Green Holidays

Your actions alone can make the countryside a better place for yourself and others.

By sharing your adventures – I don’t mean inviting other people along to your picnics, dog walks or countryside rambles – I mean allowing them to have as much fun as your yourself would expect.

Your actions can directly affect other people who are within a few feet or even a few miles of you while you are outdoors – but they can also affect people who follow in your footsteps a few weeks or even a few years after you.

How you may wonder? But it is all quite simple.

The Countryside Shop:
Every inch of the countryside is owned and managed by someone. Whether it is a private landowner, a charitable body or your local council – someone is looking after the land and using it or maintaining it according to their needs.

You are however, permitted to walk through their land, fields, forests, glades and even gardens on footpaths (or for a small fee) if they are on a footpath, bridleway or other right of way. But you are only a visitor.

Imagine the countryside as you would a high street shop. You are allowed in – even welcomed in – but there are unspoken ‘rules’ – like a society code. For example you can just go in and break things, scream and shout, play loud music, drop litter, let your dog run wild, allow your kids to climb on display areas or run into ‘private’ areas or eat their food and scare of other customers.

Yet people do this in the countryside all the time.

What Happened Next?
Well, firstly in this shop – you would be seriously affecting their profits – and just like any business they react to problems and can’t afford to lose money.

But how can they make money if you are scaring off their other customers and have left the shop in such a state that they have actually spend money to fix things and replace broken stock. However, some things are irreplacable – so they may never have them in the shop again.

And secondly, they may well introduce a few rules to make sure that these things don’t happen again, like not allowing children or dogs, closing off certain areas at certain times, charging people to go in to get some money back and changing what they sell.

In the same way, landowners who suffer from vandalism, injured livestock and crop damage may put up extra fencing and funnel the ‘humans’ down a thin footpath rather than allowing them free access to the land.

photo credit: Crystian Cruz

Other Changes:
They may also be forced to lock gates, block entrances to farms and other buildings that aren’t actually on the footpath but were a beauty or were of great interest to walkers like yourself.

They may have to introduce entrance fees to car parks or other areas to re-coup some of their lost funds – which you will have to start paying if you want to visit the area – or maybe close off the ‘free parking’ that they had allowed on their land until all the rubbish that was dumped their was costing too much to have removed!

And damage to certain rare plants or wildlife species may be too much for that species to survive there anymore – so it will be lost forever just becasue you wanted to take that unusual plant home with you!

So noise and vandalism can affect more than just other walkers on that day – and carelessness, selfish actions and laziness can change the very landscape we love over time.

The countryside can’t keep going in its current state if we don’t do everything we can to preserve or improve it. If landowners can only run their business by shutting out humans – then that is just what they will have to do!

Green Travel keeps working even when you have stopped!

Now we all know that parking in town can be a complete nightmare at the best of times – and I suppose that is why we favour purpose-built car parks as a result.  They usually have clearly marked out car-size spaces for everyone to park in and arrows telling you which way to drive so you don’t bump into other drivers!

That way – we all know that they have worked out the greatest number of spaces that that particular car park can hold and everyone can fit in with no wasted space – or accidents!

However, not so for the country car park or the long parking bays with only the end zones marked out.

How is it best to park in these spaces when you first arrive?

Eco Friendly Parking:
Now you might not think that where you park could have eco friendly – or not so eco friendly – consequences, but it does.

Take for example the person parking infront of an entrance or right infront of a sign that says ‘Do Not Park Here’  You can tell immediately that this car could cause other people some trouble – wasting their time, their money and possibly causing an argument.

But can you see how they are also reducing the revenue of local services, decreasing visitor numbers for local attractions and businesses as well as possibly affecting the number of people that visit that location over the next 50 years!

Obviously these are scaled up problems – but if you arrived in a town or remote beauty spot only to find that you can’t park anywhere or others have been irresponsible – you might never return.

If you had to drive 40 minutes to visit an old church and you could never find a space there – would you keep going back year after year?

Or you just wanted to grab a quick snack and there was never a space outside the shop when you drove by – wouldn’t you just find somewhere else?

But what happens to those places when you decide to go elsewhere?  Who buys their products, uses their services or donates to their cause?

Think About It:
So, what can you do to make sure that you don’t affect your local services when you pop into town or drive into the countryside to walk the dog?

Firstly – think about how you can maximise the number of spaces in the place you are visiting.  Put simply – always park up to the edges or the spaces and close to any other vehicles on site.

photo credit: Blyzz

If there is a car in the middle of nowhere and you park away from it in the middle of nowhere too – how can you be sure that an exact number of cars can fit into the gap you have left? Surely you have been looking for a space before and thought ‘if only that car was a foot to the left it would create enought space for a whole car’.

Obviously nothing you can do about it while you wait – but very often when that person does move – someone else parks right in the same place themselves – just the 1 car instead of 2.

And those thoughtless people who park half a car away from the end of a bay!  I mean there was no reason not to park up the edge of the bay – leaving all the rest of the bay free for other vehicles – but they chose to just park wherever they wanted making sure that other people couldn’t park close to the shops/doctors/hotel/castle/seafront/etc.

Your Choice:
Now I know there are lots of different size cars on the road, and it seems a bit weird to park next to another car when the rest of the car park is empty – but it won’t always be empty.

People need to visit places to keep them there – and so surely, the more people that can park close to where they want to go, the more money they will spend there.

And it’s not all about using public transport either – I mean if I am on my way home from somewhere in my car and need to grab some bread or milk – I don’t want to have to walk miles to get them – I want to be able to pull up and park real close to the store and pop in and out in a second.  So, if I can’t get close in the car – I will go to another shop where I know I can.

Not everyone can walk a long way either and buses don’t go absolutely everywhere – so people do need to use their cars to get to places – and so rather than just pulling up somewhere are parking without a care for anyone else – think eco.

If you want that store to be there for your convenience – then you need to help it get as many customers as it can to turn a profit.  If you want to keep using that car park near the National Trust woodland – then make sure as many people as possible can park there are pay their money to keep it open!

If you park for too long in a space, take up more than 1 space or block other road users – you are harming the very services and locations that you are using yourself.

You might have driven there in as ‘green’ a way as you could – so don’t spoil it when you get there!

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The streets of London are now filled with 500 new community bicycles!

As with many cities in Europe, UK’s capital is now promoting the use of city bikes – a simple hire system for local people, commuters and tourists.

Whether you need to get from A to B without the fuss and congestion of the roads or the sardine-like underground system – or you want a leisurely cycle ride through the Royal Parks – this system could be for you.

The Scheme:
Put simply, there are bikes parked up around London that you can borrow for any length of time (albeit the longer you have them the more it costs).

You can sign up online and ‘pay as you go’ so to speak, or soon you will be able to pay with your credit card at a paypoint on the street and take a bike there and then – with your card being charged at the end of your hire period (24hrs after taking the bike).

It is all very simple once you know the limits of the system and the basic charging periods: basically you pay 1 fee for the bike in the first place (for 24hrs) and a seperate fee for the length of time you use the bike for in that 24 hours.

And the fees vary considerably. If you sign up online for annual membership, you can pay less than 12p a day for a bike – paying on the street for it will cost you £1 a day. For the usage fee it varies from Free if you dock the bike within 30 minutes of use – all the way up to £50 for the full 24 hours (and a lot more if you forget to return it before that time!).

Needless to say – as with most things – the more you plan to use it, the cheaper it becomes. What a great incentive!

The Bikes:
The bicycles will be spread all over the City at docking stations – secure lockable bike racks around the streets. All the bikes are identical, suitable for basic riding for over 14 year olds, and all fit into the docking stations perfectly!

The number of bikes at each site will vary, as will the popularity of others – so it is a work in progress to find out how the bikes are used and when.

There are currently over 12,000 registered users and only 500 cycles – so it will be interesting to see how it goes from here!  In theory people will use them at different times for different lengths of time – but the data collected in these first few weeks will be all important in shaping this great scheme for the future.

There is of course always the chance that you turn up at a docking station and there are no bikes for hire – or you arrive at a docking station to find that there is nowhere to park your bike!  Ideally, their maps will help you find the closest alternative – but you could lose time in the early days!

Obviously, for some people this is a much better and cheaper way to travel - as using the bikes for less than 30 minutes is free – so could save a few £’s each way over the bus or tube, and in the summer it will be all that more of a pleasure!

The Future:
Well, I am hoping that the rise in the use of bikes around the busy London streets will make headway for a more pedestrian and cycle friendly destination.

Why do pedestrians always have to have their path blocked by metal railings and have to walk well out of their way to cross a road while congestion-making drivers crawl past in straight lines? 

Why do people and cyclists have to stand in the rain waiting for traffic lights to change to cross the road while polluting drivers are in the dry?

Shouldn’t pavements and cycle lanes have priority over traffic?  If we want a people-friendly and green city – then surely this is the way to go. 

And the more people supporting cycling in the city – the sooner this could happen!

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 fancy getting your wellies on and digging a hole – then find your local tree planting event!

Every year the National Tree Council run and support National Tree Week - this year running from November 25th thru to December 6th – so more than a week really – but more time to get involved!

What Is It All About?
Basically, it is a time for people to get involved with community planting events in the winter, and make a difference to local woodlands and parks – and to the environment.

Running since 1975 (wow!), this national event has dramatically changed local communities, schools, parks and gardens across the country – and this year is no different! 

With a list of events running all over the country – and the chance to list your own event – they expect over a quarter of a million people to get involved.

What Else Can You Do?
There are plenty of things that you can do to support National Tree Week that don’t involve any costs, and are just as fun!

1) Your Own Garden: If you can’t make one of the tree planting events – then why not plant your own tree in your garden?  Get your family involved and make a day of it – dedicating your tree to your kids, parents, favourite pet or whatever.  A tree is a tree, so whatever the reason – it doesn’t matter.

2) Record Breaker?:  Although, if you can plant your tree on the 5th of December this year – you could take part in the record-breaking event being hosted by BBC breathing spaces.  All you need to do is make a pledge to plant your tree on their website, then take a photo of you planting it and send it in to count!

3) Go Exploring:  You don’t have to plant a tree to support trees – take a walk in the woods.  By regularly visiting your local woodlands you are helping to make sure that they remain.  If people don’t visit these places, they will simply disappear or become private.

4) Capture The Image: Go out loking for great trees to photograph in your area. You can attach your images to Google Maps so that when people search for your town, they can see your photos of amazing trees!

5) Living Giants: Go out looking for huge trees to add to the Woodland Trust Ancient Tree Hunt database. THey are hoping to create a map of all the oldest trees in the UK – so need you out there finding the undiscovered ones!

6) Learn More:  Take the time to teach yourself and your family about the UK’s native tree species and how to identify them.  The more you know about something the more you can get involved, and the more your kids know, the safer the trees futures will be. 

7) Collect Seeds:  When you know the difference between an acorn and a hazelnut – you can plant them yourself and grow your favourite trees from seed!  Not all the seeds that fall to the ground in autumn will grow into trees, so why not take home a few nuts and seeds and try to grow them yourself.

If they survive and last the year - you will have your own trees to plant out for National Tree Week 2010!

Did you know you could invest in a castle, a meadow or a farm?

It may not be common knowledge, but locations both home and abroad are actually run like companies.

One example is with a recent case of ‘disgruntled’ Bournemouth in the UK. The UK Weather Agency decided that the delightful seaside town on the English Channel was going to have terrible weather over the Bank Holiday weekend – however it didn’t!

Now, Bournemouth Council are trying to sue the weather agency for losing them £1 million in ‘tourist bucks’! Tourism bosses said that over 25,000 visitors stayed away for fear of rain!

I know you might not think it, but if you don’t visit or support stores and companies from the regions you love – then who is to say that they will remain? I don’t mean that the towns or countryside will become people-free – I mean that locations will change to more profitable options.

Open fields filled with wildlife may be churned up for crops or sold for housing. Cute cobbled streets filled with cafes and gift shops won’t stay open if they don’t make money – fast food outlets may well replace them!

Supporting Shopping!
You need to actually visit these locations and spend your money locally. Stay in locally-run hotels and bed-and-breakfasts, eating in local cafes and buying locally made souvenirs.

If you travel to your favourite hide-away but stay in a hotel chain, eat McDonalds and buy souvenirs ‘made in China’ – how can you expect the local population to make a living and keep their businesses up and running?

Support Your Heritage!
If there is a castle that you like the look of or a large stately home – make sure you pay to go inside.

Just looking at it from the outside is all fair and good and it may be amazing! But unless you actually spend money at the site – you are not helping it to stay alive!

Yeah, you might mention it to a friend and they go there for a look too, but unless there is money going into that area – it might not be worth keeping the castle open for tourists. It’s a business, it has to employ staff, clean and maintain the building, trim and plant the gardens and advertise it’s good bits.

How can it do that if you just peek at it across a wall or over a hedge? Without customers like any good store of restaurant – it will have to close.

Joining a Heritage charity or society can help to fund renovations of such buildings allowing them to remain for future generations to enjoy and you can be a part of that.

