless of the impact – but because it will be something that they may never get the chance to do again?

Read this boys parents struggling with those very questions and make up your own mind afterwards.

And, if you love Tigers – use one of these banners, Twitter backgrounds, wallpapers or phone apps to show your support and to share your thoughts with others.

.

Who is Ramsar – and why does he run our local wetlands?

Small nature reserves in the UK aren’t just for local people to admire or picnic in – some of them are deemed of international importance! Just like the Great Pyramids of Egypt and the Grand Canyon in the States – we have places in the UK that are of interest to everyone in the world and are therefore protected as such!

Such sites have specific names and acronyms to identify them – and here are a few of them to look out for on your holidays:

UNESCO World Heritage Site:
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation Heritage Site scheme is known the world over as amazing locations – but did you know we had a few right here?

Heritage Sites are divided up into Natural, Cultural or Mixed and the UK has 28 in total! (Only 6 countries have more sites). These sites can also include just buildings without any surrounding land – but that is why they have split them up into either Natural or Cultural sites to distinguish between them.

They include Hadrians Wall, Giant’s Causeway, Neolithic Orkney as well as Stonehenge and Avebury – and are a mixture of paying and free sites to visit. Imagine; our stone circles being as important as Macchu Pichu and the Grand Canyon!

Avebury World Heritage Site

Geoparks:
These areas are a relatively new scheme of natural sites monitored by UNESCO to preserve the geography of a region.

Whether it’s the oldest rocks in the world in Scotland or a great landscape feature like the Fforest Fawr – it could be included. The UK has 10 Geoparks including the Cotswolds and the Pennines and may well get more in the future.

Biosphere Reserves:
Again by UNESCO, these parks are focusing on the biological side of the natural world and these park are meant to represent the balance between man and nature – basically they are to be managed sustainably by humans.

The UK only has 9 sites out of a worldwide total of 553 – and they include the North Norfolk Coast and Beinn Eighe – but there have been no recent additions to the UK listings.

Ramsar Sites:
These sites are specifically about protecting international wetlands, and so are focused along waterways and estuaries around the world.

The joining parties wished to make sure that other countries do not abuse or destroy their wetlands and so set up criteria in the 1970′s (in a town called Ramsar) for everyone to adhere to.

They now oversee 1,888 sites across the globe covering around 1,850,000km² in total! The UK has the highest actual number of protected Ramsar sites (168 in total) although Canada has the greatest protected wetland area (130,000 square kms).

February the 2nd each year is World Wetlands Day – and is celebrated with events through many of the wetland sites – as well as other similar sites that are not yet classified as Ramsar.

Hope this helps!

Hello again – and welcome to another summer of green holidays and adventures!

I have been out and about myself on the allotment, volunteering for charities, holding stalls at carboot sales and basically enjoying the sunshine – but what have you all been up to?

Lets begin with a real green adventure leading off from my previous article (great minds think alike and all that!): Eco Living Advice offers up the idea of analysing your job and to try to make is into a more green alternative – now that really could be an adventure; so read on with his Green Careers article and get thinking!

Then in a similar vein, here is TravelCat’s quandry of Should I Travel Abroad To Raise Money For Charity?  These 2 really make an interesting read to look at the wider side of eco friendly activities!

Taking a step closer to home is The Nature Blog with a really touching tale of the opposite of nature watching – nature waiting.  Read this short article on the virtues of letting nature come to you rather than chasing it all over the woods or seas: In Praise Of Slow.

A shorter article here from Viviana Widjaja suggests some great Holiday Activities for Kids – Eco Friendly Holidays to inspire in advance for the weeks they have off school!

And another quickie from Wise Bread with their 5 Essential Travel Tools to not leave home without on your green adventures! And Linda@NHE offers advice on what to do if you encounter bugs there! So read on with Mosquito Bites Natural Remedies and save yourself some scratching!

This is followed by a lovely article – with pictures – to offer you the chance to take a pilgrimage as part of your green holidays, walking centuries old pathways in the footsteps of millions: 10 Amazing Religious Pilgrimages by Phillip Lopez.

Hopefully this interesting selection will keep you busy for a while – not just reading them, but thinking about the ways that these articles could change the way people think about their job, their family and they vacation.

Times are changing – and now is not the time to be left behind!

.

