Recently the federal government has approved a Glacier Discovery Walk in Jasper National Park, which has raised concerns that the increased tourism will impact the Columbia Icefield. The main attraction, the Athabasca Glacier, is the walk’s main attraction and already the most visited glacier in North America. Unfortunately, it has been deteriorating at an accelerated pace because of global warming.

This is the case for many other natural resources that aren’t just losing the battle to climate change, but also under thread from tourism and development as well.

Here are some key locations to note:

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

These volcanic islands off the coast of Ecuador are found in the Pacific Ocean. Known for their richness in biodiversity,  hundreds of species of plant and animal life found on the islands exist only here. But with over 150,000 visitors per year, the species are all under increasing threat. Furthermore, the introduction of new species to the islands causes additional threats to the wildlife and plant life that currently exist there.

Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo

Known for its population of mountain gorillas, this 7,800-square-kilometre park is Africa’s oldest national park,and includes mountains, icefields, savannas, swamps, and active volcanoes. The different habitats and wildlife throughout the park, including the less than 800 mountain gorillas that still exist there, have been damaged by the civil war, poachers, and foresters. Though these affects should be minimized, they are all still in full force, whether its current affects or terrible aftermath.

Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System

Because of the area’s unparalleled beauty, tens of thousands of visitors come to this coastal area each year. Here they will find the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere (second largest in the world), along with mangrove forests, sand cays, coastal lagoons and coral islands. It extends almost 300 kilometres from the Belize-Mexico border south and is divided into seven marine reserves and national parks. There is a large variety of plant and marine life here, including endangered species such as the marine turtle, manatee and the American crocodile.

Great Barrier Reef, Australia

This 2,000-kilometre reef is the largest in the world, with hundreds of species of marine life living here. Located off the coast of Queensland state, it includes  many types of hard and soft coral, along with six of the world’s seven threatened species of marine turtle. Because of the agricultural and mining runoff that drains into the ocean, the reef is under constant threat.

Dead Sea

The Dead Sea, located between Israel and Jordan, is filled with mineral-rich waters of that draw in many international tourists for the unique ability to float easily on the water.  Its surface is 417 metres below sea level and the lowest place on earth and a huge tourist destination. However, it isn’t the numerous hotels, resorts, and visitors that cause the issue. Instead,  there is a decrease in the water levels in recent years due to nearby mining operations and water consumption from the rivers upstream.

Machu Pichu, Peru

Machu Pichu is one of the most important archeological and cultural sites in Latin America, and a tourist destination. The beauty is found in these ruins of an ancient city of the Inca empire, which is located 2,430 metres above sea level in a tropical mountain forest in the Peruvian Andes. It is noted as an endangered location because of the threat from a continually increased  urban development, tourism and neglect.

Here are some tips, ideas, and places to go for a more sustainable spring break.

Just save some money

Even budget travel is a better idea than going all out on a vacation that you don’t need. Although some vacations can be inevitably expensive at the purchase point, there are lots of ways to save money once you’re there enjoying the beach, exhibits, or local culture. Consider renting a villa, ask for discounts, check out free tourism, or volunteer.

Look for eco-friendly tourist options

If you’re planning on heading over to Victoria, British Columbia for a getaway, be sure to get in some whale watching. Eagle Wing Tours offers eco-friendly whale watching, an experience that you’ll never forget. Read more here: Victoria, BC whale watching.

Choose an eco-friendly destination

If you can’t prevent carbon emissions in other ways, consider just finding an eco-friendly spring break destination, which will help put a dent in your environmental impact. This might be as simple as going to a place rich in local culture, where you can support their own initiatives, renting from a homestay, or helping promote local events.

For an all-inclusive trip

For those that like to still travel with a little style and luxury, there are many eco-inspired full resorts that can cater to your needs. These getaways have all the luxury and beauty that smarmy spas and lodges do, but without the impact. Check out our top ten eco-resorts here.

Go for carbon offsets

Once you’ve bought your plane tickets, thick of the carbon offsets to help minimize the carbon dioxide outputs you will be generating. You can calculate your total by plugging it into the Carbon Neutral Calculator from CarbonNeutral flights. For example, if two of you are travelling from JFK in New York to the Santo Domingo for a warm getaway, and opting for economy class, you’ll be emitting 1.19 tonnes of carbon dioxide! Calculate your carbon emissions here. Most airlines carbon offsets with the purchase of a ticket, including Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways, as well as travel sites like Expedia and Travelocity.

Take a Road Trip

If you have nothing planned and set in stone, consider hitting the open road. Plan to stay with friends or family, pack the car with everything you need, and, if you can, rent a hybrid car to help offset the emissions and gas you’ll be guzzling. You’ll also save some serious cash, too.

Volunteer vacations

Opting to volunteer while seeing the world is not only a more sustainable way to travel, but a unique look at the world through new eyes.  GoEco, for example, is a company that can easily make this happen. Created by volunteers, they strive to help those who are interested in traveling, as well as giving back to the communities, wildlife, and environments at their destination. Most colleges also organize volunteer opportunities, such as through organizations like  Habitat for Humanity, or with local community groups painting schools, planting trees, or engaging in another worthwhile green activity. Read more ideas here.

Check out the green rating

Eco Hotels of the World provides a much-needed resource dedicated to showcasing the most environmentally-friendly hotels in the world. This free online guide includes a  list of hotels that are specifically selected by their editors to ensure they meet their standards for eco-friendliness. If they aren’t exactly what you are looking for, stay with the locals in hostels and small housing and support the local community. The Green Hotels Association also outlines sustainability criteria that hotels must meet to make it on their list.

The Sustainable Spices Initiative (SSI) has a goal to transform the mainstream spice industry into a more sustainable market, which in turn will secure future sourcing, as well boost economic growth in producing countries.

Founded by four leading players in the Dutch spices market – Euroma, Intertaste, Verstegen and Unispices, along with McCormick, Unilever and Nedspice, the group aims to, by the end of 2012, have a globally accepted mainstream sustainability standard for spices finalized. And by 2015, their goal is to have 20% of all black and white pepper imported  in the European Union from Indonesia and Vietnam produced against this sustainable spice standard.

And today, our friends at the Rainforest Alliance have teamed up with them.

Rainforest Alliance Spices up Sustainability with New Standard

The Rainforest Alliance today announced that it has teamed up with the Sustainable Spices Initiative (SSI) to develop new standards for sustainable spice production, in accordance with Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) standards. SSI is the first major program to address sustainability in the production of spices and this announcement marks the 11^th World Spice Congress in Pune, India.

Founded by the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) and four leading players in the Dutch spice market, this major spice program will aim to implement SAN standards to the production of 34 different types of culinary spices. These standards will address key issues in the production of spices, including loss of biodiversity, heavy use of agrochemicals and poor conditions for workers — problems which plague the production of spices globally.

