ECOCLUB Blogs™

Ten airlines, two Indian and eight Chinese, accounting for nearly 3% of global airline carbon emissions (which in turn account for around 1.6% of the total global carbon footprint), still refuse to meet a final, June 15 deadline to report their emissions data to the EU. According to an EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) effective from January 1, 2012,  all airlines flying to EU countries are obliged to cover 15% of their emissions by purchasing emission permits.  The extra charge, with carbon offset prices at record lows, expected to be paid by around 4,000 airlines, amounts to just 10 euros (on average) per ticket (close to the current cost of a ton of carbon) and very small to make flying less competitive than eco-friendlier modes of transport such as rail. It is also still unclear in what ways each EU country will use the funds so as to tackle climate change with the EU’s climate commissioner Connie Hedegaard still calling on EU finance ministers to earmark the ‘modest’ ETS cash for the environment. One more futile (or self-serving) attempt for green capitalism, indeed when the head of the International Energy Agency in 2009 said that the price per carbon ton needed to rise...

  An excellent example of how ecological farm tourism can help revive the real, local economy in Greece. We want more of this, and not at all pharaonic mega-tourism & real estate projects or oil platforms in the Aegean or Ionian.  

As I wrote in one of my recent travel stories, people are keen to see bears. Now there's an app for that. Where's the Bear app tells you where bears have been spotted in Yellowstone. Bears are popular sightings with tourists It makes it easier for wildlife watchers to see bears but it can also lead to bear jams and cause habituation of bears to people. This can ultimately lead to bear deaths. I also wonder if such an app could help poachers find wildlife. Currently it is used in a protected area but Parks are facing budget challengs which means there isn't a ranger behind every tree. And what is to stop technology to be used in this way outside of protected areas? Sometimes technology has effects we hadn't counted on. What's your feelings on Where's the Bear app? You can post here or join a discussion on Flickr http://bit.ly/JWuqLz

The Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre in Ban Khamyong, Luang Prabang province, Laos (TAEC)  is a non-government museum that relies on ticket and shop sales to keep its doors open. Grants and donations allow us to undertake significant research, conservation and education projects. Here in Laos, public cultural institutions and academia are in their infancy. The Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre was founded to promote understanding of Laos’ ethnic diversity and advocate for the survival and transmission of its cultural traditions. Now is a critical time, as Laos undergoes rapid modernisation and economic development. TAEC believes in supporting not just cultural traditions, but sustainable livelihoods for rural ethnic minorities. When TAEC visits communities for research, we not only ask questions about culture, but about village income levels, development issues, and education. TAEC maintains a small village fund to provide learning materials, health supplies, and emergency financial support to vulnerable source communities and community members.  While in Luang Namtha, Salavan, Attapeu, and Champassak provinces for handicrafts work in early 2012, TAEC distributed eyeglasses (important for older women who have spent years on detailed embroidery or weaving work!) and children’s books from Big Brother Mouse.       With US$50, we can provide a community...

  Tales from the Frontier, "Out of the Chaos" By Costas Christ, from the May 2012 issue Story on Greek Tourism http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/traveler-magazine/tales-from-the-frontier/greece/

  Despite of  the dificult country situation two small hotels from Honduras decided to become certified in order to show their engagement not only with the sustainable field but also with the social responsibility towards their local communities. These hotels have been certified in August 2011 by ICADE, with Smart Voyager seal, and have just been recognized by the Sustainabletrip.org website. This international website awards and promotes  Latin America’s hotels that perform actions for the conservation of natural resources, is managed by the Rainforest Alliance and BID FOMIN. If you want to know more about these hotels and in order to book, click on the link below :  http://www.sustainabletrip.org/search/index.cfm?cid=28&tod = The group Casa del Arbol Hotels in San Pedro Sula and the Hotel Guancascos in Gracias, Lempira, became the first hotels in Honduras to obtain an International Certificate in Sustainable Tourism. To qualify for this seal both hotels have been through  an arduous process of implementation of various best practices in their operations, and were audited by a team of professionals  from ICADE, Honduras and the Conservation and Development Corporation of Ecuador, using the Smart Voyager Standard, the result of this process scored a value higher than 90% compliance for them.

San Francisco, California, April 5, 2012, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm. Presentation on cultural-culinary heritage preservation projects in Crete, Greece by Chef Nikki Rose, Founder of the award-winning Crete’s Culinary Sanctuaries Eco-Agritourism Network. Rose is author of “Crete: The Roots of the Mediterranean Diet, enjoying the benefits of one of the world‘s healthiest cuisines wherever you live.“ Presentation followed by book signing and meze at Roots Restaurant, Orchard Garden Hotel, 466 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA. Space is limited. Advance reservations required. Details: http://www.cookingincrete.com/Nikki-Rose-Book-Presentation-Crete-The-Roots-of-the-Mediterranean-Diet3.html

  While the E.U. is pressing airlines to cut carbon emissions, and the US and China traditionally trying to block any global climate action measure, an online debate on the burning (literally) and usually swept-under-the-carpet issue of "whether 'sustainable' tourism can include flying" is being held at the University of Central Lancashire, UK on 30th March. Valere Tjolle and Dr Davina Stanford will defend the sustainability of flying while Professor Les Lumsdon and Paul Peeters will oppose it. Details can be found at http://www.uclan.ac.uk/schools/ssto/research/itt/debate_can_sustainable_tourism_include_flying.php and http://www.2343ec78a04c6ea9d80806345d31fd78-gdprlock/FlyingDebateUCLan   For anyone who approaches and understands ecotourism as ecological tourism and not just as elitist nature travel, it is clear that flying is problematic to say the least. I prefer bikes, trains, hiking, public transport, social tourism, accessible for all. Jetting off to a luxury award-winning pseudo-eco resort at the other end of the planet has little to do with ecological principles. But "sustainability" is a different ball game, it is an apolitical term, excellent for use in consultants reports, just like corporate social responsibility. Perhaps a debate on the "corporate social responsibility' of airlines should follow :)  Now, for a truly eco way of flying, Icarus-style, watch the video below, although it's a hoax:       

  A note on the question of biological control following the publication of an opinion piece by Professor David Bowman of our School of Plant Science in Nature, vol 482, p.30, 2 Feb 2012 titled: “Conservation: Bring elephants to Australia?" David’s comments were grounded in concerns about the inability to control one of Australia’s worst environmental weeds, African gamba grass, which could transform north Australian landscapes such as World heritage listed Kakadu wetlands, into landscapes of greatly reduced biodiversity. Native Australian animals (kangaroos, euros, wallabies, etc) cattle, and other introduced feral animals (camels, horses, pigs) are unable to control the spread of this exotic plant, finding it unpalatable. As gamba grass takes over, populations and diversity of native animals and birds are significantly reduced. And as its biomass increases the risk of devastating bushfires, with consequential increased ‘collateral’ damage to native wildlife, also intensifies. Fire apparently increases its spread through vigorous re-growth instead of destroying it. David’s left-of-field idea was that since gamba grass is standard fare for elephants and rhinos one element of land management might be accomplished by bringing them into affected areas (and incidentally: i) diversifying conservation efforts for these endangered species because of Australia’s ability to control poaching; and ii)...

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