ecological tourism community & consultancy

Who needs rare earths? Finland just built a sand battery that can cover a whole town’s heating demands for a week in winter and a month in summer. www.cnbc.com/2026/07/25/finland-sand-battery-renew…

Sand battery: Finland’s radical answer to a renewable energy headache

A small Finnish town has turned to the world's largest commercial sand battery to tackle a major hurdle in the energy transition: intermittency.

Around 70,000 marched against overtourism in Mallorca, according to the organizers. Unless local people protest, authorities will never get the message that Tourism cannot just keep growing so that developers can make more $$$. Mallorca, a relatively small island, has seen its permanent residents grow by a third in the last 20 years to nearly 1m, while it also has to cope with 15m visitors, 40%...Around 70,000 marched against overtourism in Mallorca, according to the organizers. Unless local people protest, authorities will never get the message that Tourism cannot just keep growing so that developers can make more $$$. Mallorca, a relatively small island, has seen its permanent residents grow by a third in the last 20 years to nearly 1m, while it also has to cope with 15m visitors, 40% of whom arrive in July and August. www.majorcadailybulletin.com/news/local/2026/07/27… Show more

Eight people injured following clashes with police at the end of Sunday's tourism protest in Mallorca

Some of the crowd wanted to continue the protest. Police responded to objects being thrown by firing rubber bullets

In the quest to replace plastic packaging, Ooho is a very promising solution, a natural, fully biodegradable, film made from seaweed. It can even contain liquids such as water. The green solutions are already here, but ignorance, inertia and established interests are blocking their adaptation. www.notpla.com/ooho

Ooho | Edible Water Pods & Biodegradable Packaging

Ooho is an edible, plastic-free water pod made from seaweed. A biodegradable alternative for drinks, sauces, and single-use liquids, it disappears naturally after use. Perfect…

Nothing will ever convince or worry climate change deniers. The rest of us should put our act together. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/24/world/europe/france-spa…

You may ask, how would a giant cosmetics company, part of Unilever, dispense its cosmetics, if not inside cheap virgin plastic? There are many alternatives, including: paper, aluminum, stainless steel, glass, silicone. In fact Unilever is part of The Sustainable Packaging Initiative for CosmEtics (SPICE) that supposedly promotes these alternatives (or appears to do so to promote self-regulation...You may ask, how would a giant cosmetics company, part of Unilever, dispense its cosmetics, if not inside cheap virgin plastic? There are many alternatives, including: paper, aluminum, stainless steel, glass, silicone. In fact Unilever is part of The Sustainable Packaging Initiative for CosmEtics (SPICE) that supposedly promotes these alternatives (or appears to do so to promote self-regulation rather than legislation). We must put pressure on these companies, also via legislation, so that they stop treating the environment and our health (see microplastics) as an externality! www.greenpeace.org/international/act/dove-kick-out… Show more

Tell Dove: Kick out plastic to protect health! - Greenpeace International

Tell Dove to kick out plastic to protect people and the planet!

Survival International condemns the arrest - without a warrant - of Pranab Doley, an activist leading protests against a new 5-star resort of a multinational, on indigenous land near Kaziranga National Park, a World Heritage Area, in Assam, India. According to the NGO, the planned hotel has led to the eviction of over 45 Adivasi families, and will affect the livelihoods of hundreds more. If...Survival International condemns the arrest - without a warrant - of Pranab Doley, an activist leading protests against a new 5-star resort of a multinational, on indigenous land near Kaziranga National Park, a World Heritage Area, in Assam, India. According to the NGO, the planned hotel has led to the eviction of over 45 Adivasi families, and will affect the livelihoods of hundreds more. If accurate, it means that the authorities are treating indigenous people far worse than wild animals. But I am sure they will probably save enough of both as props for luxury tourists. IPRI, the Indigenous Peoples Rights International, has also called for Mr Doley's immediate release. The only language developers understand is $$$, unless someone successfully sues them, they will keep building such 'resorts' and displacing peoples. www.survivalinternational.org/news/14531 Show more

India: Indigenous activist arrested after protesting luxury hotel project

Dozens of police officers in India have arrested the prominent Indigenous rights activist Pranab Doley,

Yet another inspiring proposition from Professor Sachs on this important milestone. But is anyone listening in Washington? www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202607/03/WS6a471746a31098…

US at 250: A time to return to the founders' wisdom - Opinion - Chinadaily.com.cn

On Saturday, the United States will mark the 250th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence. The occasion deserves reflection — not only on what the…

The village of Vamvakou is one of the most successful examples of regeneration in Greece, which has also included Roots Tourism. The Vamvakou Revival Organization, a social cooperative enterprise was created in 2018 with support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), envisioning Vamvakou as a "model village" based on sustainable development and community regeneration. The number of...The village of Vamvakou is one of the most successful examples of regeneration in Greece, which has also included Roots Tourism. The Vamvakou Revival Organization, a social cooperative enterprise was created in 2018 with support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), envisioning Vamvakou as a "model village" based on sustainable development and community regeneration. The number of permanent residents has already increased from 9 to 30, a clear indication of success. The Vamvakou Experience Festival taking place this weekend 4-5 July 2026, is a great opportunity to visit the village and witness that "roots are the most natural network still connecting everything"! #rootstourism #VamvakouRevival ecoclub.com/blogs/regeneration-through-roots-touri… Show more

Regeneration through Roots Tourism: Vamvakou Village, Peloponnese - Blog

The village of Vamvakou is arguably one of the most successful examples of regeneration in Greece, which has also included Roots Tourism. Founded in the…

Fire season has started in Europe, intensified by the current extraordinary Heat Wave. Some useful links for monitoring and staying safe:
- EU Copernicus:
gwis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/
- NASA FIRMS:
firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/map/
- Zoom Earth (also App)
zoom.earth
- Windy (also App)
windy.com

GWIS - Welcome to GWIS

The Global Wildfire Information System (GWIS) is a joint initiative of the GEO and the Copernicus Work Programs. It aims at bringing together existing information…

Something you must have surely observed in crowded beaches www.nature.com/articles/s42003-026-10499-z

Rhythm and timing in laughter reveal that human vocal plasticity falls on a hominid continuum | Communications Biology

Laughter is an important, universal form of human non-linguistic vocal expression and, being shared by all extant great apes, offers a valuable proxy for tracing…