“We’re delighted that the leading spice companies have recognized the value of the SAN standards for building sustainability in the industry,” said Chris Wille, chief of sustainable agriculture at the Rainforest Alliance. “Through our network of local partners in the main producing countries, we will adapt and develop the standards to ensure the economic, social and environmental management aspects of how spices are produced are sustainable.”

The first phase of the project, which will run from 2012-2015, will focus on seven spices: pepper, chili, ginger, turmeric, vanilla, clove and cassia. The four production countries for the first phase will include: Vietnam, India, Indonesia and Madagascar. It is expected that the Rainforest Alliance will complete the standard for pepper by the end of 2012.

Current practices in the production of spices are having an adverse effect on the environment. Through the adoption of the SAN standards, an array of areas will be addressed including: soil and water conservation; the protection of wildlife and forests; responsible waste management; and the prohibition of dangerous pesticides and genetically modified organisms.

Additionally, the SAN standards encompass a range of worker protection issues identified by the International Labour Organization, including the right to organize; the right to a safe, clean working environment; the right to be paid at least the national minimum wage; the right to dignified housing (including potable water); access to medical care for workers and their families; and access to free education for children. Farmers who work with the Rainforest Alliance also learn to increase productivity and control costs, often producing higher quality crops that can earn a better market price.

“We have found that farmers engaged in the Rainforest Alliance program learn how to grow smart, increasing their bottom line today and conserving the fertile soils and natural resources on which their children will depend,” said Eric Servat, manager of the cocoa program at the Rainforest Alliance. “This ambitious project will help farmers in the four production countries achieve this, and will also make the Rainforest Alliance a major player in the certification of spices.”

###

The Rainforest Alliance works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travelers. From large multinational corporations to small, community-based cooperatives, businesses and consumers worldwide are involved in the Rainforest Alliance’s efforts to bring responsibly produced goods and services to a global marketplace where the demand for sustainability is growing steadily. For more information, visit www.rainforest-alliance.org.

.

The Sustainable Spices Initiative was founded in 2010 by The Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) and four leading players in the Dutch spice market – Euroma, Intertaste, Verstegen and Unispices. In January 2011 Unilever and Nedspice joined the consortium, followed later that year by McCormick. Societal organisations that have committed to SSI are the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT), Both Ends and Cordaid. The SSI is open to additional players in the spices industry and to stakeholders in the four selected producing countries.

www.sustainablespicesinitiative.com.

Whether you’re looking for adventure or relaxation, there are so many choices for travelling sustainably. Luckily, organizations like ResponsibleTourism.com are there to help. They believe that responsible tourism is a better way to travel, where you get a more authentic experience, and your holiday benefits local people and the environment. As they say, “Responsible tourism simply means holidays that care about local communities and culture, as well as wildlife conservation and the environment.”

Here are some of our favorites:

If you like adventure…

The site features over 1268 adventure holidays, from sea or river kayaking and surfing, to cycling and horseback riding. It will take you up Mount Kilimanjaro, across the Galapagos or through the rich culture of the Middle East.

Try this: Peru Multi-Sport Vacation

They say: Perfect for the active adventurer looking for a challenge, this trip will have you hiking, biking and paddling through Peru’s Andes Mountains and into the jungle below. Conquer a whitewater river by raft and hike the Inca Trail to the cloud forest citadel of Machu Picchu and spectacular views. Tear it up on mountain bikes on a descent into the Manu Cloud Forest, raft wild rivers and get your adrenaline pumping on exciting optional excursions.

How it helps: The crew ensures minimal social and eco-impact, uses local transportation, and stays in locally-owned hotels. They also work with local guides. While in Cuzco, you’ll support two non-profit organizations, including the Inca Porter Project (IPP) and the Inti Runakunaq Wasin (House of the People of the Sun). On this tour you’ll also visit two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the city of Cuzco and the historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu.

If you want to help a charity…

The site features many types of travel based around charity challenges, which are ideal for people who want to travel responsibly, as well as give that little bit extra and help contribute towards a favourite charity. These trips are either run by charities, or contribute a significant proportion of the cost of the holiday to a charity.

Try this: Zambezi canoeing holiday and community project, Zambia

They say: Transfer to Livingstone the home of breathtaking Victoria Falls – the planet’s largest curtain of water, considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World. In Livingstone you will spend 3 full days volunteering at a school or centre for HIV+ children in Lusaka. Then experience the journey of a lifetime, as you experience a five day waterborne safari, as you canoe down the Zambezi River, spotting wild game as you go!

How it helps: This unique tour doesn’t just let you “see” Africa, but provides you with the chance to help local people suffering from the onslaught of AIDS by making their community centre, school or place of work a more enjoyable place to be. All hotels you travel in are eco-driven, the hotel workers are treated fairly, and you’ll help the locals while you’re there.

If you’re bringing the family…

Good thing there are 831 family holidays to choose from, including activity for the kids, relaxation for the grownups, and everything in between. There are adventure, peace and quiet, beaches, and safaris.

Try this: Tanzania wildlife and beach holiday

They say: This itinerary has been carefully designed to sample some of the incredible contrasts of Tanzania – from the lushly forested Usambara Mountains to the exotic palm-fringed beaches of Zanzibar.

Begin your holiday relaxing and walking around the tranquil Usambara Mountains, exploring their rich biodiversity. Enjoy the company and knowledge of the local villagers as they guide you on a walk up to the Irente Viewpoint from where there are spectacular views over the Maasai plains more than 1000m below. You then move on to Arusha, to begin a 4 day private safari covering the Tarangire National Park, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. You will have a highly knowledgeable local Tanzanian safari guide accompanying you on these days to help you make the most of the incredible landscapes and diverse wildlife that you will encounter. Amongst many others, you can hope to spot lions, cheetahs, elephants, giraffe, hippo, zebra and if you are lucky perhaps even black rhino and leopards.

Following safari, you will fly to Zanzibar, and spend a few nights in exotic Stone Town. Guide yourself through the maze of narrow streets and you will find something fascinating around every corner – from the old slave market to the former palace of the Sultan. Enjoy a trip to Jozani forest where you can watch the rare red colubus monkeys playing in the trees. The itinerary ends with a few days relaxing on the east coast of Zanzibar, enjoying the exquisite white palm-fringed beaches and clear turquoise sea.

How it helps: The programs are run entirely by local people, with all proceeds going to the local communities. The accommodations used are all small-scale local hotels, and the safari company is owned and run by a Tanzanian couple only employing Tanzanian guides, drivers and cooks. All food is local as well. The travel guides also give basic responsible travel advice to help bring guests into direct contact with locals from a range of different tribes and cultures across Africa.

