ecologic travel consultancy & community - since 1999

What could render Oil irrelevant? Solar power. Similarly with Oil blockades, if Cuba's China-backed massive solar electricity expansion - 20% in the past year - continues. Every cloud has a silver lining. socialistchina.org/2026/02/25/with-chinese-support…

With Chinese support, Cuba triples solar power in one year - Friends of Socialist China

In the Green sphere, economy, society, politics, there is always a debate raging about what constitutes the right (or left) shade of green, with accusations of greenwashing on the one side and loonie-tree-hugging-primitivism on the other. We have always been of the opinion that we need ALL shades of green, if we are ever to create a strong green pole (economy, society, politics). We need to...In the Green sphere, economy, society, politics, there is always a debate raging about what constitutes the right (or left) shade of green, with accusations of greenwashing on the one side and loonie-tree-hugging-primitivism on the other. We have always been of the opinion that we need ALL shades of green, if we are ever to create a strong green pole (economy, society, politics). We need to avoid the self-defeating narcissism of small green differences, especially between people who - supposedly - dislike leaders and have an open mind, support free thinking and free speech, enthusiastically endorse variety, stand for sharing resources, direct democratic deliberations and so on. Show more

Thank you so much for the input. Factors such as affordability and availability of sustainable options must be established and I’m glad to be a part of a community of green professionals

Very interesting point. It reminds me of the once-fashionable flight-offset / modern absolution paper industry. I suppose it depends on the specific traveller, if they are truly or superficially green, if they are morally consistent rather than moral

There always were "Bad Tourists", from the times only Nobles traveled independently and internationally on the Grand Tour, to the age of mass tourism. What seems to have changed, in many destinations, is that this is no longer tolerated, with punishment ranging from small fines, to hefty fines, to deportation, to incarceration. Blatant Racism is certainly punishable, and rightly so, but the...There always were "Bad Tourists", from the times only Nobles traveled independently and internationally on the Grand Tour, to the age of mass tourism. What seems to have changed, in many destinations, is that this is no longer tolerated, with punishment ranging from small fines, to hefty fines, to deportation, to incarceration. Blatant Racism is certainly punishable, and rightly so, but the debate, in Argentina and Brazil, is what constitutes a fair punishment. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/world/americas/brazil-a… Show more

Progress in EU Cycling Tourism: Twelve Inspectors have surveyed the EuroVelo 10 – Baltic Sea Cycle Route, part of a European network of long-distance cycle routes spanning across 90,000+ km. Their findings are largely positive, with a majority of the largely flat, coastal route being traffic-free, on perfect or good quality surfaces and with adequate accommodation and food services. Suggestions...Progress in EU Cycling Tourism: Twelve Inspectors have surveyed the EuroVelo 10 – Baltic Sea Cycle Route, part of a European network of long-distance cycle routes spanning across 90,000+ km. Their findings are largely positive, with a majority of the largely flat, coastal route being traffic-free, on perfect or good quality surfaces and with adequate accommodation and food services. Suggestions for improvement include creating separate infrastructure for pedestrians, better signposting and branding, additional toilets and fountains, and better maintenance of some coastal paths in the face of climate change and cliff erosion. pro.eurovelo.com/news/2026-02-23_evaluation-of-eur… Show more

Evaluation of EuroVelo 10 – Baltic Sea Cycle Route: more than 2,600 km surveyed with ECS in less than a year! - EuroVelo for Professionals

In less than a year, twelve EuroVelo Route Inspectors surveyed more than 2,600 km along the southern part of EuroVelo 10 – Baltic Sea Cycle…

Reading this news item, I noted a paradox: by accurately describing, documenting, and protecting Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) we are creating a tangible commodity, ready for tourism use. At the same time we may be fossilizing and decontextualizing these valuable but dynamic and local cultural traditions. I suppose it can be a positive development depending on who holds the rights of the...Reading this news item, I noted a paradox: by accurately describing, documenting, and protecting Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) we are creating a tangible commodity, ready for tourism use. At the same time we may be fossilizing and decontextualizing these valuable but dynamic and local cultural traditions. I suppose it can be a positive development depending on who holds the rights of the 'official' version of the intangible heritage, who decides how these (intellectual property) rights can be used in an industrial, for-profit context by the Tourism and other sectors (e.g. Fashion industry), who makes the profits and how they are distributed. But describing, categorizing, and officially recognizing tradition is neither a neutral nor an innocuous process. It rather resembles the way a multinational film studio turns traditional children's stories and dreams into blockbuster animation features. www.unesco.org/en/articles/thame-community-needs-i… Show more

Thame Community needs its Living Heritage to Strengthen Climate

The primary objective of this final gathering was to ensure that the intangible cultural heritage elements identified by the community and documented by experts reflect…