Supporting Habitats:
But how can you support a field or river? They are free to visit and they are just there.

Well, by becoming a member of a nature or wildlife related charity or business that has projects in that area will make sure that they have the funds where necessary to purchase or develop open spaces for the benefit of the existing wildlife. It may also allow funds to re-introduce native species that have been lost.

By telling your hosts that the reason you came here was for the river/beach/woods/wildlife/etc will make sure that they know what is making them successful. If they know they get most of their guests to see the rare so-and-so – they will all make sure that it stays right where it is! And your money can really become a powerful tool.

Supporting local organic farms can also keep nature in your neighborhood by leaving fields fallow or leave woodlands and hedgerows standing rather than having to sow crops instead.

Paying more for your food also makes a difference. If you are always buying the cheapest products – especially animal products – the farmers are having to make money from elsewhere – and that could include destroying that patch of riverside meadow or expanding smaller fields into super fields to make ends meet.

The Circle Of Life.
Just like a business – a farmer, landowner, town, or country all need to get support or financial rewards for their actions to keep doing them.

If growing apples makes double the amount that growing cucumbers does – then they grow apples. If selling burgers makes more money than locally made ice cream – then burgers it is! If more people want huge hotels rather than cosy holiday cottages then guess what?

Your everyday choices can make or break a holiday destination, can affect the shape of the high street and can destroy or encourage wildlife and open spaces.

So next time you think of your favourite place – make sure you make the most of your time there – supporting the destination and making sure it’s stays just how you like it!

When you are traveling around the place, either locally or nationally – do you ever think about what a difference your tiny car can make on the environment you are travelling through?

I don’t mean anything about the carbon emissions you chug out your exhaust or the energy needed to produce your car in the first place or the natural resources that are being plundered for fuel and spare parts – I mean the fact that you are where you are when you are.

How Can 1 Little Car Make A Difference?
Well, quite a lot if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time really.  And the wrong time may not be so obvious to yourself – only the person behind you!

How many times have you been cursing the traffic in front of you for the hold up?  But how many of those times have you actually needed to be in that traffic in the first place?

I’ve done it myself – stuck in heavy traffic on the way to just browse an out-of-town book store!  I went at a quiet time – but failed to return home before the rush hour – and have become a terrible part of it!

I’m not saying that people who don’t work should never drive in the rush hour – but we should all bear it in mind when we do drive.  And this is especially so when you are on vacation and driving in and about unknown towns and country lanes.

The Lunch Time Rush:
Have you ever had just a few minutes to grab your lunch in town or at a services only to find the person in front of your has all the time in the world and is sorting through coupons in their purse for a pathetically tiny discount off their shopping?  Or the other person who decides that stopping in the doorway of a store to re-organise their shopping bags is absolutely fine – but basically is just in everyone’s way!

That’s what your are if you are on the roads during the rush hour.  You are wasting everyone else’s time – as well as your own – sitting there jamming up the roads.

It’s not just the commuters or school-run moms that are sitting in that traffic – you are too – and we all know that it is no fun at all!  And if you are on vacation – it is a disaster!

So, Take Your Time:
Before heading out on a non-essential journey check what times you will be on the road and think about the traffic.  Could you take the bus instead?  Could you visit a friend before or after to delay your journey and keep the roads that little bit clearer?  Could you stay in these woods for a few hours more – or enjoy one more drink by the river before heading off.

It’s not just in rush hour that this is an issue.  If you are on the road with 5 other non-essentials on Monday, and there are another 6 on Tuesday, 4 on Wednesday, etc, you are making the road seem busier than it needs to be.  And this can multiply up.

If town roads always seem to get crowded and snarled up almost everyday, the local government or council may think that something needs to be done – and this can only go one of 2 ways:  A massive by-pass or more traffic signals, speed restrictions and road works!  Do you want any of them in your town?  In any town?

If you are using the roads, people are going to build more.  If you are congesting the roads, people are going to make bigger roads, and so on.

You may only be 1 little car – but there are loads of people just like you out there – and added together, they are clogging our roads, making people get home from work later in the evenings and creating an awful lot of pollution.

So, try to do your bit to stop this traffic problem – just pick the right time and avoid the congestion!

Fit the following Eco-Destinations into your UK green holiday……

If you are going to take a holiday around the UK – soaking up the sights – you may want to make a date with some of the UK’s best eco-friendly centres and technology research locations.  All offer a great day out for families and adults alike.