Ethical jobs can be very varied – and don’t have to involve the rainforest or building schools!

When we think of ‘ethical’ jobs – we always assume it is helping people or places around the world – but ethics can just as easily mean working for your local community, your county, state or anything. And you don’t have to speak a second language or live abroad to make a difference!

And getting paid a tidy sum for doing so as well – it’s not all about volunteering!

There are plenty of jobs right on your doorstep that can make a huge difference to your world and the world of others – and you may already be more than qualified to help!

Ethical Jobs:
If you have ever used an Internet search to find your next job, then you will know how difficult it can be to limit your search without missing any potentially great jobs – as for example – administrative jobs can be found in all sectors, so you can’t just look in the ‘Office Work’ section.

This has it’s advantages therefore when you are thinking about changing jobs and maybe your industry. By this I mean that all companies need someone who can do a whole range of jobs not necessarily highly experienced in the ‘ethical ‘field’ so to speak.

For example, an ethical company may need a graphic designer or someone who has sales experience – regardless of their previous employer. For example I knew a retail manager from a supermarket who became a retail manager for a high street branch of Oxfam, and I know of many people who had a degree or other qualifications in economics, planning, sociology or statistics – all valuable skills when planning ahead for sustainability and community projects.

Planning Your Move:
Obviously, to get a job for an ethical firm – you need to find out which firms are ethically run in the first place, and what skills are required.

There are many resources you can use to scale your companies for in terms of whether you want to help communities, reduce pollution, improve cityscapes, teach children, raise money for projects or working in the areas of law and finance.

And you need to find out where they advertise their jobs and what they advertise for. So go job hunting well in advance and take a look at their criteria way before you need it – and add it into your 2, 3 or 5 year plan!

For example training and interpretation roles now include a huge graphic and marketing element which wasn’t the way a few years back – so if you find that many such jobs ask for this skill – then start getting that experience in advance or sign up for a course to improve your chances.

Getting in through the bottom is always a great strategy if you are worried you don’t have the right skills, but want to learn. Volunteering is one of the entrances, as it a part time admin or PA job – but there are many other ways you can get involved in that company and meet the right people along the way.

Types of Ethical Roles:
There are 3 types of ethical roles if you narrow it right down, and they are 1) Campaigning: Getting things done in person – and with all the facts (and a touch of politics and funding)! This would suit a very pro-active person and can involve travel, confrontation and media work.

2) Personal Work: Actually working on the front line talking to individuals and working slowly towards a result. This include social work, working with disadvantaged people and communities, one to one rehabilitation and the like. Very personal – and very rewarding for the right person.

3) Ethical Business: Working behind the scenes – making the right thing still turn a profit and get the relevant funding. There is no point starting a project if you can’t make it work long term – and that’s where the business team come in. Without admin, accounts, marketing and research – the whole project could fall apart!

The Fourth Role?
There is always the hope that this special 4th type could be one of the most important: and it could be you.

Why not take it upon yourself to make your current role – and your current employer – think and act more ethically? Could you find some small areas of your business to make a difference? Could you help your boss put practices into place that can benefit wider communities or individuals?

I think you can – and I think you should!

.

We all think that all ‘green’ and ‘eco’ travel definitions are around about the same: but no!

A friend of mine recently got a book called ‘The Ethical Career Guide’ out of the local library only to be surprised by what was in there.  There was no mention of conservation or the environment, and global warming was not even touched on.

Why?  Well ‘ethical’ always refers to working with people to create equality as well as supporting communities and cultures – it doesn’t really have anything to do with the natural world.  So an ethical holiday isn’t necessarily a green holiday or even eco friendly!

So I have put together a simple definitions article for the main words we use to define our holidays and travel so you can be sure to focus on the best one for your requirements and prefered areas of interest.

Ethical Travel:
“Travel to any location that includes offering respect and courtesy to local people, as well as thinking about the long term effects of your actions for the communities that you visit.”

So for example, ethical travel would include supporting the community you visit financially by using local services and buying local goods – and at a reasonable price.  It would also look to not exploit natural resources – or local people, and includes not offering gifts or money to ‘begging’ children but to the places that will benefit the children most, like schools and local groups.

Responsible Travel:
“Travel to any destination in the world – including cruises, luxury villas, skiing and volunteering – can be ‘responsible’ if they can prove that they care about the people they come into contact with and their culture as well as their surrounding environments and it’s wildlife.”