If you want to learn something new…

These holidays combine amazing sightseeing with developing your knowledge and skills, through crafts, languages, sports and music, and are operated by worldwide specialists committed to the local environment and communities.

Try this: Wild food cookery weekend in Scotland

They say: Over the weekend we will experiment with ancient ways of cooking. You will forage for greens during the day, cook a wild lunch and have an evening feast on Saturday night. You will learn to cook on an open fire and using a stone lined pit -a fantastic technique for cooking meat or slow stews. You can also try outdoor bread baking and preparing clay baked fish. These ancient techniques have been pieced together by studying archaeological evidence and comparing it to different cooking methods still in use elsewhere in the world -plus a bit of common sense!

How it helps: Their course has been designed to have a very low impact on the environment. They offer wild camping, a compost loo, locally foraged and locally purchased foods, and encourage guests to use public transport and the train versus flying. They teach ancient techniques of cookery using local sourced ingredients which require little or no packaging, minimal waste, and recycle or compost (on site) as much waste as possible. They have sustainable woodland practices,  protect, improve and expand the niche habitats and food sources of rare species, and are committed to using local services wherever possible.

If you love yoga…

Specialist yoga holidays and retreats are available in extraordinary locations, with responsible specialists who are committed to your well-being, the local community, and the environment.

Try this: Yoga holiday in Malta

They say: You’ll be staying on a beautiful island in the Mediterranean. A secret gem, you’ll be taking in the stunning scenery, the friendly people, the fresh local produce and the sun sparkling off the sea. Time is slower here and you’ll soon become acquainted with Gozo Time. Your host and teacher is resident on the island and there is no better person to show you around and share their love with the place. Malta gets the most sunshine in the whole of Europe and whether you want to lounge by the pool with a book and a bottle of suntan lotion, or put on your sun hat and explore the many faces of the island, we are on hand, all the time to help you make the most of your holiday.

You’ll practice yoga twice a day in our underground yoga studio. It’s peaceful, quiet and air-conditioned and perfect to focus on your practice. There is also a meditation session once a day. Included in your package are private airport transfers which include your passage across the sea from Malta to Gozo. Included in the week are 2 evening meals, one of which is a 3 course meal in a local restaurant, a guided hike along the rugged and isolated coast with a professional hiking company, and a sunset yoga class held at the breathtaking Azure Window. What you will bring home with you is a thoroughly stretched and relaxed body, a calm and clear mind and some great memories. What you will remember most is the quality of service, with your host organising fun trips to beaches, blue lagoons and fascinating local festivals.

How it helps: The trip supports local companies and the accommodation is locally owned and run. It uses a solar panel heating system to heat the water, and guests are briefed on waste management, and energy-saving practices. Local produce, restaurants, and shops are highlighted, and on your guided hikes, you will learn about animal and plant life endemic to the island. You’ll also learn much about the culture and meet the locals, as well.

The company donates 10% of their annual profit to Tsunami affected regions, operate as a paperless office, have strict recycling policies, planst a tree in a new forest in Africa for each guest, and off-set the carbon emissions for return flights within Europe. Overall, very impressive!

And because of this, I’ve polled some people around me to see what the details are behind loving snoozing under the stars. What I soon learned is that camping doesn’t just have to be a summer activity. Yes, some people not only like sleeping outside… but also when it’s frigid cold outside.

I just don’t understand.

Regardless, if you do choose to go camp under the stars in the winter months, it’s important to do it right. Ditch the gear that you need for the hot summer weather. Instead, invest in the right stuff for sleeping on the snow.

One thing I will admit: winter does offer a beautiful landscape and a freshness that isn’t available in the heat of summer. So, I suppose if you do it right, you might actually enjoy it.

The key to camping successfully in the cold winter months is not just having the right gear, but having the right knowledge, too. Here are some tips to get you started.

Winterize

If you have a camper or an RV, make sure that you take the time to winterize it. The most important part of this is taking care of the water system. If the water freezes, it can burst your pipes, break seals, and end up costing you a pretty penny to replace and fix all the issues that it has caused. There should be a user manual that came with your model, so be sure to consult it for details. Also double check that the heater is working and the other parts of the vehicle are up to date and running well.

Get a hot water bottle

Although you’ll want to use it for yourself, you’ll also want to use it for your sleeping bag. Before heading to bed, warm your body, blankets, and your sleeping bag with the hot water bottle. By pre-warming it, your body temperature doesn’t have to take hold of the dirty work  and getting cooled down in the process.

Don’t just pick anywhere

When you’re planning on where to go camping in the winter, take into consideration how cold it might be at different locations. Do you want it to be freezing? Extremely cold? Lots of snow? Or just a chill in the air but a little more mild? Make sure you research a bit on the climate before you head there.

Once you pick it, know thy weather

Okay, so you’ve selected and booked up your camping trip, but that doesn’t mean you can stop thinking about the weather. Be sure to stay up-to-date on the weather forecast. You want to be sure to be prepared for all of the possible high temperatures and low temperatures, storm warnings, and any other sudden changes in the weather.

Pack the right clothes

Now, logically you won’t pack like you’re off to the tropics, but that doesn’t mean you can skimp by picking a few of your favourite pieces of clothing. Think in terms of layers and the right materials. Wool, for one, will keep you very warm as a base layer, so opt for that for some options, including on your feet. Look for warm boots, as well as a warm jacket, and bring gloves, a scarf and/or neckwarmer, and a toque. Thermal underwear, or that made of merino wool, will also wick away moisture and keep you warm and cozy. Choose items that are light but can easily be layered, which will help regulate your body temperature.

Pack the right stuff

Not only do you need the right clothes, but you also need all of the right equipment. After all, you want to be comfortable, don’t you? Be sure to select a sleeping bag that is designed specifically for the climate of your camping destination. Anything that isn’t at least the required temperature will leave you, well, feeling pretty darn cold. Other good items include a down air mattress, which will help the cold air that comes from the ground and the snow, and extra fuel for your camp stove.

Don’t forget the firewood

Speaking of camp stoves, staying warm, and well, camping in the winter in general, you want to be sure that you bring plenty of extra firewood, no matter your destination. It can be pretty difficult to find sufficient firewood in the winter time, mostly because it will be either too wet to burn or, possibly, there isn’t much left from the busy time of the summer campers. Firewood is important for cooking and staying warm – two must have when camping – so make sure you have plenty of extra on hand.

Don’t eat salad

Okay, well, who does that when they are camping, anyway? But the key to food here is that cold weather camping requires body warming meals. This means, do away with the snacks and raw foods, and go for something comforting and warm. Have soups and stews made in advanced for reheating in a sealed bag, or bring them in the can. Have a thermos for drinking out of, and stock up on tea bags, coffee, and hot chocolate.

