Eco-friendly Element Hotel to debut in California

Starwood Hotels and Resorts, owner of the Westin, W, Sheraton, and St. Regis hotel chains and one of the world’s largest hotel companies, announced plans earlier this month to open a franchise of their eco-friendly Element Hotel chain in Palmdale, California by June 2010.

Shipping containers can be recycled into eco-friendly accomodation

Ever since architect Adam Kalkin debuted his Push-Button House, I’ve been intrigued by sustainable architecture. Kalkin’s Push-Button house is a dwelling made from an old shipping container. With the push of a button, the sides of the container unfold, and the container transforms from a metal box to a sleek and sophisticated living space. The Push-Button House debuted at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2005 and eventually spawned a Push-Button Cafe c/o Kalkin and Illy Coffee (great for caffeine addicts like myself).

Now California construction company Logical Homes will be expanding on Kalkin’s idea by making houses constructed from old containers available to the public. Ecofriend writes:

Logical Homes in California is gearing up to offer nine models of container homes for construction around Southern California. They are estimated to be about $100 cheaper than the average cost of per-square concrete construction in that area. Ranging from 640 to 3,250 square feet, these corrugated metal shipping containers are enhanced with large windows and custom paint. Energy-efficient appliances and bamboo flooring add to the eco-equation inside, while recycled denim insulation helps keep heating and cooling demands to a minimum.

Conveniently, these types of homes are also hurricane proof and fireproof, and much less susceptible to flood or water damage. It would be great to see a hotel develop a property using this model. It’s not just eco-friendly, it’s economically feasible too! And Kalkin and Logical Homes have me convinced that sustainability does not have to come at the expense of good design or comfort.

A Logical Homes prototype

Credit Where Credit is Due: Beijing’s Best Air Quality in 10 years!

From American cyclists arriving in Beijing wearing surgical masks to front-page photos of gray, haze-obscured Olympic venues, the lead-up to the 2008 Olympic Games was congested with complaints and controversy surrounding Beijing’s poor air quality. Focusing a significant amount of energy on the faults of the Chinese government, major American media outlets featured Chief Medical Editors and Air Quality Correspondents in order to highlight Beijing’s “poor preparation” and “failed attempts” to purge smog from the city’s skyline. Throughout this process, there was little mention of the drastic and progressive measures that the city of Beijing undertook in an effort to successfully reduce pollution for the duration of the Games. Where was the praise for the 1.1 million cars removed from Beijing streets from Aug. 8 – Aug. 24? Where was the recognition for shutting down polluting factories & harmful construction? Where was the applause for lowering city-wide pollution by over 50% in a period of only one month?

Beijing's Bird's Nest Olympic Venue surrounded by blue skies!

Gas-free Vacations

Michelle Higgins’ recent article from the New York Times discusses the increasingly popular biking vacation:

Eco-travelers have long embraced low-impact travel, biking from campsite to campsite or taking cross-country jaunts on buses powered by veggie-oil to make a point. But the high cost of fuel is inspiring even more mainstream travelers to embrace a new kind of road trip this year — the gasless vacation.

If gas prices make you squeamish, remember that there are so many great places to explore on your bike. Consider biking to a local B&B for a weekend retreat, instead of driving. And check out Adventurecycling.org, which has a ton of trip ideas, complete with guided routes and maps.

Machu Picchu: One Girl’s Adventure Through the Beauty and the Mystery

When planning my trip to South America last fall, I knew that no matter what, I was going to visit the beautiful and enigmatic ancient site that is Machu Picchu.

As one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu has become one of those “must see before you die” destinations people of all ages are drawn to explore. The site, once a mysterious and hidden set of ruins visited mainly by archaeologists and hardcore backpackers, has quickly become the most visited site in South America, with 400,000 visitors in 2005.

And so it went, Machu Picchu was the very first destination I visited on my trip. There are many different ways to experience this sacred site. The most sought after would have to be the 4-day hike through the Inca Trail, but one must book in advance as spots fill up quickly. There are also several other trails that will lead you to Machu Picchu, anything ranging from a 2 to 5 day hike up the mountains.

All of the Inca trail spots were sold out when I arrived, so my friend and I opted to take the train up to the small town of Aguas Calientes, where we would spend the night, and wake up at 5am the next morning to take a bus up to the gate of magical Machu Picchu.

San Francisco Music Festival Goes Green

This past weekend, San Francisco hosted an outdoor music festival in Golden Gate Park, Outside Lands, that proved to not only be jam-packed with such notable acts as Beck, Radiohead, Ben Harper, and Jack Johnson, but also, to be eco-friendly. Artists jammed on a solar-powered stage, music lovers feasted on organic, sustainably farmed foods, and various eco-education opportunities abounded. Ecomomentum discusses the event here. Check out the festival’s “Eco Lands” website for more detailed information.

Journey to a Bio Bay

Off the Caribbean Coast of Puerto Rico, lies one of the most spectacular bio-luminescent bays in the world. Specifically, this bay is off the island of Vieques, which is about 8 miles east of the Puerto Rican mainland. This “Bio Bay” is considered the largest and brightest in existence. It is also one of the only places where you can see the phenomenon every night of the year, others are seasonal. The luminescence is caused by approximately 720,000 micro-organisms (dinoflagellates) per gallon of water. Whenever the water is disturbed, the organisms light up in a beautiful neon blue-green.

I was lucky enough to visit this magical place recently. Along with about 15 others and a couple guides, we hopped in some kayaks and set out across the bay at about 8 p.m. one night.

With each paddle stroke the water lit up with a soft glow, getting brighter and brighter as we traveled on. Fish were flying up out of the water all around us, as excited as we were for the journey. Once arriving to the middle of the bay, we hooked all our kayaks together and jumped out for a swim. The experience is hard to put in to words. Just pulling your arm up out of the water and watching hundreds of tiny specs of light slide down it and disappear, left us in awe. Considering the warm temperature of the water, it felt like taking a bath in the moonlight while floating in glowing stardust.

A small channel that leads to the ocean keeps the organisms in the bay. The Spanish dropped huge boulders in to the bay to create the channel. This was their way of trying to prevent the bay’s waters from entering the ocean. They believed the luminescence was the work of the devil. This plan backfired and has actually helped to preserve and increase the luminescence in the bay.

Unfortunately, this nightly magic show is now threatened. Pollution, dredging, land development, overuse of the bay, and mangrove destruction can kill the tiny creatures. The organisms live off the dead leaves of the red mangrove trees that surround the bay. Local tour companies are trying to protect the bay by donating a portion of their proceeds to protect this natural treasure and to educate people of its beauty and importance, hopefully long in to the future.

Lighten up!

I’m kind of addicted to travel websites, and this week’s favorite is definitely onebag.com, a site dedicated to the art and science of traveling light. I am a huge advocate of traveling light, and I barely ever check luggage. For me, a lot of it has to do with the fact that lugging a huge bag around is just not feasible for someone my size. But packing light doesn’t just reduce hassle, it’s also good for the environment! Getting in the habit of lightening your load means less stuff, which means less waste, and it also mean less energy is needed to transport you to your destination.

Doug Dyment, onebag.com’s author, gives you a detailed analysis of everything from what to pack, what to pack in, and how to pack. Dyment’s one-page tried and tested packing list is available here. It may seem obsessive, but this information is really handy when you travel extensively.

Dyment’s diagram of how to pack efficiently without wrinkling your clothes (click to enlarge):

Check back soon for a posting on the best in eco-friendly travel gear!

Uakari Lodge: a model for sustainability

A room at the Uacari Floating Lodge

On a recent trip to the Amazon I stayed at a wonderful lodge that really exemplifies sustainable tourism. It was much more than an “eco-lodge” and was sustainable on many fronts. Sure, they boasted solar power, rainwater collection, local guides, and local produce at their delicious restaurant, but that is just the tip of the iceberg in their sustainability efforts.

My stay was at the Uakari Lodge located in the heart of the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve deep in the Amazon. Mamirauá is part of the largest protected tropical forest complex on the planet. The complex also includes the Amanã Sustainable Development Reserve the Jaú National Park.

The lodge and the reserve are managed by the people whose families have lived in Mamirauá’s small villages for centuries. They make decisions on zoning, fishing quotas, logging quotas and more. There are also researchers in the area who are determining alternate sources of income for the locals. Their efforts include the study of local ornamental fishes (for aquariums). They are trying to determine which species of fish they can “farm” sustainably for export. There are strict rules in place for fishing, logging, poaching, and more. This project is partially funded by the Zoological Society of London.

The communities are in charge of policing themselves and patrolling against outsiders coming in to exploit their resources. The reserves profits are divided up among the inhabitants, but it is not always equal. Each village can earn more or less than the others depending on their adherence to the strict rules.

Currently, the locals are being trained by volunteers to handle all aspects of the reserve so that soon they will completely run the operation. Interestingly, the volunteers told us that two of the most difficult things to teach the locals are negotiation skill and English. When you are there you can really tell that each person has a stake in the reserve and in the lodge. You are treated with warm smiles and an always helpful staff.

The kids at Mamiraua Village

The last thing I wanted to talk about was one of the highlights of the stay. We were taken to one of the local communities and were shown around the village by an elder. She was so nice and welcoming and answered all of the questions that we had (through our translator, George). I have traveled   to a lot of “local villages” (most notably the hill tribes in Thailand) and this was one of the most authentic experiences. One of the reasons I say this is because they didn’t make their kids come out and sing us songs and expect candy in return. For the most part people just went about their normal routines as if we weren’t even there.

These people truly care about the state of their reserve and it felt great to support such a project.

*Since I couldn’t remember all of the facts from the great presentation by our host and translator, George, I refreshed my memory at www.wcs.org and www.mamiraua.org.br. Please visit these sites to learn more, I only touched on a few of the initiatives.

Conventions go green.

Read about it here.

The birth of the ecocity

Urban communities around the globe, particularly in North America and Northern Europe, are increasingly taking steps to become more environmentally sustainable by doing things like improving public transportation systems and promoting renewable forms of energy.

