Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Endangered bird making comeback

The New York Times reports on a somewhat successful comeback of the endangered Piping Plover. The closures of certain Massachussetts beach areas where the birds nest has led to some sightings of the disappearing bird. The beach closures also led to bans on other nest-disturbing activities such as fireworks and ATV bans:

“The closures are still fairly controversial,” said Mr. Prokop, whose team did an assessment last winter to find alternative trails should some be closed for the plovers. “We try to be reasonable in our closures to provide access, but the protection of a threatened bird species that’s protected under the Endangered Species Act is paramount.”

Read the full story: In aid of a bird, some inconveniences for people

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Alaskan island of Kivalina victim of global warming

The Los Angeles Times published a story about the impact of global warming on the Alaskan island of Kivalina. Ocean ice that once protected the fragile shorelines now is open water that is causing major soil erosion. So much so that engineers predict that in 10 to 15 years the entire island will wash away.

Read the full story: An Alaskan island is losing ground

Saturday, November 24, 2007

T & L magazine's responsible travel section

Travel and Leisure magazine is taking eco-friendly travel to heart by publishing a responsible travel section on its website. Among the many ecotourism articles and ways to leave less of a carbon footprint was Joe Wise's article on Greenland.

Melting glaciers and icecaps are some of the best places to really see the impact of global warming. And since this topic is gaining popularity, places such as Greenland, with rising temperatures and melting ice are attracting many more tourists recently. Perhaps people want to see upclose big chunks of ice breaking off into the water so they can then brag to their friends back home that they saw some of the last of the polar ice.

Mr. Wise found out that along with the cons of warmer temps also came some pros:

"Greenland has become indisputably warmer over the last decade or so. This has made it difficult to reach traditional ice-fishing sites by dogsled. On the other hand, it’s now possible to take boats out fishing year-round, and the reindeer herds, with more to feed on, are growing."

Read the full story: The melting point

Friday, November 23, 2007

Farm work as vacation

The New York Times reports on a growing niche vacation market of so-called agritourism. City folks who want to know where their food comes from can pay over $100 a night to be farm hands. Certain participating farms will deduct a small amount for each hour of "farming" performed.

Read the full story: Down on the farm with your sleeves rolled up

Friday, November 9, 2007

Spot endangered dolphins in Hong Kong

Among the high-rise buildings and disappearing nature in Hong Kong is the endangered dolphin watch tour. The Washington Post reports on this rare ecotravel sight:

"The dolphins are going head to head with Hong Kong development, and bets are with the builders."
Read the full article: Hong Kong's dolphins will tickle you pink

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Eco-transportation in new electric cars

Plenty magazine reports on some choices for green transportation in the form of new electric cars. Car manufacturers are realizing that with gas prices so high, consumers might actually want to drive something that isn't so dependent on oil, so are by demand developing these green vehicles. Although the choices seem limited now, hopefully commuters will see that being environmentally-friendly and carbon-free is a win-win solution and in turn will drive up the manufacture of these more earth-friendly cars.

Read the full story: The second coming of the electric car

Monday, November 5, 2007

Ecotravel guidebooks

The Washington Post had a recent article on "green guidebooks." Popular travel guide series such as Lonely Planet and Rough Guides among others have published books on how to travel the environmentally friendly way:

"'In general, the U.S. market is just becoming aware of eco-travel, carbon footprint and the impact of travel on the planet,' said Fodor's Travel publisher Tim Jarrell. He said that as Americans 'increasingly become concerned about global warming, they will begin to examine different parts of their life.'"

Read the full story: Guidebooks show travelers how to go green