Here’s why:

If you’re planning on heading over to Victoria for a getaway, we have to tell you: make a stop at Eagle Wing Tours while you’re there. Although there are other whale watching opportunities in the area, we love this one for their eco-friendliness, making them the top choice for Victoria, BC whale watching and Vancouver Island, BC whale watching.

A Carbon Neutral Company

What makes them eco-friendly is that Eagle Wing Tours is Canada’s first carbon-neutral eco whale watching tour company. Since December of 2009, Eagle Wing tours has taken to an environmental commitment while thriving as a leader of whale watching in Victoria and Vancouver Island.

They understand that the threat of global warming is a serious one; in turn, they have offset one hundred percent of their corporate emissions for the last two years. In 2010 along, they offset 317 gross metric tonnes of greenhouse gases alone!

Making it Happen

To get started on this endeavour, they hired a company named Dcarbon8. Dcarbon8 is a professional third party company that helps reduce a company’s carbon emissions and improve their bottom line. They do this by measuring the carbon footprint of the company, delivering a report, providing the company with strategies and plans, publicly highlighting progress, and help with selecting an offsetter.

Eagle Wing Tours took this with stride, and continues to have their carbon footprint evaluated each year based on the total amount of carbon they produce. They balance this by purchasing carbon offsets from Offsetters, a Vancouver-based company that helps organizations and individuals understand, reduce and offset their climate impact.

The carbon offset investments that Eagle Wing Tours makes are in new technologies which, in turn, are implemented in other businesses that reduce their own green house gas emissions.

And what do you get out of it? A cleaner, fresher environment, the great feeling of supporting a carbon neutral business, and some awesome Vancouver Island whale watching.

Reducing the footprint

Because of this initiative, Eagle Wing Tours effectively reduced their carbon footprint by:

• Reducing emissions with new Mercury Verado 4 stroke engine technology and Volvo Penta D9 diesel engines. Compared to older models that they used, as well as models of other companies, these engines are more fuel efficient, cleaner, and quieter.
• Decreasing the amount of underwater noise with Arneson Twin Disc surface propulsion technology, making it less intrusive for sealife.
• Minimizing wake (waves) with all-new “scarab” and “catamaran” hull designs. This also reduces shore erosion while providing a smoother ride, benefiting both tourists and the environment.

In addition to these changes, Eagle Wing Tours also is the sponsor for many environmental initiatives. These include:

• Educating thousands of people about the Salish Sea and its many inhabitants
• Supporting research on wildlife such as Southern Resident Killer Whales, through the Orca adoption programs
• Supporting local educational programs at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre, Race Rocks ecological Reserve
• Supporting salmon stream rehabilitation programs, the Pacific Salmon Foundation for long-term improvement of prey for the whales
• Supporting salmon enhancement projects at Jacks Brook Hatchery and Sooke Salmon Interpretive Centre for food supply for the whales

Even further, Eagle Wing Tours continues to improve and work toward helping the environment, both with a low-impact boat design with continual maintenance, simple daily business practices that promote a healthier planet, continued support of local community fundraisers, and a strict adherence to the best whale practices possible.

If you’re looking for a vacation that is the perfect combination of sustainability and fun, definitely check out the crew at Eagle Wing Tours. Whale watching in Victoria, BC, and whale watching in Vancouver Island are must-dos anyway, so you must do them the right way by going with the most eco-friendly option.

1. Rent

If you’re heading out of town for more than three days, consider renting an apartment or home instead of spending the money on a hotel. Hotels can cost upwards of $400 per night, where you might be able to get a week’s stay at $500 in total. You’ll also have access to a kitchen, which can save on eating out, as well as parking and often free Internet. Check out sites like vrbo.com, homeaway.com, and flipkey.com.

2. Bring food

You don’t have to pack full meals, but consider bringing some snacks along. If you’re doing the tourist thing, chances are the places you’re visiting have jacked-up prices… and you’ll be paying ridiculous amounts of money for drinks and snack items. If you don’t want to pack it, visit a local grocer once you’re there, and pick out some snacks that will keep you satisfied while you hit the hot spots. We love Sensible Foods snacks, and some of our favourite cookies and bars come from Raw for Dessert, all of which are easily transportable.

3. Take public transport

If you’re going to an easily accessible city, consider public transportation instead of renting a car. You can purchase a weekly pass, which is often cheaper than pulling out the stops for an economy car… and, you don’t have to worry about parking.

4. Check credit card fees

If you’re going to a different country, you should contact your credit card provider and see what the fee is for transactions. Usually there is a cost in addition to the exchange rate, and it might be more worth your while to use local ATMs and pay the service charge.

5. Start saving early

Each day, cut a corner to save a little cash (in addition to what you already do). Go for a medium coffee instead of a large, dine in at a cheaper take-away than going out for dinner, look for groceries on sale, borrow a movie from a friend instead of renting, and go an extra couple weeks without getting your hair cut. Each time you cut a corner, put the cash aside… then put that toward trip spending money.

6. Move your travel dates

If you’re flexible, consider moving your travel dates, just by a little. Often, even a day or two can make a huge difference in price.

7. Ask for discounts

There are loads of places we get discounts where we might not know it. AAA and CAA, for example, offer discounts on car rentals, vacation insurance, and hotel stays. Senior discounts can apply earlier than we think (even at age 55). There may also be a student rate. Some hotels give discounts booking and paying ahead of time, so seek out those, too.

8. Check out what’s free

If your itinerary is filled with expensive outings, do a search to see what else is free in the area. Often museums and galleries charge no admission. You can also see what packages are available for the city… Just Google their local tourist Website and see what’s available.

9. Consider volunteering

There are many organizations that connect folks who want to give back while they travel, and the people that’ll host them. In turn, you end up having a great trip while giving back to the communities, wildlife, and environments at their destination. We’ve outlined a load of them in our articles Global Eco-Volunteerism with GoEco and Other Eco-volunteer Opportunities.

By visiting the Rainforest Alliance’s virtual SmartLodge! (rainforest-alliance.org/multimedia/smartlodge), you can see all this and more!

Details from the Rainforest Alliance:

Virtual Hotel Room Teaches Tourists and Hotel Owners about Sustainability

Tourism entrepreneurs and travelers who want to explore tourism that benefits local communities, respects cultural diversity and contributes to conservation should take a tour of the virtual SmartLodge (www.rainforest-alliance.org/multimedia/smartlodge).

Developed by the Rainforest Alliance, an international sustainability organization, the SmartLodge is an interactive hotel room packed with practical advice on the simple steps that tourism companies and travelers can take to advance toward sustainability.

