Go Green

ETHICAL TRAVEL—WHAT IT MEANS AND WHERE TO GO

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 10:55:10 -0500

For the 2nd year, Ethical Traveler has issued “The Developing World’s 10 Best Ethical Destinations.” To create this list, the San Francisco-based project of Earth Island Institute conducts a study of the world's 70+ developing nations, from Albania to Zimbabwe. They begin their research by looking at three general categories: Environmental Protection, Social Welfare, and Human Rights. READ MORE AT http://www.ethicaltraveler.org/destinations/2008

LOVING GALAPAGOS TO DEATH

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 10:53:53 -0500

Ecuador's self-proclaimed "green" president, Rafael Correa, is reluctant to cap the number of tourists allowed into the islands for a simple reason: tourism to the Galapagos generates some $200 million a year in revenue. Carlos Macias, a spokesperson for Ingala, the regional planning agency, told The Observer that "Of course the tourist numbers have an environmental impact, but we cannot forfeit the economic opportunity." By Tania Campbell READ MORE AT http://www.ethicaltraveler.org/news.php

AROUND THE WORLD IN A CARBON CLOUD

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 10:50:56 -0500

"Join us on a remarkable 25-day journey by luxury private jet," invites the WWF in a brochure for its voyage to "some of the most astonishing places on the planet to see top wildlife, including gorillas, orangutans, rhinos, lemurs and toucans." The World Wildlife Fund’s luxury getaway will cost passengers $64,950 but cost the environment much more. The 36,800-mile trip in a Boeing 757 jet will burn about 100,000 gallons of jet fuel to produce roughly 1,231 tons of CO2. READ MORE AT http://www.junkscience.com/ByTheJunkman/20081009.html

DUBAI WARNS BEACHGOERS: STAY OUT OF THE SEA

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:22:47 -0500

Dubai authorities and doctors have warned beachgoers to stay out of the sea as illegally dumped sewage has contaminated parts of the emirate’s shoreline, according to published reports. The sewage has blackened the waters surrounding Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, close to Jumeirah Open Beach, and further up the coast in the same area. The advice comes just days before the Eid public holiday, which traditionally sees families flock to the city’s beaches. By Unal Basusta Sept. 30, 2008
READ MORE AT file:///Users/lisamullenneaux/Desktop/Resp.%20Tourism/Dubai%20warns%20beachgoers%20to%20stay%20out%20of%20sea%20-%20Dubai%20Beaches.webarchive

WHAT’S IN YOUR SUITCASE?

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:13:43 -0500

On October 27, 20 groups, including TIES, the UN Foundation and the Rainforest Alliance, released a new standard for the term "sustainable tourism." A draft of the criteria, posted at http://www.sustainabletourism criteria.org, mandates that sustainable-travel companies maximize benefits to the local population and culture through their businesses and take steps to remain carbon-neutral. "The challenge with the word 'green' is it tends to be limited only to environmental aspects of travel," says Ronald Sanabria of Rainforest Alliance. To Kate Dodson, deputy director of sustainable development at the UN Foundation, a trip to Washington, D.C., would be sustainable if one patronized local businesses, including farmers markets and craft boutiques, stayed at an energy-efficient hotel that took steps to benefit the local community, took public transit and went for a hike at Rock Creek Park. By Anna Kuchment | NEWSWEEK, Jul 12, 2008
READ MORE AT http://www.newsweek.com/id/145868

BIKE-SHARE COMING TO NYC?

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:44:56 -0500

The DOT (Dept. of Transportation) Says It Will Test the Waters by Ben Fried July 9, 2008
After dropping hints that 'Free Bike Fridays' on Governors Island could serve as a prelude to something bigger, DOT today announced its intention to "explore the concept of bike share and investigate the feasibility of instituting such a program in New York City." The agency has issued a Request for Expressions of Interest [PDF] to determine what a bike-share program in New York might look like, and how it would function.

FREEWHEELING PARIS

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:43:21 -0500

Parisians may have gone Vélib mad, but cycling in the city can be scary. Resident Agnès Poirier finds a quiet route via the best bistros and markets The novelty factor may have worn off but the romance between Parisians and le Vélib continues. Back from their long summer holidays, 215,000 of my fellow Parisians have renewed their annual subscription to the city-wide bicycle scheme. These, together with other occasional cyclists, such as tourists, make up the 100,000 daily rentals. Needless to say, the scheme is a "succès formidable".By Agnès Poirier The Guardian, October 18 2008.

CAN YOU SKI AND BE GREEN?

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:39:03 -0500

The skiing industry is frantically, forlornly, trying to stave off the deleterious effects of climate change with a series of measures that will only exacerbate the problem in the long run. The arrival of snow cannons at virtually every major resort over the past decade is the most worrying of trends. Working through the night as the skiers' attention turns to the delights of schnapps and fondue, these spray particles of water mixed with nucleating agents into the freezing air to create a blanket of artificial snow. A lack of the real stuff has forced the industry to rely on these machines, but their environmental impact is considerable.

Skiers are accused of destroying the very wilderness they love. We asked two experts for their views on the sport's impact, and got two very different responses. (See also the review of Hickman's "Final Call" on this blog.)By Leo Hickman GUARDIAN UK September 28 2008

TAKING THE SLOW BOAT

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:37:16 -0500

GOODBYE CHECK-IN, HELLO WORLD By KEVIN RUSHBY The Guardian, April 26 2008
The prospect of another summer of airport delays, extra security and lost luggage looms. But you can avoid the chaos - turn to water as a means for travel and accommodation. This roundup of alternative travel by canoe, freighter, barge, and mail packet suggests “the slow boat to China” may be the wave of our future.
Read more at http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/apr/26/top100.flightfreeholidays

GALAPAGOS EXPELS CITIZENS BUT NOT TOURISTS

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:35:45 -0500

Growth in population and tourism contaminate the islands' environment with alien species and pollution. But some say tourists, not citizens, should be kept out.
By Chris Kraul, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer, October 8, 2008

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, ECUADOR - A few weeks ago, 19 Ecuadorean citizens detained on these world-renowned islands were marched onto a plane and sent back to the continent under armed guard. Their crime? Illegal migration. So far this year, the government has expelled 1,000 of its citizens from the Galapagos, a living laboratory of unique animal and plant species, who were there without residency and work permits. It has also "normalized" 2,000 others, in effect giving most of them a year to leave.

