ecoclub.com/blogs - news & views from ecoclub.com members

Magic Anavra (catabra)

Anavra (Ανάβρα - 780 m asl, pop 1,000) is a mountain village and municipality on the slopes of mount Othrys, in the middle of peninsular Greece, in Magnesia prefecture near Almyros. (Map). What is so special about it? Occupied by the descendants of nomadic Sarakatsani , it enjoys 0% unemployment at a time of crisis and reactionary IMF-imposed austerity in Greece, and one of the few mountain villages where the population is steadily growing. It produces its own renewable energy with the highest Wind farm in Greece (at 1600 mt) at Alogorahi (“Horse’s Ridge”). It has a latest technology - certified Municipal Slaughter House (which sounds a bit scary but at least the meat is organic and free range although at the detriment of mountain vegetation), some 15,000 goats and sheep and an equal number of cows and swines. Also, a municipal Museum of Stockraising (no suprise there), a municipal (free) elementary school and kindergarden, many springs, old fountains, water mills, byzantine churches, climbing ranges, and a “Natural & Cultural” Park where if you are lucky (or drunk) you may still see elderly women washing clothes the old way in the "dristela" or "nerotrivi". The village architecture is not as spectacular...

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solidarity tourists vs. pirates

Piracy in international waters is on the rise in recent years... Latest example in the eastern Med. Against peace activists, solidarity tourists, from over 50 countries. With a still unknown number of victims. In solidarity, follow this link to a Gaza strip guide by a Palestinian NGO working in alternative tourism, and this link by the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism, to read about all the great sights we cannot currently visit in Gaza, the world’s largest open air prison.

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CCS enters "Innovation for Biodiversity Photo Contest"

Greetings,Crete's Culinary Sanctuaries submitted a few entries to the"Innovation for Biodiversity Photo Contest." Here's one submission, please consider voting for CCS! Many thanks.  Supporting the people working is this field is crucial if we expect to enjoy it. http://myoocreate.com/challenges/innovation-for-biodiversity-photo-contest/entries/218 All the best, Nikki

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Ecotourism - Responsible Travel on Local Conditions

I was asked to write a short article to AEGEE booklet Youth’s Eye on Sustainability. Here it is: http://www.european-ecotourism.com/ecotourism-responsible-travel-on-local-conditions/

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'don't get caught in a bad hotel'

  8 May 2010, San Francisco: a "flashmob" infiltrates the Westin St. Francis hotel and performs an adaptation of a popular song, to draw attention to a boycott called by the hotel workers demanding a fair contract and affordable healthcare. More details about boycotted hotels can be found at: http://www.hotelworkersrising.org/HotelGuide/boycott_list.php

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Crete's Culinary Sanctuaries Spring Newsletter, Celebrating Biodiversity

Crete's Culinary Sanctuaries Eco-Agritourism Network, Spring Newsletter, Celebrating Biodiversity, Organic Agriculture: http://www.cookingincrete.com/CCS-Newsletter-Spring-2010.html

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going astray

Recently there was a report in the Guardian about Kanellos 'the (Athenian) Protest Dog' intrepid follower of the demonstrators, always taking their side:http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2010/may/06/greece-protest?picture=362290874 The truth is that this is Kanellos II, as the legendary one passed away in 2008. They are both named after Kanella meaning Cinammon due to their colour. Looking at old and new pictures, possibly there are more than one Kanellos at any time, and there is also another one called Loukanikos ("Sausage") In the centre of Athens there are many friendly stray dogs, which were neutered and tagged in the run up to the 2004 Olympics (aka the developers 12bn feast). The original organizers plan was to send them to the kennel and then probably "euthanize" them but there were protests and they dropped the plan. Near victims of the same policies that brought their biped fellow citizens to this point, they have a rightful place in the protests.

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Ecotourism Then & Now; Business Pioneers Forge Green Tourism Models

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Business Pioneers Forge Green Tourism Models Ecotourism 20 Years Ago Ecotourism entrepreneurs grafted their own interest in wildlife and ecology to the growing market for specialty travel, and tapped a client base that was ready to see the world’s last unmolested ecosystems.  These pioneers carried binoculars, watched birds as second nature, and were more likely to be found crawling on the ground to observe insects and mushrooms than scaling dramatic peaks.  According to Richard Ryel, co-founder of International Expeditions, early adventure and nature travel assumed their markets would be very similar but quickly found there was only a 5% overlap, even though their market demographics were very similar.   Ecotourism attracted a loyal clientele of nature enthusiasts, not mountain climbers, who were more than willing to pay to see wildlife.  Pioneers like Ryel and co-founder Steve Cox, of International Expeditions, created a sturdy enterprise model that opened new destinations, such as Belize, where travelers could quickly see toucans, Mayan tombs, morpho butterflies and parrot fish all in a 10 day expedition.  Kurt Kutay, who launched Wildland Adventures, based on his background in environmental science, was soon finding that trips to parks like Manuel...

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reviving old monuments...

May 4th: This morning bemused tourists wishing to visit the Acropolis were met with a giant banner complete with hammer & sickle asking the Peoples of Europe to Rise Up. It was the first day of a two day strike called by the public sector unions in response to massive layoffs and a 15% paycut imposed by the IMF and EU in return for providing loans to Greece. Surely a novel way of making old monuments interesting for visitors. Acerbic, conservative readers of the global north will think that "old monuments" also refers to communism/socialism and that it is the latter that is revived through such activism. Perhaps, and something similar may also happen in their own sleepy cities (this week there was even a rare demonstration on Wall Street!), but the popular movement is very much alive in Athens, a city that by accident or tradition perenially finds itself in the forefront of progress and human struggles. Athens' lively politics makes it an attractive destination to those travellers who make an effort to read and comprehend local history and culture. It is rather less attractive to luxury cruise passengers, some of whom were blockaded inside the port of Piraeus last...

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Chilimjosht 2010 from May 14 to 18

Chilimjosht, the spring festival of the Kalash communities in Rumbor, Birir and Bumborate, Chitral, Pakistan will be celebrated from May 14 to 18. This year both national and international tourists are expected to participate in the festival.You can please note the date of the festival in three of the Kalash valleys as follows:1) Rumbor May 14-15, 2010, two days2) Bumborate May 15-16, 2010, two days3) Birir May 18, only one dayYou can be in contact with us should you need more information related to the festival. Thanks!

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