“The SmartLodge is the perfect complement to the training and technical assistance that the Rainforest Alliance already provides tourism businesses,” said Ronald Sanabria, the Rainforest Alliance’s vice president of sustainable tourism. “It’s a tool that is accessible to all and we hope that travelers and tourism businesses choose to take advantage of it.”

Located near a national park, the virtual SmartLodge is surrounded by a wealth of nature and overlooks an active volcano. By clicking on objects in the hotel room, such as a lamp or a rubbish bin, users can watch short videos or read about how sustainable tourism benefits biodiversity and communities.

“When developing the content, we worked to identify areas where business owners and tourists could both make a difference,” explained Sanabria.

The SmartLodge was created with support from the Inter-American Development Bank’s Multilateral Investment Fund. It joins two comparable virtual tools on the Rainforest Alliance website: the SmartFarm and the SmartHouse, which introduce users to the people and processes behind sustainable farming and forestry.

###

The Rainforest Alliance works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travelers. From large multinational corporations to small, community-based cooperatives, businesses and consumers worldwide are involved in the Rainforest Alliance’s efforts to bring responsibly produced goods and services to a global marketplace where the demand for sustainability is growing steadily. For more information, visit www.rainforest-alliance.org.

Here are our top ten posts of ways you can give back to the environment this Earth Day.

Get On a Bike

If you don’t already own a bike, it’s time you did. Not only are they better for the environment than an automobile, but they are also a great way to improve your health and enjoy the outdoors. Unless you give in ice-laden land, a bike is a great investment to add years to the planet – and your life.

Read more in our article, How to Buy the Perfect Bike.

Mow it Right

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, gas-powered lawn mowers are  responsible for 5% of air pollution, and various studies have compared lawn mower emissions to those of automobiles – the Union of Concerned Scientists contrasted one gas mower running for an hour with an equivalent in pollution as eight cars driving 55 mph for the same amount of time.

Read more in our article, Going Gas-Free When It Comes to Your Lawn.

Gift the Right Gifts

All of a sudden we’re remembering to buy one more thing here and two more things there… And suddenly, we’re feeling a little overwhelmed.

Read more in our article, 101+ Best Holiday Eco-Gift Ideas (good gifts for all-year round!)

Move Away from the Meat

Paul McCartney has recently launched Meat Free Monday, an environmental campaign to raise awareness of the  impact of meat production and consumption has on climate change. Although eating meatless a few times a week to help the environment is old news, having a celebrity backing helping launch a worldwide initiative will, hopefully, fuel the fire a little more.

Read more in our article, Meat-Free Monday, Are You In?.

Get Those Weeds

Luckily, there are plenty of eco-friendly, natural ways to control weeds before they start to cause havoc in your garden.

Read more in our article, Killing Weeds the Natural Way.

Drive Greener

Driving green doesn’t mean investing in a smaller, fuel-efficient car or opting for a hybrid. You can easily start driving green with what you already have. Here are six tips to help you get started.

Read more in our article, Six Ways to Drive a Little Greener.

Clean Your Home Naturally

Everyday ingredients can do double duty in cleaning your home. By utilizing foods found in the pantry, you not only help out the environment, but also your health and your wallet. Some of our favourite foods are perfect as natural cleansing products – and can double for dinner, too.

Read more in our article, Cleaning Aids Found in the Kitchen.

Try Veganism

But I will tell you (and recent media will back me up on this) vegetarianism is one of the foremost things we can do to help the planet. I am not alone in saying that maintaining animals for food is causing more havoc on the planet than anything else. Our land, water, and air quality are all at increased risk with more and more animal-based consumption.

Read more in our article, Veganism and the Planet.

Eco-Friendly Listening

We sure love our music. iPods and MP3 players are quite constantly plugged into our ears. Unfortunately, they aren’t exactly made of 100% eco-friendly materials. But don’t worry – your earphones can be.

Read more in our article Eco-Friendly Earphones by Thinksound.

Get Away the Right Way

Looking for a place to stay for your next trip within Canada? The Hotel Association of Canada has developed a Green Key Eco-Rating Program that can give you advice on where you can sustainable stay on your next trip.

Read more in our article Find a Place to Stay with a Green Key Eco-Rating.

Go smooth

Do away with jerky, sudden movements with the gas pedal. One second of wide open throttle creates the same amount of carbon monoxide emissions as 20 minutes of normal driving, so be a little more gentle with the gas. Green Car Tyres.

Try: Circles Into Squares – Relaxing Renaissance & Celtic Music for Yoga, Massage & Meditation, a new CD guaranteed to calm you while driving.

Early to shift

Manual transmission drivers should avoid revving their engine unnecessarily – no matter how “cool” it sounds. Your engine burns less fuel if you shift a little earlier than you normally would.

Try: Blue Planet’s Recycled Eyewear – you’ll look even cooler than revving your wheels. Check out Wilder
and Jaia, two of our favourites.

Plan your route

Need to do a lot of errands? Have an appointment on the other side of town. Staying away from congested areas, hills, different speed changes and stop and go traffic allows you to burn less fuel to your destination.

Try: a Garmin nüvi 255W 4.3-Inch GPS Navigator or keep it simple with an 2010 United States Road Atlas.

Use the cruise

A constant or steady speed burns less fuel than frequent and abrupt changes, so if you have the option, use the cruise control when you can.

Try: With your car in cruise, you can be a little safer while simultaneously enjoying your morning coffee. Enjoy it in an Aladdin Recycled and Recyclable 16-Ounce Mug. Comes in a variety of bright colours!

Go for shaded parking

Your car’s interior will be cooler, and the air conditioning might not be necessary – letting your car drive a little cleaner while you cool down.

Try: An eco-friendly alternative to plastic or reflective sunshades, like the Jumbo Cardboard Sunshade

Never idle

Drive-thrus, canal bridges, border crossings, and waiting for someone should be avoided at all costs. Do what you can to shut it off if you know you’ll be longer than a brief moment.

Try: Have a book on hand in the car for times that you might be stuck in the car. Check out new eco-driven titles, such as Good for Business: The Rise of the Conscious Corporation, The Green Workplace: Sustainable Strategies that Benefit Employees, the Environment, and the Bottom Line, and Frugillionaire: 500 Fabulous Ways to Live Richly and Save a Fortune. Green Motorhomes for Sale

Image courtesy of arval.be Buy car insurance Paramus Honda

The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is a special even focusing on spring flowers, gardens, and topiary, along with loads of live music and many educational events.

Think gardening isn’t “really your thing”? Think again. All ages will love the beauty of the lush gardens and whimsical figures. There are literally millions of blooming flowers over the grounds of Epcot, along with plenty of Disney-themed topiaries that will catch the eyes of both young and old.

