ecologic travel consultancy & community - since 1999

An opportunity for Sustainable Aviation Fuel? The attack on Iran and currently the Hormuz blockade are driving jet fuel prices through the roof, as around 40% of the jet fuel used in Europe is produced in the Gulf. Is this an opportunity for locally produced Sustainable Aviation Fuel, which is otherwise far more expensive? This is produced from used cooking oil, agricultural waste, and synthetic...An opportunity for Sustainable Aviation Fuel? The attack on Iran and currently the Hormuz blockade are driving jet fuel prices through the roof, as around 40% of the jet fuel used in Europe is produced in the Gulf. Is this an opportunity for locally produced Sustainable Aviation Fuel, which is otherwise far more expensive? This is produced from used cooking oil, agricultural waste, and synthetic e-fuels (from captured carbon and renewable hydrogen) and currently represents just 0.6% of the total jet fuel consumed in the EU, far below the 2% Minimum Total SAF Mandate imposed in 2025. The minimum is supposed to reach 6% in 2030 and rise gradually to 70% by 2050, if the world is still around. Once more another problem is verification. Used cooking oil and fat - from restaurants and hotels - hopefully finds its way through intermediaries to SAF producers, the problem is that the end product is identical to normal jet fuel, while fraud is also perpetrated with the use of - not at all sustainable - palm oil.... So verification/certification schemes like this new one in the UK are important: www.greenairnews.com/ Show more

Scheme launched to provide independent verification of SAF traceability in the UK – GreenAir News

A new era starts—hopefully not a dystopian one, although there are worrying signs—as the EU applies a digital, biometric entry/exit system for travellers complete with facial images and fingerprints. travel-europe.europa.eu/ees

The Ostrich's way of (not) dealing with the Climate Crisis. It would be amusing if it weren't reckless. as the World Bank is a major source of Climate funding. Do we perhaps need new funding mechanisms immune to pressures from the fossil fuel lobby, climate denialists and assorted dinosaurs? www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/13/dont-m…

Don’t mention the climate: Trump creates ‘beyond absurd’ situation at global finance talks | Global climate talks | The Guardian

Developing countries face possible shelving of crucial green action plan at IMF and World Bank spring meetings

As you may be returning from your Easter break, this is a great poem on travel delays (train delays specifically) by the 'Banksy of Poetry', the great Brian Bilston. brianbilston.com/2026/03/31/a-poem-about-my-experi…

A poem about my experience of ‘travelling’ on Britain’s railways – Brian Bilston

The Poet Now Standing at Platform 3A The poet now standing at platform 3Ais the delayed 14.30 speaker for the Wits' End Poetry Festival, calling…

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…