Slum tours, experiencing real poverty

Touring an international slum might sound exploitive and doesn't have much to do with the environment. But if done by someone with local ties to the communities being toured, tourists can really get a good understanding about the people who live there. Budget Travel has an interesting piece about the growing popularity of this type of so-called poverty touring. I have a personal suggestion that Britney Spears go on one of these to show that all her whining is frivolous compared to how a lot of people really live.

Read the full story: A dose of reality

Antarctic tourists bring negatives to the icy continent

Reuters via the Environmental News Network reports on the disturbing fact that visitors to Antarctica including scientists as well as tourists are hosts to things like seeds or insect eggs among other so-called alien species that could be detrimental to the changing continent. With the warming of the planet, these non-native plants and species could disrupt the native species already living there. Human visitors unknowingly carry minute plant spores, or food crumbs, or tiny insect eggs, that with the warming of the planet could survive and change the eco-system. Other larger animals such as rats if they should be carried and escape from boats could be very damaging.

"So far, invaders have bridgeheads on Antarctic islands ringing the continent, which have been getting warmer in recent decades. Among the most damaging were reindeer on South Georgia and rats and cats on Macquarie Island, said Dana Bergstrom of the Australian Antarctic Division, who leads an international research project entitled 'Aliens in Antarctica.'

Elsewhere in Antarctica, grass was found growing under a Japanese research hut. Invasive plants were found near a Russian station and a wide variety of fungi near an Australian station."

Read the full story: Antarctica on alert for alien invaders

Negative aftereffects of biofuel production?

Biofuels should be a solution to oil-based fuel. On paper it sounds good because its made from plants like corn or soybeans and should therefore be much better for the environment. But there are some negatives. The Energy Bill that recently passed calls for a certain amount of biofuels and production to be mandatory. However, land that is cleared for agriculture is land that is changed from a natural habitat. Agriculture requires chemical pesticides and irrigation which are also harmful to the environment. The Christian Science Monitor also points out that the demand for biofuels could directly raise global food prices.

'"More people are coming to the conclusion that there is a food-fuel link," says Siwa Msangi of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), a Washington food-security research organization. Bruce Babcock, an economist at Iowa State University's Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute says biofuels play a role in higher grain prices.

His findings are bolstered by a study last month in which Mr. Msangi's IFPRI estimated that future biofuel expansion could increase international corn prices between 26 and 72 percent by 2020, depending on how aggressive the expansion turns out to be.'

Read the full story: As global food costs rise, are biofuels to blame?

Zero impact eco-resort on Zanzibar

Some of the travel review websites like tripadvisor are good sources to find out about regular travelers' experiences. In terms of eco-tourist trips and resorts Chumbe Island Coral Park of Zanzibar is one of the first places that comes up during a search. The small, homey and exclusive eco-resort is no frills but also zero impact.

Disaster vacations: Mt. Kilimanjaro

On the rise is the popularity of going on vacation to ecologically sensitive spots such as melting glaciers or endangered animal viewing before it/they disappear(s). Not to be behind in the trend, The New York Times recent Explorer section was about climbing up Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro before the icecap melts for good. Unfortunately or maybe fortunately the author/climber saw and had to get through lots of snow, therefore unable to emote about the barren ice-free landscape, which in fact his plane ride there is helping to melt. It's great to read about all these "disaster tourists" going to Greenland or Madagascar before all the ice melts/animals are eaten but I never see anything about how they are helping to actually save these things before they are gone...

Read the full story: On Africa's roof

Continental Airlines' magazine Greener Good section

Airlines and flying are not places where one would expect to think about helping the environment. But starting this year Continental Airlines' inflight magazine has a new column entitled the Greener Good. And it is a page where flyers can read about environmental solutions. This month's column is about electric cars.

Read the column: Greener Good

Off-peak winter bargains for national parks

Budget Travel magazine's online section Real Deals highlights off-season winter bargains at some popular national parks. They feature deals for couples from $69-81 per night during the winter months.

Read the full story: Off-season National Park Stays

Idaho Statesman's Trail of the Week

A fun discovery is the Idaho Statesman's Trail of the Week section. Each week one of their outdoor reporters reviews a trail worth walking. This week Pete Zimowsky reviews the Kathryn Albertson Park where sighting birds is the best thing.