They are spread across the British Isles so you can visit at least one where-ever you travel to – and it’s not that difficult to combine several together as part of a longer UK break.

1 – The Centre of Alternative Technology – Powys: Wales
Established in 1973, the CAT centre has been a shining example of how to live sustainably. 

Offering courses and hands-on exhibits that everyone can enjoy and learn from, the centre has just built an educational building to further research and design for eco-friendly homes and businesses – as well as technology for the government.

Expect to see houses of straw, allotments, recycling advice, hand-operated machines for generating power, composting toilets, talks and tours as well as a fully-stocked book shop with all the latest titles to help you change and improve your responsible lifestyles.

Adult entry is £6.40 in winter and £8.40 through summer – with £1 off for arriving by train or bike!  Becoming a CAT member (£22) entitles you to free entry as well as Clean Slate magazine and other exclusive offers.

2 – The Ecology Centre – Fife: Scotland
This amazing and diverse location is free to visit and is a great way to explore the countryside of this area. They offer trails of nature walks and have an Access for All route which is wheelchair and pram accessible.

The routes have ponds, woodlands and meadows – and link up the the Fife Coastal Path for an amazing panorama of the firth.  Certainly and beautiful day out for the family.

3 – Whisby Natural World Centre – Lincolnshire: England
With 6 miles of walks in the local nature reserve is what you will find here – and for free!  There is plenty of wildlife and outdoor fun for the family.

There is an extensive visitor centre with exhibits on the natural landscape here and climate change, and with some amazing views across the reserve and it’s 5 great lakes.  There is also a boardwalk nearby as well as some great countryside!

4 – Ecos Millennium Environmental Centre – Antrim: Northern Ireland
Set in 150 acres of flood plain – you won’t be short of wildlife and great views!  This green destination is free and offers visitors the chance to encounter energy-efficiency first hand as well as other environmentally responsible technologies using the natural wetlands.

The visitor centre is great for the kids, with hands on everything – from duck-feeding to tractor riding to working out eco friendly puzzles!  The centre is solar powered and offer visitors a chance to see how easy becoming green really is!

5 – The Eden Project – Cornwall: England
At £15 entry for adults this is the most expensive of the days out -  however, you can change this into an annual ticket if you offer Gift Aid.  The site is delightful and will please all plant-lovers as well as people interested in the natural world and sustainable living.

The iconic domes are filled with horticultural delights and walking through the great rainforest biome and over the waterfall bridge will delight the whole family.  There is plenty to do in the warmer months outside of the domes and plenty to buy in the extensive gift shop!

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To highlight water pollution, a brave millionaire is about to set sail in a 60ft boat made of plastic bottles stuck together!

The ecologist adventurer, Mr de Rothschild, is setting off to highlight the problem of the ever growing ‘sea of plastic’ in the Pacific Ocean. This ‘sea’ is currently in an anomoly of the world’s wave patterns. This means that all floating rubbish from the worlds oceans eventually ends up stuck together in this one place, somewhere between the US mainland and Hawaii.

This mass of rubbish floating just under the waters surface weighs an estimated 3.5 tonnes and is about the size of Peru, or around 3 times the size of Japan!

Plastic Facts:
The UN estimates that there are around 46,000 pieces of plastic floating on every square mile of the oceans – devastating the wildlife it supports. Seabirds are also affected and albatros ‘catch’ disposable lighters and bottle tops thinking they are fish and feed them to their chicks. However, because they are not digestible, the chicks bellies fill with all this rubbish leaving no room for food – ultimately and painfully they starve to death, hungry in their nests.

And because it isn’t biodegradable, plastic is with us for ever – that means that every centimeter of plastic that has ever been made since if was first invented – is still in the world today. And todays figures suggest that around 100m tonnes of plastic is currently being produced each year!!!

And don’t think that all this plastic is from fishermen or cruise ships (although they do contribute) because your carefully disposed of plastic in your garbage could end up being send overseas for processing, those tiny sample bottles you used at the hotel in Mexico may be dumped not recycled, and even that small piece of packaging that blew out of your hand at a picnic or town event could also make it to the ocean.

How much of your plastic is floating in the worlds oceans and what are you going to do about it?

The Adventure:
This adventurer plans to sail (how eco friendly is that!) from San Fransisco on April the 28th this year – the exact day that his namesake – the Kontiki – set off on 62 years ago.