And if there is one thing that attracts flowers and gardens, it’s gorgeous butterflies. Hundreds of colorful butterflies will frolic inside Bambi’s Magnificent Butterfly Garden.

Weekends are special treat: you can meet with top horticulturists at one of the many Garden Town Programs. Here you’ll learn helpful gardening tips and gather advice from the folks who helped design the scenery. And don’t miss out on any of the public demonstrations of advanced gardening techniques from around the world.

Each Friday through Sunday, you can enjoy the evenings relaxing at the America Gardens Theatre adjacent to the American Adventure Pavilion and enjoy music from the 1960s and 1970s during the Flower Power Concert Series.

For the month of March, the concert series includes:

Jose Feliciano – March 4th to 6th

The Guess Who – March 11th to 13th

Chubby Checker and the Wildcats – March 18th to 20th

March 25th to 27th  – Melissa Manchester

Showtimes are at 5:15, 6:30 & 7:45 p.m. For the rest of the concerts, click here.

For the gardening aficionados, you’ll be pleased to know that plenty of gardening tools will be available for taking back home.

To attend, you’ll need an Epcot theme park admission. All Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival events are included with admission to Epcot theme park. All events are Wheelchair Accessible and suitable for Hearing Disabilities.

Dates: March 2, 2011 – May 15, 2011

Images courtesy of disneyworld.disney.go.com

From the Rainforest Alliance:

New York – The Rainforest Alliance today announced that Greentique Hotel of Costa Rica has launched a special promotion for Rainforest Alliance supporters, providing tourists with unforgettable, environmentally savvy vacation options that are also affordable. Travelers can enjoy a discount of 25 percent off reservations at any of three world-class-hotels, located within Costa Rica’s most spectacular regions. Further, Greentique Hotels will donate five percent of the total accommodation cost of travelers to the Rainforest Alliance in their name and travelers will receive a one year membership with the Rainforest Alliance.

“We are thrilled that the Rainforest Alliance and Greentique Hotels have joined forces to promote sustainable tourism,” said Ronald Sanabria, vice president of tourism at the Rainforest Alliance. “By making one of these stunning properties their next vacation destination, travelers will have an unforgettable experience while also benefitting local communities, the environment, and the Rainforest Alliance’s work around the world.”

Through its sustainable tourism program, the Rainforest Alliance helps tourism professionals improve the sustainability of their businesses based on the principles of the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria. Initiatives include implementing ecosystem and water conservation measures, reducing energy use, supporting local economies, hiring from within the community and reducing costs. Tourism operations that have been verified by the Rainforest Alliance, certified by independent, third-party programs or recommended by reputable organizations are featured on the Rainforest Alliance’s recently launched website, SustainableTrip.org.

In May 2009, Greentique Hotels of Costa Rica received the 2009 Corporate Sustainable Standard-Setter Award from the Rainforest Alliance at its Annual Gala, recognizing the hotel groups’ ongoing dedication to innovation and leadership in environmental conservation.

“We are very pleased to join the Rainforest Alliance in offering a choice of properties that practice sustainable hospitality here in beautiful Costa Rica. We hope you will take advantage of this exclusive invitation and see how you can travel well and travel right and have exceptional Costa Rica experiences that are easy on the pocket book and beneficial to our precious habitat. We look forward to hosting you as our valued Rainforest Alliance guests,” said Jim Damalas, owner of Greentique Hotels.

By booking your next trip to Cost Rica through Greentique Hotels, you are not only guaranteed an unforgettable experience, but you can rest assured that the hotel you choose will help – not harm – the environment. You are also helping the Rainforest Alliance to ensure that the tourism industry has a sustainable future and that Costa Rica can also be enjoyed by many generations to come.

To take advantage of this promotion, visit www.greentiquehotels.com/ra and use promotion code GTQHRA101.

About the Rainforest Alliance

The Rainforest Alliance works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travelers. From large multinational corporations to small, community-based cooperatives, businesses and consumers worldwide are involved in the Rainforest Alliance’s efforts to bring responsibly produced goods and services to a global marketplace where the demand for sustainability is growing steadily. For more information, visit www.rainforest-alliance.org.

Images courtesy of Greentique Hotel

From the Rainforest Alliance: The Rainforest Alliance announced today that beginning Nov. 1, Java City ™ coffee, which is 100 p ercent Rainforest Alliance Certified™, will be offered onboard all American Airlines flights as part of the airline’s inflight beverage service. Passengers will be able to spot the Rainforest Alliance’s green frog seal on their coffee cups and be assured that the coffee they are drinking was grown on sustainably managed farms.

“American Airlines’ commitment to sourcing Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee shows that consumers around the globe are embracing sustainability,” said Tensie Whelan, president of the Rainforest Alliance. “Passengers can enjoy their cup of coffee knowing that it comes from well-managed farms, where ecosystems and wildlife are protected and where workers enjoy access to health care, education, decent wages and dignified housing.”

Rainforest Alliance certification can drastically improve the way farms are run. To achieve certification, farms must meet rigorous standards for sustainability that involve reducing waste, water pollution and water usage, while curbing deforestation and protecting wildlife habitat. Further, farm workers must be provided with good work and living conditions, decent wages, and their children must have access to schools and health care.

“We are committed to exploring greener options for all of our products, both inflight and on the ground, to enhance the travel experience for our loyal customers,” said Rob Friedman, American’s Vice President – Marketing. “Java City strikes the perfect balance by offering a high-quality, great-tasting, eco-friendly coffee.”

The Java City coffee available on American Airlines flights is a Central American blend using 100 percent Arabia beans. Java City first sourced coffee beans from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms in 2000, and since then, they have worked to increase the amount of coffee they source sustainably.

“We’re thrilled to provide American Airlines customers with a sustainable, great tasting Java City coffee experience,” said Chuck Van Vleet, CEO at Java City. “While socially and environmentally responsible coffees have become integral components of our company’s mission, we’ve worked hard to maintain the roasting principles that produce the ‘uncommonly smooth’ coffee our customers and consumers have come to expect.”

All farms that are Rainforest Alliance Certified™ have met the environmental, social and economic standards of the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN). The SAN standards cover ecosystem conservation, worker rights and safety, wildlife protection, water and soil conservation, agrochemical reduction, decent housing, and legal wages and contracts for workers.

About the Rainforest Alliance

The Rainforest Alliance works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travellers. From large multinational corporations to small, community-based cooperatives, businesses and consumers worldwide are involved in the Rainforest Alliance’s efforts to bring responsibly produced goods and services to a global marketplace where the demand for sustainability is growing steadily. For more information, visit www.rainforest-alliance.org.

About Java City

Founded in Sacramento, California in 1985, Java City is a hand crafted specialty coffee roaster and retailer. Strongly committed to quality, Java City slowly roasts carefully selected coffee beans by hand, and air-cools the beans naturally, ensuring their customers receive a finished coffee that tastes balanced and true. Java City responsibly sources all of their beans from farms using sustainable farming practices that protect the environment, create prosperous communities and promote fair payment to workers. Java City owns and operates cafes located in California and provides specialty beverage solutions to over 2,500 international wholesale locations. For more information, please visit www.javacity.com

(From guest blogger Scott Zest)

Eco travel has got a lot of press lately and with Central America being so close to the US, a 4-6 hour flight is all, if you want to experience this fulfilling and adventuresome travel this is the place to do it!

Costa Rica has an abundance of plentiful rainforests and eco-friendly resorts that have yet to be discovered and yearn for the out of the way traveler to enter.

From the surf rich shores of the Liberia and Jaco Beach to the Caribbean, rasta coastal town of Limon, you will find more than enough eco friendly places to satisfy your need for adventure and being green.

Backpacking is probably your best bet as it gives you the advantage of packing light, inexpensive lodging costs, and the ability to jump from one place to another on a whim. (No equipment? We love the Teton Sports Internal Frame Backpack)

Check the web for a wide array of hostels, rainforest and beach eco resorts, and travel options. (And we also recommend the Lonely Planet Costa Rica guidebook)

From Costa Rica, you can jump on a bus and head north to Nicaragua. Bus trips are offered from San Jose, Costa Rica to Managua, Nicaragua daily. While the bus ride can be an adventure in itself, getting off the bus and knowing you are in Nicaragua is the real adventure!

This country is just now getting it’s reputation as a tourist destination and more specifically, an eco hot spot and adventure tourist destination. Getting around can be a hassle but buses and taxis are the best option. (You can also grab some great resources here before you go).

You will find lots of eco resorts on the Pacific coast from San Juan Del Sur in the south to Leon in the north. Going inland the untapped rainforest and volcano regions offer many eco friendly options.

If going to the Caribbean coast, be sure to check out the Corn Islands and Bluefields. These two places are truly untapped by Western culture and offer a different feel from the rest of the country. This is where the famous Moskito coast lies. Don’t forget to sample the amazing Creole cuisine in this region.

I would recommend going to Nicaragua over Costa Rica as I am a firm believer in going off the beaten path. While Costa Rica is beautiful and the people are great, it is a bit too Westernized for my tastes. Nicaragua for me, offers the best bang for my buck, the most adventure, and the best eco spots on the planet. Choose wisely and get exploring!

Scott Zest writes for Briefcases Direct, a website that offers luxury briefcases direct from the manufacturer.  He is a travel writer with a special interest in cross-cultural understanding and off the beaten-path adventures. He has traveled around the world to locales in Europe, Asia, North America, and Central America and focuses most of his travels in adventure areas such as Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Mexico. Scott currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife Gwen and three dogs.

Image courtesy of 3.bp.blogspot.com

Haiti would not be the first place you think about when trying to regain health and vitality. Ironically, working on my computer day in and day out in my pursuit to bring the world green health resources, was slowly deteriorating my health! I was eager to break out of the daily grind to lend a hand to the Natural Health program in Leogane, Haiti (now, one of the most devastated cities due to the recent earthquake).

What could this developing country possibly offer a sophisticated westerner such as myself?

1). SLOW down to speed up Health.

The director of the NEGES foundation reminded me before I left that “Haitians aren’t in a hurry.” It takes time to adjust to NOT feeling like you have to wake up at a certain hour, early in the morning and work vigorously through a daily 9-5 routine. My body and mind needed a couple of weeks of a slower pace of living. Haiti was the perfect place.

2). A technology DETOX.

Haiti definitely has cell phones, computers, TVs and the like, however the fast speed connections, flatscreens in every room of the house (or even in every house) and the ability to stay wired 24 hours a day is not prevalent. What a blessing in disguise! Although I am deeply infatuated with my MAC computer and enjoy the novelty of iPhone apps, I had a fantasy filled, secret love affair with waking up to the cry of roosters, spending my days on a small farm with chickens scurrying and chillaxin’ to great face-to-face conversations increasing my fluency in French.

3) The SUN is the best antidote.

Vitamin D deficiency is a huge problem in the U.S and has been implicated in perpetuating many conditions such as cancer, viral infections, depression, etc. My body was screaming for natural light and rebelled at me constantly allowing a computer screen to block its path to delight in the Sun’s rays. For two whole weeks, I spent a total of 5 minutes on a computer and 15 minutes on a cell phone in exchange for free doses of sunlight while working outdoors. My body, mind and spirit came into full agreement that this was the smartest move I made since my pact to naturally heal the three of them several years ago.

4) Don’t forget ENJOYMENT & PEOPLE in your pursuit of Healthy Eating.

The observations of the French eating highly fattening foods without suffering from obesity or heart disease led to the theory of “The French Paradox.” The French paradox alludes to the fact that the enjoyment of food and slow eating can’t be left out of the equation of a healthy diet. While spending time in France’s former colonial conquest, I was able to spend several of my meal times eating with my newfound Haitian family (I admit that I am notorious for eating in a hurry and it is rare that I have the opportunity to dine with someone). This led me to write a poem entitled “Manger avec Moi” (translates to Eating with Me) that captured how the Haitians provided me with a deeper experience of Love & Health through our meal times together.

So I was wondering, in the different big companies evolving around travelling, what are the ones that are actively doing things against climate change?

Of course there is the ecotourism industry, but I was more interested in the mainstream one, because this is where the heart of the battle lay: if they move on and take commitments, it could have a significant impact on things.

Carbon Offset

It seems that all the companies have one nowadays, from easyJet to JetBlue. Not a must, as there is some controversy about it as it should only be a part of the solution and not the solution itself.

New Fuels

Virgin Airlines has been the company experimenting different kinds of new fuels to powers its planes, mainly biofuels. The problem is that we do not know the impact of biofuels on a large scale, so take this one cautiously.

Transparency

Well, as they are a source of pollution, it is kind of normal they publish what their carbon footprint is. Read more about this with the example of Virgin America.

Recycling

I have always been shocked by how things on plane are one use only and how recycling appears to be so limited. Recently Continental Airlines claimed to have achieved notable results with its own program.

Green Flying

What I mean by green flying is offering a different experience to customers or using new techniques to lower carbon dioxide emissions. Southwest and easyJet are leading initiatives in this field.

Despite all these things, there is a lot to be done: create a 0% carbon dioxide emission flying mode of transportation is still a far prospect, especially when you have reactions like the one of the CEO of Ryanair.