For example, if you travel to a ‘responsible’ African safari lodge, you would expect it to be run by or employing local people and spending some or most of it’s profits and time on helping protect the surrounding wildlife for the future. 

It doesn’t matter if you have to fly across the world to get there and only stay for 3 days (although longer stays can help communities more) - it is what you are supporting while you are there that counts.  And if it is a big step away from mass tourism – it is ‘responsible’.

Eco Friendly Travel:
“Travel to destinations with the intention of reducing your overall impact on the environment, including the avoidance of many of the usual destinations, modes of transport and travel products.”

For example, we know that flying creates higher than average emissions and cruises create more than their fair share of waste – so the eco friendly traveller would try to travel using other means, or would use these modes of transport more wisely by staying in the destinations longer or choosing a more eco friendly company to use.

Eco friendly travel would also include not using products that can damage or put undue stress on the environment they are visiting, so would try to use biodegradable toiletries, wash clothes less, eat local foods rather than expect locals to import things 1000′s of miles in, take all rubbish home with them if no recycling exists and not buy products made from endangered resources – or animals!

This type of travel would also look at certain destinations that are being overcrowded or exploited with the end result of the area/destination/beach/local community being degraded, overused and ultimately destroyed.  Mass tourism destinations would be among the places to avoid, although something could be said for keeping all the ‘sun-seekers’ in one place!

Green Travel:
“A type of travel that includes both using modes of transport which reduce or limit the environmental impact of getting from A to B as well as limiting environmental damage while preserving natural resources and reducing pollution and excessive waste.”

Although quite similar to the Eco Friendly Travel definition above, Green Travel really focuses on self control while travelling – enough sometimes to not even travel in the first place!  Eco Friendly looks at still taking a trip but looking for less damaging alternatives – whereas green travellers might look at taking a different trip entirely.

Walking through fields or woodlands off the main footpath wouldn’t really bother any other type of traveller – but a green traveller would think of the potential for localised damage – for example trampling on rare plants or invading areas used by courting mammals and birds.

The Result:
Well, as you can see there is a fair amount of overlap with these definitions, but some are more social and others more environmental.

Yes – the 2 are sort of linked up anyway as if the community are supported they will take better care of their environment, however many travelers want to see the direct link to their personal beliefs and their actions.

For example an eco friendly traveler would take pride in buying all the most chemical-free, animal-friendly, waste reducing and natural products they can to take with them to visit a local community - whereas a social traveler would take more pride in helping a community to support themselves for the next 20 years whether their shampoo was biodegradable or not!

And a responsible traveler wouldn’t mind flying in to a remote mountain lodge on the other side of the world to support a 5* business built up, owned and run by local people – whereas a green traveler would possibly choose to go camping 1* in a nearby woodland with their local scout group teaching them simple field-craft techniques for free!

So, it is your choice really as to which of these you choose to be like when planning your next vacation, because sometimes they will take you to totally different places!

.

Use the sun, a few bits of wood and some string – you could create something amazing!

Did you know that virtually all megalithic structures (like stone circles, henges and long barrows) found through the UK and northern France use the same standard measurement? 

And that this measurement is found to be virtually identical across thousands of miles in 100′s of different locations – so how did they do it?

Well, there has been a lot of research into how and why these structures were built – and it all seems to come back to the heavens.  We assume that these are all astrologically motivated structures – to watch solstices and such – but now it seems that they were all built using these observations in the first place! 

What Is This Tool?
Well, it is called the Megalithic Yard (MY), and is a measurement tool that helps people to build great structures that can channel the light of the Sun, Moon or Venus onto specific places at specific times of the year.

Rather than just make loads of copies of the original 1 and send it miles in each direction, the ancient builders found a way to create this tool wherever you were – and it would always be the same size and show the maker the direction to face their structure.

It was rather like a set of instructions for megalithic builders across the north-west of Europe which people took with them and passed on by word of mouth – well, they had invented these great structures, but hadn’t got around to a written language! 

According to several books and notes on the Internet, this measurement is also still to be found today – as the MY is linked to the modern ‘mile’ by use of the ‘old-fashioned’ measurements of ‘rods’ or ‘poles’ – and those of us that have allotments will know all about ‘rods’!

