Green Holidays

Can you tell the difference between a blackbird and a robin?

If you can - and you aren’t doing anything much at the end of January, why not step out into your garden and watch the birds?  The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (the RSPB) are running their annual bird count on the 30th and 31st of the month - and your would really be helping if you joined in.

The Count:
Don’t worry about learning every single garden bird - they just want the common species. 

And, they only want you to count the most you see at one time rather than clocking up every single bird that flutters past your garden.  So basically if you see one blue tit - you mark down 1.  If that one flies off and later you see another blue tit - it still counts as only 1.  So you don’t need to add them together. 

However, if 2 blue tits fly in together, then your count goes up to 2, as you only every count the total number of each bird seen at one time.

A quick read of their website will help explain the ‘rules’ which couldn’t be simpler - and you could be helping to make sure that they can monitor the rise of decline of some of the UK’s garden favourites.

House sparrows were top of the table in 2009, with starlings and blackbirds coming next.  Do you often see them in your garden anyway?

Why Count Them?
Counting birds in your own country is just as important as counting birds in the Amazon or in the jungles of Borneo.  Just because they aren’t a tropical species, or live in areas of mass deforestation - it doesn’t mean that they aren’t important.

Losing species close to home can also be an indicator of changing climate, habitats in danger and the effects of mankind - probably more important to you than those birds on the other side of the world - and you don’t need and international flight to keep an eye on these ones!

Joining the RSPB could make even more of a difference, but you don’t have to go that far if you don’t want to - just going into your own garden is far enough!

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Welcome to the final Green Holidays Blog Carnival of 2009.

It has been snowing where I am for days now and the ground is thick with snow! Great stuff - but not so good for all the people who are trying to get home before the new year!

And, not so many to choose from this month - maybe as everyone has been out visiting families or trying to escape to the countryside rather than be stuck in town on the holidays!

Anyway, we are here to talk about some green holidays - and lets start with a short one about voluntourism from Mircea: Tips for Volunteering and Traveling Abroad

Next, another short post about feelings running deep in some countries about cultural sites and landmarks where Dan gives us his opinions on The Ethical & Responsible Travel Minefield. Linking to this is a similar post by another writer: Take Care Not To Climb Uluru.

Ther is also another article about the ethics of travel these days, and poses some interesting questions and ideas.  Compare it to what you think when reading Should We Be More Travel Eco Friendly?

Lastly, Theo presents Green Christmas Ideas Revisited where he covers a few ideas for having greener holidays at home and with family at this time of year.

So, it’s ho ho ho and see you in 2010!

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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…..

Planning Your Volunteering Green Holidays needs to start somewhere - and these 5 tips should help:

Many people these days are planning to take a longer-then-usual break from work.  There are so many opportunities out there for all sorts of people and all sorts of activities!  There is surely something for everyone and some are just a few weeks long to fit into even the tightest schedule!

Before jumping in to a great adventure however, make sure that you have got yourself covered for some simple things, and make sure that you are going with the best possible company.

It’s easy to just want to get up and go when the travel bug hits you - but you want to make sure that everything is as green as you would like it before you pay a dime!

1) Length of time:
It is better for the environment and the communities you are going to support if you take a longer than average time out there. 

Flying to Asia for 2 weeks - which includes a few days to yourself - means that there is hardly any time for you to make a difference.  It also shoots up your carbon emissions.

However, 2 months in your chosen location can give you time to experience their culture and actually get to know all the people involved while you are there.  It also shows that you and you chosen company mean business - rather than in and out with no real lasting effects in their lives.

2) Company Experience:
Make sure the company you are travelling with has years and years of experience in their locations and in the travel industry. There are many new companies popping up - but can they deliver the goods or are they jumping (late) onto the ethical bandwagon??

Not only will experienced companies be able to prove that their packages are excellent and their community work long lasting - but it also shows you that they mean business and know how to do these things. 

For an example of how not to book your gap vacation, read on…. I recently went to an organised talk where a ‘travel guru’ was talking about her company - and she said that last year she couldn’t find anyone offering advice about gap travellers - so she set one up herself! 