Read more about traveling eco-friendly with Green Travel: The World’s Best Eco-Lodges & Earth-Friendly Hotels.

Image courtesy of aboutmyplanet.com

Visit them at: www.rainforest-alliance.org or connect with them on twitter:@RnfrstAlliance

Rainforest Alliance Wins Travel + Leisure Global Vision Award

San José, Costa Rica — The Rainforest Alliance received a 2009 Travel + Leisure Global Vision Award for upping the ante for sustainability standards in the tourism industry. Now in its fifth year, the prestigious awards recognize the most outstanding efforts of individuals and organizations working to preserve the world’s natural and manmade treasures.

The Rainforest Alliance was cited for the leadership role it has played in creating a global membership council set to launch early next year that promotes widespread understanding of sustainable tourism principles and will help travelers differentiate between the truly eco-friendly and the greenwashers.

“The Rainforest Alliance is changing the baseline definition for an entire industry standard—a bold step in making sure the criteria for sustainable tourism is universal,” explained judge Céline Simone Cousteau, contributor to PBS’s Jean-Michel Cousteau: Ocean Adventures, spokeswoman for La Prairie, and ambassador to the Clean Up the World Campaign.

The Tourism Sustainability Council (TSC) is a coalition of over 50 members that aims to improve tourism’s potential to be a driver of positive conservation and economic development for communities and businesses around the world and a tool for poverty alleviation by enabling businesses to improve their practices, increasing the transparency of sustainable tourism certification programs, and building demand for green travel.

“We are thrilled to be acknowledged by such a prominent organization for our efforts to make tourism an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable industry,” said Ronald Sanabria, vice president of sustainable tourism at the Rainforest Alliance. “We share this award with our fellow TSC leadership — the United Nations Foundation, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations World Tourism Organization — and all the other stakeholders that have made this achievement possible.”

Other winners include Rainforest Alliance collaborator Ecoventura for charting a new sustainable course of travel to the Galápagos Islands, Element Hotels for its commitment to achieving LEED certification at all of its properties and Sassi di Matera Albergo Diffuso in Italy for transforming abandoned cave dwellings of a UNESCO World Heritage site into guest rooms.

Profiles of all 17 winners along with insights from the jury are featured in Travel + Leisure’s November issue, available on newsstands October 23, and online at www.travelandleisure.com now.

Image courtesy of www.rainforest-alliance.org

A study of 14 hotels in the Rainforest Alliance’s best practices program have shown that 71% of the hotels had an impressive decrease in water consumption and, as a result, an average annual savings of $2700.

This, along with other findings, was thanks to the training, workshops, and technical assistance from the Rainforest Alliance’s tourism program. The hotels improved on many levels – specifically environmental, social and economic criteria – that is outlined in the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (www.sustainabletourismcriteria.org).

The Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) was developed by the Rainforest Alliance along with the UN Foundation, UNEP and UNWTO. They’ve also a part of a new merger between the GSTC and the Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council (STSC) to form the Tourism Sustainability Council! We’re impressed – and delighted – with their new initiatives, and want to spread the word!

From the Rainforest Alliance:

Tourism Businesses in Latin America Benefit from Sustainable Practices

Sept. 24 – San Jose – In celebration of World Tourism Day, September 27, the Rainforest Alliance, an international conservation organization, is releasing the results of a study that examines whether tourism businesses in Latin America benefit from applying sustainable practices to their operations. The study, titled “A Cost and Benefit Analysis of Best Practice Implementation in Tourism Businesses,” was conducted earlier this year with 14 tourism businesses in Guatemala, Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Ecuador.

The data shows that businesses working with the Rainforest Alliance’s sustainable tourism program gained tangible benefits from the application of best management practices for environmental and social improvement, and in doing so they created networks that helped all parties involved establish more responsible relationships with their surroundings. For example, all the businesses surveyed purchase goods and services from small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with an average of 20 SMEs supplying each tourism business; 64 percent of the survey’s respondents said that this arrangement generates savings for their hotel, and 79 percent said it results in better security and more respect from the local community.

The survey also found that the tourism businesses lowered their operational costs by cutting their consumption of water and energy, placing bulk orders and improving waste management. For example, 71 percent of the business owners said they decreased their water consumption, saving an average of $2,700 per year.

“All of the hotel owners surveyed believe that their quality and appeal to tourists has improved thanks to biodiversity conservation. The preservation of natural areas has also made them more competitive and has improved their tourism destinations,” observed Silvia Rioja, a Rainforest Alliance technical manager. She added, “In 93 percent of the cases, the environmental education we provided resulted in higher levels of responsibility among the hotel’s suppliers and their guests.”

The analysis also describes a series of measures that have increased employee motivation, which results in lower staff turnover. The hotels have taken steps to improve health and security, and as Rioja explained, most of the hotels reported that by contracting suppliers who implement best practices, they have improved the quality of the goods and services they purchase.

The Rainforest Alliance has spent ten years promoting best manage practices for sustainable tourism on a global level. To date, 320 hotels, 127 tour operators and 43 tourism organizations have earned the right to display the conservation organization’s logo by adopting social and environmental best practices, and the number of tourism enterprises involved in the program grows every year.

The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. For more information, visit www.rainforest-alliance.org

Image courtesy of rainforest-alliance.org

Tokyo has promised a compact and planet-friendly Olympics, but members of the community think otherwise. A specific portion of a park in the area that events are planned to be held is being argued by conservation groups for maintaining it as a natural resource.

Kasai Rinkai Park is home to a wide variety of rare plants and animals, living among the 800,000 square meters. Initially, it was built to revitalize natural habitats that were destroyed by landfill projects in Tokyo Bay. It was opened in 1989, but plans are to replace it with an Olympic canoeing venue.

According to the Tokyo 2016 Bid Promotion Office, over1.4 billion yen will be spent to change the forest and pond into concrete and stands, with a possible recreation facility after the Olympic games. This, however, will impact the nature and wildlife, including endangered species such as the orange hairstreak butterflies, five species of frogs,  over 170 types of waterfowl, and various migratory birds.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has pledged to keep 90 percent of events venues within an eight-kilometer radius if they host the Olympics in 2016. According to its plans, existing facilities are to make up 23 of the 34 Olympic facilities, but the main 100,000-seat stadium will be built in the Harumi district of Chuo Ward, in addition to the canoe slalom facility in Kasai Rinkai Park, which will accommodate 12,000 spectators.

What do you think the best option is? Despite the environmental propositions from the Japanese developers, the other side of the coin delivers the dark side to what is really going to happen to the surrounding area.

Image: Enthusiastic Japanese athletes swim the Tokyo Bay Marathon Swimming course against the backdrop of the Tokyo skyline and iconic Rainbow Bridge; courtesy of tokyo2016.or.jp