Yet some of the biggest buzz these days surrounds cities that are being designed and created explicitly for the purpose of being ecocities. The most well-known example of these efforts is Dongtan, a city that was designed by the British engineering firm Arup, and that is being developed on the island of Chongming, next to Shangahi.

Is all eco-tourism sustainable?

There is a big debate about whether traveling to the most untouched, un-traveled corners of the world, visiting indigenous people, can really be counted as eco-tourism.

There is the positive factor that when you travel to a remote location you are supporting the local population, but isn’t there also an element of invasion of privacy, where the indigenous people are de facto “put on display?”

I think it’s one thing if a resort or hotel is created and run by the local people, but a completely different thing if groups of tourists travel hours through jungles and rivers just to have spotted, and maybe even, gawked at “the natives.”  Perhaps indigenous populations should be met on their terms, if and when they establish a tourist destination that they have declared as such, not one that we pronounced a desirable vacation spot.

This is something to keep in mind when planning a vacation – are you intruding into a community that wants to remain private or, in the case of many Amazonian destinations today, are you partaking in a cultural experience that wants to be shared and “discovered” and to whose sustainable growth you are contributing? Due to the rise in responsible, sustainable travel, these issues will begin to resolve themselves in the coming years.

Richard Branson’s plan to de-virginize Virgin Islands but keep them eco-friendly – can he do it?

Richard Brandson has yet another Virgin endeavor – to transform one of his private islands, Mosquito Island, known as the destination wedding location for a handful of a-listers (Google’s co-founder Larry Page, among them), into the “most environmentally-friendly resort on the globe.”

Included in the eco-friendly plans for his resort are villas powered purely by wind technology and solar panels, air-conditioning “captured” from the cool thermal airflows, meals coming from the island’s organic orchards, and bio-fuel powered beach buggies.  If Branson can inject some much needed energy into  the airline industry, (and he is already planning commercialized trips  to the moon), let’s hope these goals are within reach too.

Teaching Old Buildings New Tricks

LEED certification has emerged in recent years as an accepted, well-recognized seal of approval for sustainable or “green” buildings. And a growing number of new hotels, like San Francisco’s acclaimed Orchard Garden Hotel and Vancouver’s Hilton, are newer, LEED-certified establishments. However, this green building focus quickly leads to an important question: is it better to build a new, sustainably constructed hotel or to renovate one that’s already there?

While fancy new buildings decked out with energy-saving gadgets and green furnishings are exciting, the plain truth is that renovating an existing building often results in a smaller carbon footprint. It also means less new clearing/excavating for construction, which can be important in ecologically sensitive areas.

A recent TreeHugger post discusses a British study that found renovating older homes is less carbon-intensive than building new ones following sustainable construction guidelines. And since LEED has programs for renovations and other projects as well as new building construction (read here), even existing buildings can achieve LEED certification.

In fact, there are lots of changes existing hotels can make to improve their sustainability. Some are more involved, like installing low-flow water fixtures, purchasing energy-efficient equipment, and upgrading insulation. But even small changes can have great impacts on sustainability, morale, and even bottom line. I’m starting the non-profit Whole Travel Foundation to help hotels and resorts sort these things out. We’ll start by using Whole Ranking (Whole Travel’s sustainability ranking system) to identify issues, and then help find sustainable solutions.

Stay tuned in weeks to come for more information about Whole Travel Foundation. And in the meantime, remember that “out with the old, in with the new” isn’t always the best path to sustainable tourism.

When it Comes to Sustainable Travel, Steer Clear of Cruising

This year, over 12 million people will take a cruise vacation. Whether it’s the unlimited food, the family-friendly activities, or simply the idea of a stress-free vacation, people are drawn to the all-inclusive appeal of a cruise getaway.

So beautiful...so toxic...

Easy on the Consumer, Harsh on the Environment

Cruises are fun, no doubt about that. With one easy payment, you can have an entire vacation planned out from start to finish… but at what real cost?

A recent article in the Telegraph discusses the Carnival Cruise’s annual environmental report on its ships.  According to the article:

• Cruise ships emit three times more carbon emissions than aircraft. They consume energy for laundry, restaurants, theatre, leisure club activities, water treatment, waste treatment and more.
• They produce enormous amounts of waste. On average, a cruise ship passenger accounts for 3.5 kg of waste daily – compared with the 0.8 kg generated by local people on shore.
• Few ships have polices aimed at supporting local communities.
• Many passengers take a flight to reach cruise ships – further increasing their carbon footprint.

These findings are increasingly relevant as cruise travel continues to be one of the fastest growing areas in travel.

Not All Cruising is Made Equal

However hazardous cruise ships are to the environment, there are those cruise lines that defy the norm. One cruise carrier that deserves recognition is Ecoventura. This Ecuadorian- based cruise, which takes its passengers on a wildlife adventure through the Galapagos, strives to preserve the natural environment as much as possible.

Cruising the Galapagos

While traveling, it is important to keep in mind the environmental impact you will be making on the places you visit. It always seems like the most incredible, mind-blowing places are also the most susceptible to environmental damage. Taking the time to research the “greenest” possible method of travel, is not only noble, it’s essential.