Keep up each week on their section: Trail of the Week

The Everglades, Florida's quiet national park

The Los Angeles Times reports on the laid-back natural wonder of Florida's Everglades National Park. Writer Thomas Swick, a Florida local, also notes that even though the Everglades are close to large metropolitan areas, it's still relatively empty of tourists and even the locals shun it:

"A large part of its appeal is in its absences: of noise, summer crowds, things blocking the horizon. Even its stars, the alligators, often appear less lifelike than audioanimatrons. Of course, in most parks the fauna keeps its distance, frustrating visitors accustomed to zoos."

Swick's adventure through the Everglades includes hiking, which he describes as more of a slog through water and muck while looking out for alligators. He also learns about deciduous trees and spots manatees. A very interesting eco-trip.

Read the full story: Still waters run deep

Car to run on hot air

Plenty Magazine reports that Indian car maker Tata along with the French Motor Development International will manufacture cars that will run on compressed air:

"The Air Car works similarly to electric cars, but rather than storing electrical energy in a huge, heavy battery, the vehicle converts energy into air pressure and stores it in a tank. An onboard air compressor can be plugged into a regular outlet at home to recharge the tank in about four hours, or an industrial compressor capable of 3,500 psi (likes those found in scuba shops) can fill it up in a few minutes for around two dollars."

A spokesman for Tata speculates that the technology needed to get the car on the market is still a few years down the road.

Read the full story: Driving on air

Yemeni goats eating tree to extinction

The New York Times reports on a disappearing tree on a Yemeni island. The Dracaena cinnabari, or dragon's blood tree, is especially vulnerable to goats on which Socotra island's economy depends. Goats are infamous for eating anything in their path and they find the young tree shoots especially tasty. So much so that they are eating the tree to its extinction. The tree's only stable area is in the high mountains where the goats can't reach.

Read the full story: Off Yemen, a storied stand is vulnerable

Enjoy a snowshoe hike safely

Seattle Post-Intelligencer reader/blogger Lauren Braden gives safety tips on how to enjoy a snowshoeing adventure in the Pacific Northwest. Although snowshoeing is a great way to get out into nature in the winter, she says a few extra precautions need to be taken:

"1) Always check avalanche conditions
2) Choose your destinations wisely
3) Let someone know where you are going
4) Always pack the ten essentials
5) Bring navigation skills"

Read the full post: Winter hiking/snowshoeing safety

Hybrid-car only repair shop

Plenty Magazine reports on a San Francisco car repair shop that works mostly on hybrid cars. The owner of Luscious Garage, Carolyn Coquillette, says that because most hybrid car owners are environmentally conscious her garage is too:

"Large plants placed around the 2,000-square-foot work area help to filter the air. The floor is made out of non-toxic concrete, and skylights line the ceiling. Many of the materials Coquillette uses are low-impact, too: The oil isn’t derived from virgin crude, rather it’s refined from oil that’s been used before. She washes parts in biodiesel and brews her own windshield solution from vinegar and water. And the list goes on."

Read the full story: Green Garage

Climate change prompts rise in sled-dog vacations

The Washington Post reports on the strangely growing trend of dog-sledding vacations. Travelers head to the northern reaches of Canada and Scandinavia to sit on sleds and be pulled by teams of furry dogs:

"Dog breeders and tour operators said the rising interest comes in part from the bull market for environmentally friendly vacations. 'There is a kind of beauty in it -- it's environmental, and the down-to-earth part of it attracts people,' said Kenth Fjellborg, a [Swedish] dog breeder who said he takes at least 5,000 people on dog-sled tours a year, up from 200 people in the early 1990s."

Read the full story: Dog-sledding, like climate, heating up

Cars best for the environment?

Environmental News Network reports on the Consumer Reports' latest car brand perception survey with consumers rating eco-friendliness as their number five concern. People were asked what they thought were the most important car features and which brands met those standards. Toyota tops the list for environmental-ness with Honda, Ford, Chevrolet and GMC behind it.

Read the full article: Most environmentally friendly cars

Once-living souvenirs stir internal dialogue

Miriam C. Daum's recent Home Forum essay for the Christian Science Monitor ponders an interesting ethical dilemma travelers face. She had the luck of seeing a living Blue Morpho butterfly in the wilds of Costa Rica. She marvelled at its stunning size and beauty. Later on at a souvenir shop she had the opportunity to take one home as a souvenir, albeit dead, mounted and framed. This posed an internal debate about why or why she shouldn't buy the butterfly.

Read the full story: A blue wonder to remember