Iconic cacti to be microchipped against theft

The National Parks Traveler reports that Arizona's Saguaro National Park officials could implant identifying microchips into their namesake cactus to thwart theft:

"The prickly plants, which can easily live 150 years and rise to 20 feet tall, are increasingly popular with thieves because of what they can retail for in the home landscape business. When a 6-inch cutting can sell for $25, well, you can imagine how high the prices might escalate for larger specimens."

Microchips have been implanted in cacti in Nevada's Lake Mead National Recreation Area, and are used to deter antler theft in Jackson, Wyoming's National Elk Refuge.

Read the full story: Saguaro National Park officials considering use of microchips

Portland, Oregon: no car required

USA Today gives a highly-detailed report on how easy it is to visit and get around Portland, Oregon without a car.

Some hotels there even give guests the use of free bicycles to see the city.

The walking and public transportation methods though mostly limit visitors to the downtown areas, which can be desolate at night.

Ecotravel News was recently in Portland, but since we stayed with our relative, who lives on the outskirts, we mostly drove everywhere, but in a Prius.

Read the full story: Portland is a hub for the car-free and carefree

Australian cyclist says "Free Tibet"

Ecotravel News has previously written about the ethical and environmental responsibility travelers have when visiting countries with repressive regimes. And we were especially disappointed in China's violent response to Tibetan protesters last March.

So we were happy to see on Phayul.com that the Australia cycling star Cadel Evans has "vocalized his opinion on the situation in Tibet."

Phayul writes that Evans compared the treatment of Tibetans by Han Chinese as similar to Aborigines by whites in Australia.

The Olympic Committee protocols make any kind of political protest during the Games illegal.

Read the full story: Cyclist Cadel Evans speaks out on Tibet as he leaves Beijing

Cars made with recycled plastic

The Detroit Free Press reports that car manufacturers are using recycled plastic to help offset rising costs:

"The savings range from a few cents per pound to half the price of new plastic, which accounts for one-third to one-half of the price of many components."

The recycled plastic is mixed with new material to be made into parts such as bumpers, mud guards, or dashboards.

Auto parts can't be made from 100 percent recycled plastic because they won't be strong enough to withstand impact; bumpers for example usually contain 20 percent recycled plastic.

Recycling plastic is also becoming a growing industry. Scott Melton, president of Flint, Michigan recycling plant ACI Plastics, "expects the company's $17 million in sales to grow 20% next year."

Read the full story: To help cut costs, auto industry gives plastics a second life

Kenya slum makes souvenirs out of old paper

Reuters reports on the Kenya slum that makes tourist souvenirs out of waste paper.

Watch their video report below:

CNN.com's biofuel road trip

Two fellows from CNN.com did an experimental road trip this summer in a truck outfitted for biodiesel consumption.

Cody McCloy and Brian Hardy drove from San Francisco to Atlanta in their newly purchased - yet old school - biodiesel vehicle (pictured right).

They mapped out biodiesel refilling stations ahead of time, but sometimes these stations wouldn't be open, so sometimes they needed to use regular diesel.

All in all they drove 4,189 miles, used 81.39 gallons of biodiesel, and 74.67 gallons of regular diesel.

Read the full story: My biofuel road trip: Hot as hell, eco-friendly

Happy 1-year anniversary Ecotravel News

Car to run on air, experts critical

CNN reports on a new eco-car that will use air to get around.

Zero Pollution Motors (ZPM) will manufacture the so-called air cars with an estimated release date of 2010. ZPM obtained the license to produce these vehicles from MDI, the European developers of the air car technology.

The car will use compressed air to power the engine, said the company, which is similar to train steam-engine technology. But the engine will be a dual energy type so it will also run using fuel:

"'Above 35 mph, there is an external combustion system which is basically a heater that uses a little bit of gasoline or biofuel or ethanol or vegetable oil that will heat the air,' said Shiva Vencat, vice president of MDI and CEO of Zero Pollution Motors."

Some experts claim the energy used to compress the air would make the car about as efficient as an electric vehicle.

Read the full story: 106 mpg 'air car' creates buzz, questions

Renting eco-friendly houses for a green vacation

The New York Times' Green Traveler Jennifer Conlin wrote about the latest trend in eco-friendly vacation house rentals.

One traveler who booked an eco-house had a serendipitous week with his family "living off the grid." They enjoyed it so much that now back at home, they recreate their experience with a once-a-month off the grid week.

House owners feel responsible for their guests' education of green living, so some even stock their rentals with books on environmental living.

Read the full story: Taking it easy can be easy on the planet

Pacific Grove, the tourist and car-free alternative to Monterey

The San Francisco Chronicle has a story for those travelers who want to experience the beautiful area of the Monterey Peninsula without the tourist and vehicle overload.