With all that is going on/wrong in the World right now, it's easy to feel disappointed and disoriented, especially if you are eco-minded, pro-peace, a positive person who expected the 21st Century to usher in a better, greener life for all. The way to get out of this self-defeating hopelesness, is to realize that you are not alone, you are part of a global majority who believes that another...With all that is going on/wrong in the World right now, it's easy to feel disappointed and disoriented, especially if you are eco-minded, pro-peace, a positive person who expected the 21st Century to usher in a better, greener life for all. The way to get out of this self-defeating hopelesness, is to realize that you are not alone, you are part of a global majority who believes that another world is not only theoretically possible but within our reach if we persist, insist and cooperate! Show more

IQAir.com is a useful, free air quality index service covering the world, using citizen science! Anyone can participate by purchasing and installing an air quality monitor. Hopefully awareness of how poor air quality is in some areas, can help exert pressure on authorities. Check out your area at www.iqair.com/

A research article just published in Nature found, rather unsurprisingly that "overtourism perceptions directly reduce residents’ support for tourism development". Overtourism perhaps has to do more with 'perceptions' than with actual measurements. Only acute observers can perceive something before it becomes perceivable, but ideally this the role of tourism authorities: to keep measuring so as not to...A research article just published in Nature found, rather unsurprisingly that "overtourism perceptions directly reduce residents’ support for tourism development". Overtourism perhaps has to do more with 'perceptions' than with actual measurements. Only acute observers can perceive something before it becomes perceivable, but ideally this the role of tourism authorities: to keep measuring so as not to reach the point were overtourism becomes all too evident. www.nature.com/articles/s41599-026-07004-6 Show more

How do overtourism perceptions affect residents’ support?—from the perspective of conservation of resources theory | Humanities and Social Sciences Communications

Guided by the Conservation of Resources Theory, this study explores how residents’ overtourism perceptions affect their support for local tourism development. An integrated structural equation…

If you are in Athens and a fan of Lanthimos' deliciously absurd films don't miss the chance to catch a rare exhibition of the renowned filmmaker's photography at Onassis Stegi, until 17 May 2026. www.onassis.org/whats-on/yorgos-lanthimos-photogra…

The influential philosopher Jurgen Habermas, who passed away today, had focused on Social Media in recent years. His critique of giant commercial platforms that undermine the public sphere and deliberative democracy for profit is particularly interesting. In fact he also proposed actions that democratic states should undertake, including forcing platforms to make algorithms transparent, stop...The influential philosopher Jurgen Habermas, who passed away today, had focused on Social Media in recent years. His critique of giant commercial platforms that undermine the public sphere and deliberative democracy for profit is particularly interesting. In fact he also proposed actions that democratic states should undertake, including forcing platforms to make algorithms transparent, stop amplifying polarizing content, and subsidize independent journalism.
revdem.ceu.edu/2023/02/02/digital-fragmentation-ha… Show more

Digital Fragmentation. Habermas on the New Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere | Review of Democracy

Markus Patberg reviews Jürgen Habermas’s new book Ein neuer Strukturwandel der Öffentlichkeit und die deliberative Politik [A New Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere and…

Check out this interesting two-week permaculture design course on location in Tinos island. Greece, this May. www.tinosecolodge.gr/news/permaculture-design-cour…

Certified PDC 2026 – Tinos Eco Lodge

Looking forward to our online discussion tomorrow (Tuesday 10th of March at 7:00 UTC) with Masaru Takayama, Founding Chairperson, Japan Alliance of Responsible Travel Agencies, about how destinations, businesses, and communities can work together to create tourism models that are both resilient and sustainable.

The Agenda includes:

Practical Approaches to Next-Generation Sustainable Tourism
~ Lessons...Looking forward to our online discussion tomorrow (Tuesday 10th of March at 7:00 UTC) with Masaru Takayama, Founding Chairperson, Japan Alliance of Responsible Travel Agencies, about how destinations, businesses, and communities can work together to create tourism models that are both resilient and sustainable.

The Agenda includes:

Practical Approaches to Next-Generation Sustainable Tourism
~ Lessons from Greece and the EU: Systems that Balance Environmental Conservation with Business ~

** Key Takeaways **
・The mechanism of Greece's "Climate Crisis Resilience Fee" and its impact on local communities.
・Concrete business models for biodiversity protection through tourism.
・Secrets for SMEs to balance sustainability and digitalization.
・Recommendations for Japanese destinations from a global "Smart Tourism" perspective.

To register, please use this form:
docs.1d5920f4b44b27a802bd77c4f0536f5a-gdprlock/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdF4qq25OTD7bNk7A…

For more details please visit
yamatogokoro.jp/event/59260/ (in Japanese) Show more

Apart from ordinary people, World Heritage - and the whole of the travel sector - a peace industry - also suffers, once more, at the hands of warmongers.... www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/3/3/golestan…

Golestan Palace majorly damaged in US-Israeli strikes on Tehran | Newsfeed | Al Jazeera

Tehran’s historic Golestan Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has sustained major damage after US-Israeli strikes.