Heading down to Hawaii from there, he will try to navigate through the swirling mass of trash while charting their progress. They hope that this is a way to highlight the problems of this visible and dangerous pollution to both humans, wildlife and of course the effects it has on the world as a whole.

Your Contribution:
You can help do your bit locally by organising beach collections – where people walk along coastlines collecting litter and plastic then disposing of it correctly (contact your collections agency to make sure that you approve of their disposal or recycling techniques – if you don’t then complain about it).

Collections make sure that less waste gets into the ocean in the first place and wildlife and environments on land can also benefit. Why just do the beach – walk through woodlands, valleys and mountains doing the same!

This way you not only make your local environment that much nicer for yourselves and the wildlife – you can also have a far greater effect on the worlds environment.

Did you know that Cruising was worse than flying for carbon emissions and general waste?

I mean flying is still best avoided, but if you fly to the Caribbean for a cruise I think you would win the prize for the most carbon used for a 2 week vacation!!!

Some calculations would go as far to say that taking an engine powered boat from London to Naples would produce 7 times the amount of carbon as a flight between the 2 cities. Even on a direct route, it is still worse per passenger – the QEII would create about 8 times the amount of carbon as an equivalent flight to New York – that’s around 700kgs of carbon dioxide emissions per person on board more than flying there!

That really is a huge difference considering how much stick the airline industries get for their pollution – you rarely hear an ocean-going luxury cruise ship getting picked on, do you?

It’s not just carbon either:
A flight to Mexico for example, from the UK only takes around 11 hours. In that time passengers on board a standard plane have eaten breakfast, watched a film or 2, slept for a few hours or read a good book then eaten dinner. And you are there. Well, what else can you do crammed into those tiny seats with a steward/stewardess almost constantly in the aisles selling you stuff for over-inflated prices.

However, on a cruise ship which could take several days to head straight to Mexico across the Atlantic Ocean they don’t all just sit still.

The idea of a cruise ship is that the journey is part of your holiday, and it needs to be a pleasant experience. It is basically a holiday camp on water. Hotel rooms, a choice of restaurants, theaters and entertainment, stores galore, a pool and even a mini golf course. And all these things generate waste – a lot of waste.

Apparently there are restrictions on how the ships dispose of this waste, but unfortunately it’s not great news! According to the International Maritime Organisation (a UN body) ships are allowed to dump waste and untreated sewage straight into the sea – as long as they do it ‘at least 12 nautical miles from shore’!!!!

To me, this is outrageous. To think that anyone aboard a cruise ship or other ship in fact, thinks that it is ok to dump anything into the water is unbelievable. It’s just like a land-based hotel driving it’s rubbish to the beach and leaving it there. It doesn’t disappear on land or in the sea - so don’t drop litter anywhere.

And raw sewage directly into the sea is a disgrace. I think we are all aware that the tides and the winds move things around the world otherwise we wouldn’t have invented sailing ships and animals and plants wouldn’t have been able to colonise new lands – so where do they think this ‘poison’ will go? Are they 100% sure it won’t affect wildlife in the water, seabirds and the people, animals and plants on the coasts of the world?

Selfish Travelers?
Being so self-sufficient, these cruise ships are actually like all inclusive holidays resorts. Everything you could possibly need is on-board and even though you stop fleetingly at several islands and ports here and there, you no doubt don’t contribute any real money to the communities you visit.

Yes, a few trinkets might change hands or a piece of pottery, but there will be no lasting effect of your visit – just a poor town waiting for the next ship to come in and flood their stores and markets with loud, greedy tourists. And a ship refusing to visit a port or changing course for a sick passenger could mean disaster for the local people who miss out.

And when you do go to port somewhere exotic, you probably won’t sample their foods, their culture or their lifestyle – and it really isn’t worth learning their language for the 4 hours you are in their country, is it?

Guests on a cruise ship aren’t really ‘tourists’ they are day-trippers on a box ticking tour. Been there, been there, been there. Not experienced that, lived there and learned this.

Conclusion:
To be fair, I would rather someone flew to a continent or country and spent 2 weeks or more there, spoke a few words of their language and lodged in locally run accommodation than just jumped around from place to place not really doing anything of any use to anyone.

And knowing now that cruising is so much worse for the environment in the first place, why not give fliers a break and start to impact more on the damage cruise ships are doing to the world, the seas and the countries they visit.

I know that every little bit helps, but if you can stop the most damaging first, then you make a bigger impact – and much sooner There are around 300 ships damaging our planet at the moment – and I think we should stop that from expanding. Don’t you?