Pacific Grove, just northwest of Monterey, is easy to enjoy by walking and best of all doesn't have the crowds like its more touristy neighbor. There are scenic walks through the downtown and along the coast, where you can also go by bike.

"After exploring downtown (all five or six blocks of it), stroll north three blocks on 17th Street to find Monterey Bay, Lovers Point Park and the Adventures by the Sea rental office, where you can pick up bikes. Lovers Point is the southern terminus of the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail (the other end is 18 miles north in Castroville), but there's an unpaved trail that continues (most of the time) along the coast, weaving along the narrow slice of land between Ocean View Boulevard and the bay."

Read the full story: Quiet, compact Pacific Grove best suited to going car-free

Wildlife vs. tourists at Cape Hatteras National Seashore

National Parks Traveler updates the story of man vs. wildlife in Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Ecotravel News reported in June on the deliberate disturbance of certain protected areas of the Seashore.

Now NPT goes back to explore how the nesting plovers and sea turtles - as well as the tourists - are faring under the enforced beach closures.

North Carolina Senator Elizabeth Dole says the closures are causing an economic decline in tourists and wants to overturn park guidelines to bring back tourist dollars.

County tourist bureaus say tourism is still good despite other factors such as high gas prices, wildfire smoke, and the general downturn in the economy.

Park Service figures show only eight miles of beach closed to tourists.

Read the full story: How is Cape Hatteras National Seashore faring under travel restrictions?

Green resort controversy in Maine

The Associated Press reports on the controversy over a newly planned resort development on privately-owned wild lands on Maine's Schoodic Peninsula.

The proposed resort area of 100-1,000 homes will be developed into a green community, said the Winter Harbor Properties investment group. All homes will be powered by solar energy and have green septic systems says project overseer Cecelia Ward.

Conservation groups say the development will bring in more traffic and disturb wildlife habitats.

Read the full story: Some see red over proposed 'green' resort in Maine

Community-based tourism in Peru

USA Today reports on the growing trend of travelers to Peru getting away from tourist traps and living like local villagers.

Peru tourism has exploded in the past six years and more visitors are seeking out a unique cultural immersion that community-based tourism can provide.

"In the late 1990s, a group of enterprising [Vicos] villagers founded a community tourism project to promote sustainable tourism in the popular trekking area, while sharing their customs with travelers."

The back-to-basics approach also gives tourists hands-on experience tending the villagers' organic farms.

Read the full story: Tourists step off the beaten path to experience Peru's culture

Sydney reporters test commuting options

Australia's Sydney Morning Herald had an apt commuting race between some of their reporters using different methods of transportation to get to work.

But to make it an even better race, they all started from the neighborhood of Ryde - where New South Wales state transport minister John Watkins lives - to his office at Parliament House. The total distance is 15.5 kilometers, about 9.6 miles.

The commuting methods the six reporters used were bus, train, running, biking, driving a car or a motor scooter.

The scooter commuter came in first with a time of 25 minutes. The biker came in second, clocking in at 32 minutes. Then the car commuter arrived in 37 minutes. It took the train and bus commuters over an hour and a quarter. The runner arrived last, but only six minutes later than the bus rider.

This test shows why more people choose to drive their own vehicles rather than taking more environmental but slower public transportation.

Read the full story: Public transport? You're better off on your bike.

Florida judge claims EPA violated laws over Everglades cleanup

The Miami Herald reports on a federal judge's ruling over the controversial Everglades cleanup.

U.S. District Judge Alan Gold says that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) violated the Clean Water Act when it "ignored the law and its own recommendations when [they] approved the state's revised schedule for cleaning up farm-tainted water flowing into the Everglades from Lake Okeechobee -- avoiding a December 2006 deadline to reduce pollutants in the Glades."

Judge Gold went on to say the state Legislature led by then Governor Jeb Bush "'violated its fundamental commitment and promise to protect the Everglades' by relaxing rules limiting the amount of damaging phosphorus in the Everglades ecosystem."

The lawsuit was brought on by the Miccosukee Tribe and the environmental group Friends of the Everglades. In an earlier post this month, Ecotravel News reported on the demise of an Everglades bird that the Miccosukee Tribe blamed on failed federal wildlife protection programs.

Read the full story: Judge: Glades cleanup ignored

New organization pinpoints ethical travel vacation spots

USA Today reports on the group Ethical Traveler, that has just put out their top 10 list of ethical destinations:

"To create the list, Ethical Traveler looked at environmental protection, social welfare and human rights in the world's developing nations. The honorees on the Ethical Traveler's list, in alphabetical order, are Argentina, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Estonia, Namibia, Nicaragua, and South Africa."