And, using the MY for weight and mass also creates some well known measurements – like the imperial pound and the imperial pint!

How To Make It:
Before you get started – this process does take a while to set up and then at least one whole clear night to complete – and does involve a bit of maths!

But, what great fun it is to sit out under the night sky in summer and take yourself back to a time when people really needed to work this out!  You are sharing your experience with some of the greatest builders of our history. 

I mean, their structures are still standing today – and mystifying scientists!  These people were dragging massive stones across counties – and sometimes countries – to build their structures.

And as you know they are all built in open areas to make full use of the night sky – so you need to find a largish open space with a clear view of the horizon.

Then, you need to gather together the following equipment and a torch (and hopefully some friends, and you are ready to go:

• 2 thick poles about 6ft long each
• 1 shorter pole of around 10 inches with 5 equal notches
• 1 long washing line cord (around 40 ft)
• 1 shorter string (around 5ft)
• 1 small symmetrical weight with a hole in the centre
• 1 sharp blade

It would certainly be wise to print off the full instructions as there are a lot of numbers involved in setting up the poles and counting time – but the general pattern of events involves calculating a megalithic degree (of a circle) and then setting up a start and a finish post on the arc of your circle.

You will then need to count the time it takes a bright star to move from one pole to the other pole by using a pendulum.  The pendulum needs to swing back and forth 366 times between the star passing the first pole and then passing the second pole.  Luckily there are plenty of bright stars in the night sky to give you a few attempts to get it right! 

And hopefully, plenty of tasty food and drink to keep you going until you do! 

If you want to read more about megalithic builders and their astronomical beliefs and actions, then take a look at the book ‘Uriels Machine’ by Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas.  It certainly made me think differently about our Stone Age culture – and maybe you will look at them in a different light too!

.

Hello again, and what a lovely time of year it is to be traveling through familiar environments!

There is nothing better for me sometimes, than to just walk a short while from my home to the beach or the countryside with a good book and my binoculars!  Pure bliss on a sunny day like today!

I’ve been out along the beach, up in the countryside – as well as visiting the family now that we all live a lot closer together these days!  Although, I shouldn’t have gone on the trampoline for so long – my legs are aching today!

Well, let’s see what the rest of you have been up to…….

It is quite clear that some of you are also planning to stay home too by the looks of Ana Paula’s article – with the Top 100 Gardening Blogs - many of which are eco friendly green fingered tips – but not all, so make sure you modify the un-green gardening tips!

Try to lighten up or even ‘green’ over your commute to work using Maria Clara tips: 100 Excellent Lifehacks for Your Long Commute. There are quite a few in there that totally make eco sense…….. and best use of your time. I mean if you have to take a journey, why waste it just staring out of the window – learn something new, do something new – make every second count!

Here’s a nice little article on one thing that even I struggle with – Tips for Eating Healthy While on Vacation by Debbie Dragon – and it had a great Vitamin gadget on the site too!

Here’s a lovely sort tale of what wonders a walk in the countryside can have – especially if you happen to pass through a farm – so thanks to Richard with his A Visit to Fulking Hill! – with some great photo’s in there too.

Next, Mike Vogt gives us something very different to think about with his great article on 10 Great Mission Trip Ideas.  Not many people consider the role that religion and religious thinking can have in developing countries.

the beach

And one for the summer: Tara V presents Green Wedding Guide; Planning an Eco-Friendly Exchange of Vows.  A great way to enjoy the best day of your life – as well as making sure that it doesn’t have a negative impact on anyone else!

It’s still sunny, so get back out there!

If you think about how amazing trees can be – you will want to help plant them!

I recently read a leaflet from a charity called Tree Aid - who fund, train and support communities in Africa to give them the skills to use their trees to the best advantage – and saw an amazing list of the ‘Gift of Trees’ which made me stop and think for a while.

I had always been amazed by the growth, resilience, uses and beauty of trees – but had never really thought of them as holding the key to a community’s survival.

So take a look at the list below of all the things that a tree, or group of trees could achieve. 

Some are more obvious – but others seem totally unrelated.  So maybe you too could see trees in a whole new light too!

As Wood To Build Homes.
Also schools, hopitals, warehouses and much more – including furniture and farming tools.

