ECOCLUB Blogs™

  The Guardian reports (or advertises?) that the Greek government plans to sell off state-owned land in some well-known resort islands such as Mykonos, and even entire islands, under pressure from the IMF and the EU. It is indeed tragic that our - nominally socialist - government, is enthusiastically (rather than under pressure) following thatcherite, neoliberal policies, which, along with disposing public utilities, facilities (ports, airports, trains, postal services) and public lands, include the dismantling of the social welfare state, the creation of a 'flexible' labour market and more.Otherwise the - usually quiet - sale of small islands is nothing new, some have been in private hands for generations, claimed (arbitrarily) by the descendants of sheperds, monks, fishermen, seamen etc. There are also some who have been bought and resold and are in the hands of Greek shipowners (famously Skorpios, Petalioi, Spetsopoula).The newspapers are of course trying to create provocative headlines - "Greek islands for sale", this time of the year, every year, snapped up by billionaires, singers etc. They are in fact advertising - the specific website that sells island properties - rather than criticising.Few of the perhaps 10,000 smaller islands and islets are suitable for habitation (and indeed for...

PESHAWAR, June 15, 2010: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Sports, Tourism and Culture Syed Aqil Shah while expressing his complete satisfaction over the arrangements made by the Provincial Tourism Department, and District Administration Chitral for the successful holding of Shandur Polo Festival from July 7 to 9 this year has said during the festival while Shandur will be decorated and President of Pakistan will be invited to the festival. This he said while presiding over a high level meeting to review and finalize arrangements for the Shandur Polo Festival here on Tuesday. The meeting besides Secretary Information, Sports was also attended by GM STC Muhammad Azam Khan DCO Chitral Rehmatullah Wazir, DPO Chitral, Commandant Chitral Scouts and representative of C&W and STC. The meeting expressed its full satisfaction over the arrangements made by the District Administration Chitral and Chitral Scouts for the festival. The lovers of the game anxiously wait for the festival and this    year Governors, Chief Ministers of the four provinces, Federal and Provincial Ministers VVIPs and Foreign Ambassadors would be invited to attend the Mela. Para gliding magic show, puppet show, musical chair for children and other colorful programme would be presented on the occasion. He said arrangements would...

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