Read the full story: Costa Rica, South Africa make list of top 10 'ethical destinations'

Toronto to pay for green lifestyles

Environmental News Network reports that Canadian city Toronto has a new carbon emissions reducing program that will pay residents to be green.

The Live Green Toronto program is a citizen-driven project that will give grants based on people's own green initiatives:

"Activators [environmentalists working for non-governmental agencies] meet people with project ideas and collaborate with them through the first stages. If a project idea survives the idea development stage, citizens will have been granted $1,000 to $25,000 [Canadian]. They then can apply for full grants of between $25,000 to $250,000 for their projects to become reality."

Toronto's goal is to reduce their emissions by 6 percent by 2012, 30 percent by 2020, and 80 percent by 2050.

Read the full story: Toronto pays citizens hefty grants for projects reducing carbon footprint

Dominica, meant to be explored on foot

The Los Angeles Times reports on the natural wonders of the Caribbean island of Dominica; the best way to enjoy it is by foot:

"It's crawling with natural hiking trails adorned by 1,200 species of plants and flowers. There are spectacular waterfalls and hot springs, including the huge Boiling Lake in the center, and the island is surrounded by waters clear enough for snorkeling, deep enough for diving and just choppy enough to make kayaking interesting."

Read the full story: Dominica: an ecological escape

This week's most un-eco trip goes to Barack Obama

Presidential hopeful Barack Obama went on a trip to the Middle East and Europe this past week.

He traveled thousands of miles on his plane and used up many road miles in private vehicles with security and local police escorts. The amount of carbon emissions spewed out are too many to count.

Senator Obama claims he is for the environment and even has a section on his own website touting all the energy and environmental things he wants to achieve including: reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050. Mr. Obama needs to take some of his own advice because as we all know airplane travel releases large amounts of greenhouse gases.

The trip was for the purpose of media coverage to show voters that he could be adept at international affairs, an area that he is admittedly lacking in. But the trip was so whirlwind, Obama also admitted that it could be of little political benefit since most Americans are focused more on domestic issues than international ones.

So if the trip was for nothing, then at least Mr. Obama can know that he helped add to the demise of the environment for no good reason except for his own vanity.

At least The New York Times today criticized the trip and questioned if the Senator's motivations of looking presidential were presumptuous and arrogant. We at Ecotravel News answer that with a strong "Yes."

For more on Obama's eco-hypocriticism check out this archived post where he's accepting non-biodegradable plastic bags.

Afghanistan ecotourism

The San Francisco Chronicle reports on the ecotourism efforts in Afghanistan.

The Aga Khan Foundation, an Afghan NGO, says that the Bamiyan area (known for the giant Buddhas that the Taliban infamously blew up in 2001) in the center of the country is safe. The Foundation created the Bamiyan Ecotourism Project (BEP) to "raise awareness of the region's natural attractions."

Afghanistan isn't on most tourist itineraries because most of the country is in the midst of instability and civil war making it unsafe for travelers. The U.S. State Department advises against travel to the country.

But despite this the BEP says tourists looking for nature can enjoy "Afghanistan's first national park, a 220-square-mile zone around Band-i-Amir [that has] six sapphire-blue lakes set amid barren sandstone badlands."

Read the full story: Tough sell: touring audacious Afghanistan

Green towns to be built in UK, locals unhappy

The Economist reports on the controversy surrounding the British government's seemingly earthy-friendly decision to build 13 eco-towns (see above map).



The government claims the eco-towns will bring new residents to small communities in order to stem a housing shortage. Local residents feel they are being "frozen out of the planning process, which is being led by the central government."



Critics of the plan point out that all houses built after 2016 will be required to be carbon-neutral, regardless of having an "eco" label or not.



Read the full story: Eco-towns: green, with hint of Brown

Controversy over CA mountain renaming

McClatchy Newspapers reports on the efforts by California Democratic leaders to name a Sierra Nevada mountain peak after the late environmentalist David Brower.

David Brower, an environmentalist for most of his life, founded and was the director of the Sierra Club from 1952-1969.

Democratic Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer said in a statement that "naming the North Palisade Peak after David Brower is a fitting tribute to a man who loved the High Sierra and all of America's wilderness."

Republican Rep. Devin Nunes - whose district is where the proposed peak lies - is opposed to the renaming because he says: "the radical environmentalists' agenda is hurting my constituents."

Read the full story: Senators want to name peak after late Sierra Club leader

Enjoy nature by camping and using a green bathroom

The Associated Press reports on the nation's first eco-friendly bathroom in a state park.

Campers at Grand Haven State Park in Michigan can now use the environmentally-friendly toilet and shower facilities that debuted in May.

Its green design features include low-flow toilets, timer-controlled showers, a sanitary sewer line and is partially powered by solar panels. It will use 40 percent less water than the old bathroom.

