Ecotravel News is away

Ecotravel News will be traveling and won't be able post again until February.

To help readers get through the hiatus we suggest the following links:

The Christian Science Monitor's environment section is a favorite

Environmental News Network always has new and interesting stories everyday

Reuters video, environment section

National Parks Traveler blog

Enjoy and until Feb!

Free snow day Saturday

Winter Trails is a day of free Nordic skiing (cross-country) and snowshoeing that many resorts are offering nationwide.

Tomorrow, Saturday January 10th, is the day for novices or experts to grab their winter gear and head out for a free day on the trails.

The Idaho Statesman lists the places participating in Idaho.

But for those who want a longer deal can participate in the January promotion Learn a Snow Sport Month, with month-long discounts on all types of skiing.

Check out the website for states and resorts participating.

Continental latest airline to test biofuel

CNN reports on Continental Airlines foray into the biofuel testing arena.

Continental is the first national airline to test a mix of algae and jatropha oils in a 50-50 mix with traditional jet fuel.

The test, performed yesterday out of Houston, compared a biofuel plane with one running on all jet fuel.

The Boeing 737 burned less fuel in the biofuel-powered engine than a conventionally powered engine, and the two performed identically during the one-hour, 40-minute flight, Boeing spokesman Terrance Scott said.

We reported last September on Boeing, Virgin, and eight other airlines' commitment to working on biofuel development in the commercial airline industry.

International carriers Virgin Atlantic and Air New Zealand tested their own biofuel mixes last year.

Read the full story: Biofuels take to the skies in airline tests

Eat a squirrel, help save species

The International Herald Tribune reports on the new British culinary trend of squirrel meat.

Squirrels are abundant, so eating them helps to keep their population in check.

Also the native red squirrel is being pushed out by the non-native and more aggressive North American gray.

Enter the "Save Our Squirrels" campaign begun in 2006 to rescue Britain's red squirrels by piquing the nation's appetite for their marauding North American cousins. With a rallying motto of "Save a red, eat a gray!" the campaign created a market for culled squirrel meat.

British bon vivants suddenly couldn't get enough squirrel. Television chefs were preparing it, cookbooks were extolling it, farmers' markets were selling out of it and restaurants in many places were offering it on the menu.

Read the full story: Saving a squirrel by eating one

Yellowstone amphibians decline

Environmental News Network reports on the decline of frogs and salamanders in Yellowstone National Park; Stanford researchers blame global warming.

Sarah McMenamin, a Ph.d. candidate from Stanford University, studied the critters and found significant declines in population from the 1990s through now, directly citing a changing climate as the culprit.

Read the full story: Amphibians disappearing from Yellowstone Park

Air New Zealand tests biofuels

Happy New Year and welcome back from Ecotravel News. We hope the holidays were a nice relaxing and refreshing time for everyone and we now can start 2009 anew.

As you can see Ecotravel News has a new look and hope you like it.

The holidays are always a great time for travel and that makes Ecotravel News happy about new innovations and greener ways to get around and see the world.

For the first post of 2009, Reuters is following up on the Air New Zealand story we ran last month about using biofuels in their flights. Watch their video report below: