ECOCLUB Blogs™

Environment Day on June 5th was celebrated with enthusiasm in Chitral town through the participation of environment activist, social workers and NGO and community representatives. A placard and banner bearing walk was taken out from Chew Bridge to polo ground Chitral. The feature of the walk was the participation of students from Broghil, in the Eastern Pamir region.     The walk came to an end after it reached the Chitral polo ground where community representatives and head of NGOs and environment activists addressed the gathering. The grave concern regarding environmental degradation was highlighted particularly in reference to the disappearing peat bog in Broghil, to the extreme north of the Chitral district. The speakers also pointed out the recent ecological imbalance that has resulted in the growing population of caterpillars destroying hawthorns, apple, mulberry and clover. This problem, they maintained, in northern Chitral is linked to the disappearing bird species such as black throated thrush, grey tit, and ‘chilingi’, local name for a tiny black bird. The question as to why they disappeared is not an easy one. Perhaps global warming or pesticide or  even hunting has wrecked havoc.   It was emphasized that school curriculum should be environmental-friendly and there...

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Sports, Culture & Tourism Syed Aqil Shah on Tuesday said that Shandur polo festival would be held from July 7-9 in a befitting manner.“President Asif Ali Zardari will be requested to attend the event on July 9 as chief guest,” the minister told a meeting held to review arrangements for Shandur festival. Sarhad Tourism Corporation (STC) managing director Muhammad Azam Khan and others attended the meeting.Syed Aqil Shah said the chief ministers, governors of the four provinces and ambassadors of different countries would also be invited. He said the PIA would run additional flights to Chitral from Peshawar and Islamabad on the occasion while roads from Chitral to Malakand and from Malakand to Shandur would be kept open.He said a tented village would be established at Shandur while media team for the coverage of the festival would also be sent. He said the responsibility of holding the Shandur festival would be given to a private company. He said Federal Minister for Culture Pir Aftab Jilani and Sindh Cultural Minister Sassi Paleejo have also been invited to the festival. --(The News, 02 June 10)Please visit the following website link  to read the text from original source please:...

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...

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.

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

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/

  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

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

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.