As Fuel For Cooking.
This also includes wood used for making cooking utensils and storage pots for food and water.

As Food Suppliers.
By farming tree-grown crops – a community is self-sufficient through the year.

As Food Attractors.
Trees are the perfect home for bees – and bees means honey!

As Animal Attractors.
Woodlands and even single trees attract benificial wildlife to an area, for the ecosystem and for food.

As Habitat Protectors.
Trees help to create the perfect environment for other plants to thrive and grow.

As Shade Makers.
Trees create the perfect place for people and animals to escape from the heat of the sun!

As Rain Makers.
Trees and their roots can help create micro-climates and generate rainfall – and prevent run-off.

As Soil Makers.
Trees products can help improve the fertility of soil and well placed trees can prevent it blowing away!

As Outdoor Chemists.
Many plants and trees contain ‘medicines’ that communites depend on for their health.

As Pet Stores.
Many trees can be grown specifically to feed livestock, or to build fencing and housing.

As Bank Loans.
Sales of produce and/or wood can be used to reduce poverty and buy new seeds or equipment.

As Education Givers.
Profits earned can put children through schooling – and will allow them the time to attend!

As Freedom Givers.
A productive livelihood can empower women and change the lives of the whole community.

So, next time you get the opportunity to fund or partake in charity events that help communities learn more about trees and farming – think of what you will be helping to support – and continue.

And we all know that young trees are a great way to ‘trap’ CO2 from the atmosphere – so think about the effect you could have by helping to plant just a dozen or so each year.

.

If you haven’t got your own kids – then grab someones else’s for some great green adventures.

This May and June you can get involved with some national or local events celebrating the great outdoors and family life!  Or why not make your own adventures…….

National Family Week starts on the 31st May and runs until the 6th of June across the UK (although you can run your own events in any country you want!).  It is a celebration of all things family – so your nieces and cousins will do if you want to make a bigger day of it if you want.

Planning is the key here, as you will need to make sure that transport and lunch is all taken care of before the big day – and of course the theme!

There are specific ‘days’ on the national schedule which might help you make a group decision – or their are things being planned across the country that you can just turn up to with your hoard!

Monday: Family Picnic Day
Maybe you can head of to a local park with a great big hamper of yummy food and some sports equipment – a bat and ball and maybe a bike or 2 should do the trick!  A nice couple of blankets and a chair for granny and you are well on your way to a whole day of outdoor fun.  Don’t forget the camera!

Tuesday: Family Film Day
How about getting everyone to score some films of your choice from 1 to 10 – with 1 being the one they are most likely to watch and then tot up everyone scores to get the best 3.  Order the pizza and microwave the popcorn – and make sure all the sleeping bags are out for everyone to stay over!

Wednesday: Family Story Time
For this one you have the choice of 3 things really.  Either all get together at your home and read some short stories (maybe scary stories on a sleepover), or find a lovely patch of woodland with a tasty lunch box of goodies and all just read in the sunshine.  Or maybe, get together around a table with scraps of magazines, scissors and coloured pens and make your own stories or scrapbooks!

Thursday: Family Road Trip
Think of all the places you want to go and see a bit further away than usual, and then plan your route – making sure that you remember all your outdoor gear incase you see a great footpath you want to follow, a park to play in or a castle to explore!  Camera and waterproofs are essential for this one.  Even more fun if there is more than 1 car of you, so you can meet up in certain places or pull silly faces at each other!

Friday: Family House Party
Start by checking with mum!  This one gives you a whole host of options; it could include lunch, family board games, dinner, films, cheese and biscuits, night time walk in the countryside(!), scary stories and even a sleepover – but make sure there is plenty of yummy fruit for breakfast! 

Saturday: Family Sports Day
Set up an event of all the silly things that get the family together.  Maybe a few beanbag-on-the-head races, 3-legged races and sack racing, as well as bats and balls, skipping ropes and egg-and-spoons!  Maybe have a red and a blue team and someone keep scores! 

Sunday: Family Roast Dinner! ( I added this last one myself – as I love a family roast!)

But if none of these appeal, then make your own up – maybe Family Horse Riding Day on the Tuesday, or Family Woodland Walk on the Wednesday. Or even Family Photography Day on the Friday!

Swimming, Reading, Bicycling or just Garden Tea Party – all valid family events – so take your pick and get planning!