Michigan hopes to replace all of its state park restrooms with the green model.

Read the full story: Campground restrooms becoming ecologically correct

Amtrak boasts Northeast ridership up 28%

Ecotravel News already reported earlier this month on the rise in Amtrak train ridership in California.

Now USA Today reports on the almost 30 percent increase in riders on Amtrak's Downeaster line that goes from Portland, Maine to Boston.

The line now is usually filled to capacity and the service has had to add a fifth additional train run and train cars to meet demand.

Amtrak is now trying to negotiate a sixth train trip with the rail owners Pan Am Railways and ways to expand the service up to Brunswick, Maine.

Read the full story: Amtrak's Downeaster posts 28 percent ridership gain

Out of Idaho with outdoor blast

Idaho Statesman editor David Parker, who is moving away from Idaho, decided to spend his last days in the Gem State on an outdoor adventure that included hiking, biking and rafting in the Sawtooths easily reached from the town of Stanley.

The mountain bike portion of Parker's trip was the scenic 18-mile Fisher-Williams loop in the White Cloud Mountains that took him through "aspen trees and sagebrush, across creeks, up steep climbs and - of course - down some ripping singletrack." This bike trail is 14 miles south of Stanley.

Parker's overnight backpacking hiking trip took him to Sawtooth lake. He took the Iron Creek Trailhead which is just north of Stanley.

Rafting down the Salmon River is an experience that outdoors enthusiasts can't leave Idaho without doing and the last outdoor adventure that Parker did:

"A soak in the icy waters of the Salmon is a good way to cap off a weekend in the Sawtooths, whether you're floating the river or just hopping in."

Read the full story: How would you spend your last days in Idaho?

Kansas City, MO to build green sewer

The Kansas City Star of KC, Missouri reports that the city will be turning their new sewer system into a model of environmental-friendliness, that they hope other cities will copy.

The Kansas City Council adopted the resolution last week that will include green measures to prevent sewer flooding during heavy rainfall like rain barrels, tree boxes and storm-water planters.

Kansas City planners worked with the EPA to come up with the green sewer plans.

Read the full story: Kansas City plans green scheme for sewer system

Virgin honcho to build uber-green Caribbean resort

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Richard Branson, the Virgin conglomerate pioneer, is going to build the utmost in green resorts on his private Caribbean island.

Sir Richard is a genuine champ for the environment and actively incorporates environmental measures in his businesses like promoting airplanes to be tugged out to the runways to save fuel and to being the first to use biofuel in his Virgin Atlantic airline earlier this year.

His uber-green resort will be powered using only solar and wind energy, and Branson has already partnered with many alternative-energy consultants.

"'It is actually inexcusable for the Caribbean to need to use dirty fuels anymore when it has all these natural resources on its doorstep,' said Branson, during a tour of Necker Island in June.

He told reporters that the eco-resort's buildings would capture cool thermal airflows, eliminating the need for air conditioners. The guests' food would come from an organic orchard, and beach buggies would be powered by biofuels."

Read the full story: Branson plans world's most eco-friendly resort

MSNBC touts walking vacations

The Independent Traveler.com via MSNBC.com says taking a walking or hiking trip is a great way to get exercise while making memorable experiences.

Although the article was simplified and seemed to target people who would never imagine going hiking on a vacation, we were happy to see a mainstream site explaining the basics of undertaking such trips.

Read the full story: Walking tours and trips

CA airport unveils solar power system

The Fresno Bee reports on the installation of the nation's largest solar power system to power an airport.

Fresno Yosemite International now houses solar grids that will power 40 percent of the airport's energy needs.

The city will also buy energy generated by the solar grid at set rates for the next 20 years.

Read the full story: Fresno airport puts sun to work

Staycations, ultimate in ecotravel

Although we at Ecotravel News do enjoy traveling and since most vacations are too short to get to the ultimate way (which is slow traveling like in this previous post) we unfortunately need to use airplanes...

But because of the weak dollar and high gas prices, many aren't even able to afford going on a vacation anywhere, even by car - so a new word and way to have a vacation without going anywhere is a staycation. And by not traveling anywhere, these staycationers carbon footprints are much smaller and can be classified as ecotravelers.

But just because some can't afford to travel anywhere doesn't mean their staycations have to be dull. The Wall Street Journal Weekend found some innovative folks who are making the most of their staycations.

One New Yorker is "visiting" Japan on her staycation, without ever leaving the NYC area. Watch her video report below:



Some others have created campsites in their living rooms and another has created a new business by making over people's homes into hotel rooms (at a price of $50-$60 for two nights).

Read the full story: Postcards from the hedge: faking a vacation at home