TOURISM IN ANTARCTICA

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:33:40 -0500

ScienceDaily (Sep. 29, 2008) — Tourism on Antarctica is increasing and that can form a threat for the vulnerable South Pole area. Research from Maastricht University provides a possible solution: market the visitor rights to the highest bidder.
READ MORE AT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080926100703.htm

Interview with Susan Fox Rogers, Author of Antarctica: Life on the Ice with Jim Benning, World Hum, 2007 READ MORE AT http://www.worldhum.com/qanda/item/susan_fox_rogers_antarctica_changes_you_20071127/

Climate Change Will Destroy Penguin Colonies, Says World Wildlife Fund Report, Oct. 9, 2008
Half to three-quarters of major Antarctic penguin colonies face decline or disappearance if global temperatures are allowed to climb by more than 2°C. A new WWF report – 2°C is Too Much – shows that the colonies of 50 per cent of the iconic emperor penguins and 75 per cent of the Adélie penguins are under threat.  Climate change models forecast that a 2°C temperature rise above pre-industrial level could be a reality in less than 40 years, producing a strong reduction in the sea ice cover of the Southern Ocean which is an essential nesting and feeding ground for Emperor and Adélie penguins.  A reduction in the sea ice is also likely to have a knock-on effect on the abundance of krill, which is a vital food source for penguins.  Juan Casavelos, WWF Antarctica Climate Change Coordinator said: “Penguins are very well adapted to living in the cold and extreme conditions of Antarctica, so the continued increase in global temperature and resulting loss of feeding areas and nesting zones for their chicks has already led to notable reductions in their populations.  “If temperatures increase by another two degrees these icons of the Antarctic will be seriously threatened.”
READ MORE AT http://www.wwf.org.nz/index.php/about_us/media_releases/entry/climate_change_to_devastate_or_destroy_many_penguin_colonies/

SUMATRA PLEDGES TO PROTECT ITS FORESTS

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:31:30 -0500

Finally some good news…To protect Sumatra's remaining forests, a declaration was endorsed Sept. 2008 by provincial governments across Sumatra as well as the Indonesian government. This commits the governors of 10 Sumatran provinces, along with the Indonesian Ministries of Forestry, Environment, Interior and Public Works, to restore critical ecosystems in Sumatra and protect the island's amazing biodiversity. The governors will now work together to develop plans that will serve as the basis for future sustainable development on the island.

GREENLAND'S GLACIERS MELTING FASTER

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:29:40 -0500

Greenland’s Ilulissat glacier, one of the most active in the northern hemisphere, is now smaller than it has been in 150 years. The ice in some places on the coast is now melting four times faster than before, says Abbas Khan, a Dane who studies the movements of Greenland's glaciers at the Danish Space Centre.

Glaciers are considered very sensitive indicators of climate change. International attention usually focuses on the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica. Should they melt, the sea level might rise considerably. Moreover, the system of global ocean currents might change. In Europe, the Alps get special attention because they are popular for skiing and tourism in general. Glaciers in Austria and Switzerland are already being covered with plastic in summer, in an effort to slow down melting, by protecting the ice from the sun.

Even glaciers close to the equator are affected by global warming, however. Although they cover a total area of only 2,500 square kilometres, they are important. There are currently 18 glacier regions in Peru. According to the Instituto Nacional de Recursos Naturales, a body of the Ministry of Agriculture, the total area they cover declined by 22 % from 1970 to 1997. Latin America, by the way, is only a minor contributor to global warming. Barely four percent of worldwide emissions of carbon dioxide, the most important greenhouse gas, originate in this region. The USA, however, accounts for almost a third, and Europe for more than a quarter of global emissions. September 23, 2008, Agence-France Presse

HOW DO YOU MEASURE GREEN TOURISM?

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:27:36 -0500

How much tourism can a delicate landscape — or globe — sustain? NY Times October 6, 2008, By James Kanter

BARCELONA — The next time you see cranes and bulldozers at a congested airport, consider the following: There will be 1.6 billion tourists traveling the globe by the end of the next decade. That is nearly twice as many than at present – and it could have a profound impact on heavily visited parts of the globe. “Tourism is an extraordinary growth industry,” Achim Steiner, the executive director of the United Nations Environment Program, said on Monday at the World Conservation Congress in Barcelona. He said it was the responsibility of operators — from hoteliers to travel companies — as well as governments to ensure that sites are sustainable. READ MORE AT http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/06/is-there-any-such-thing-as-green-tourism/?pagemode=print

"NATURE LOSS DWARFS BANK CRISIS" SAYS EU REPORT

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:26:08 -0500

The global economy is losing more money from the disappearance of forests than through the current banking crisis, according to an EU-commissioned study. It puts the annual cost of forest loss at between $2 trillion and $5 trillion. The figure comes from adding the value of the various services that forests perform, such as providing clean water and absorbing carbon dioxide. The study, headed by a Deutsche Bank economist, parallels the Stern Review into the economics of climate change.10 October 2008, By Richard Black, Environment correspondent, BBC News website, Barcelona