If she was looking for help last year - what on earth would make you trust here for advice just 12 months later?  What type of advice could she really offer you about travelling, volunteering, teaching and living abroad if she has barely done it herself???

If this is your ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ and you are taking time of work or leaving your job - please don’t risk it.  Make sure you put yourself in the hands or a real and proven expert - even if you have to pay that bit extra!

3) Company Ethics:
There are many companies out there offering these fantastic vacations - but where does all the money go and who are they helping?

Check with your short-list of companies what projects they support and where your ‘fee’ is going.  Some companies charge a lot of money for your trip and pocket a large proportion of the money in admin.  Others will clearly advertise that a contribution goes to a charity working locally or to community projects for the long term.

Some trip organisers send huge numbers of volunteers to the same places - not so fair on the other communities and a bit to overwhelming on that one.  Better companies will share out the visitors and limit the impact of it’s travellers.  You are there to help the local people, not socialise with dozens of other travellers from your home country!

Also, make sure that they have a clear responsible travel policy and are a member or at least 1 ethical travel association - the more the better, really.  If you want to be sure you are travelling responsibly with them and that they have considered all their green alternatives for their trips - then don’t book if they can’t answer your questions politely and with answers you are happy with.

4) A Job Well Done:
Ideally, the travel company will make sure that you are suited to the trip you are booking!

By this I mean that they will check your experiences and your aims and will try to send you to the right location in terms of your skills and their needs.  It’s ok to choose your destination - but if your skills are better suited to another project on a different continent than a good volunteer firm will let you know.

You might have your heart set on the Andes - but if they are in desperate need of your skills in the Himalayas they may well see if they can twist your arm a bit.  They would never force you to go somewhere you don’t want to go - but if you are in this for the experience and to help others, then it is certainly worth considering your options.

5) What’s Left Behind:
If you are taking a longer break for your volunteering (a month or more) - make sure that what you leave behind is still in order while you are away.

Cancel or put a hold on magazines and subscriptions so endless amounts of mail don’t sit in your mailbox.  Not only will this show that you are away - it also means that you will have too much to read on your return and possibly waste these resources.  Check dates on all foodstuffs so that nothing is wasted and nothing goes out of date while you are away.

Set up online accounts for everything you can (so you can check it all wherever on the globe you are) and this also allows you to cancel paper billing for most accounts - you can check it all on the Internet - saving endless amounts of paper and postage!  You can even pay bills online though your bank account without having to go home or send the neighbor around!

Make sure that your appliances and electrical goods are unplugged - not on standby!  Buy a timer for your lights if you are leaving the house empty - or consider renting it out to friends for the duration to fund your trip and protect your home - and pets if you have any.  Check your fire alarm batteries and any alarm systems to make sure they are in perfect working order before you leave.

Check your mortgage and insurance papers to make sure you are covered if you are not living there - and make sure that you travel insurance covers the full time you are away - some annual policies only cover 3 months in total over any 1 year!

And Finally:
Enjoy yourself and have the time of your life - coming back a more experienced and more relaxed person!

If you want a change in your life - why not go out and look for it?

If you are in the UK this weekend and fancy seeing what the rest of your life could be like, then head over to Olympia in London for the One Life Live Show this weekend.

What’s There?
Well, there are over 200 seminars and workshops going on over the 3 days, and there are 8 zones to explore all included in the ticket price.  Added to this, there is the opportunity to take part in a paid professional workshops for a small extra cost.

Some of the seminars include topics like ‘The Impact of Volunteering’ and ’Making Travel Pay’ as well as some more individual themes including ‘How to Create Your Ideal Life’ and ‘How to Turn Your Vision into Action’

The 8 zones include ‘Travel & Career break’ and ‘Volunteering & Fundraising’ both great topics to help you make the most of your time whenplanning a travel break.  Many of the companies with stands are known through the industry for their responsible ethics and their community support policies as part of their products.

There are also stands that incorporate ‘Health and Wellbeing’ and some great ideas for your ‘Free Time’ including new hobbies and national groups to join to keep those green holidays in th UK interesting!

Go to their great, easy to use website for more details - as there is plenty to see - and get changing your life!

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