If you thought organic and ethical behaviour just covered food and clothes you are mistaken – it now covers holidays and hotels as well!
Are you of the opinion that the last thing you want to hear about when planning your holiday is ethics? Nearly everyone wants sun, sea and sand guilt free. If only it were that easy! Tourism, as the worlds leading industry, has increasingly detrimental effects on the environment. With 1 billion people set to travel, every year, by 2010 this situation can only get worse, unless we begin to think further than our sun screen factor. The author looks at a few local and international holidays and day trips that can minimise your effect on the environment and contribute to positive change.
International Trips and Community Tourism
Look for small companies who use locally managed tours and where conservation measures are already in place and where time is given over to gaining insights into the local environment and the lives of local people.
Community tourism aims to benefit and include the local communities, particularly indigenous people. Always check holidays are run with the involvement of local people and a fair share of profits goes back to local projects. Its like Fairtrade, but not for coffee….for holidays!
Environmental Working Holidays
Willing Workers on Organic Farms and the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) have projects in the UK and overseas. BTCV are offering a unique experience, the chance to do something practical for the country you visit and make a contribution to conservation on a global scale.
Day Trips
Why not visit an Organic Farm and:
Riverford Organic Vegetables want people to share our enjoyment of growing and eating good, seasonal, organic food. A farm visit followed by a meal in the Field Kitchen gives you the chance to experience the link between the field and plate, and to sample some outstanding cooking in a beautiful environment.
Why not stay at an Organic Hotel?
Penrhos Court Country Hotel has been a Herefordshire farm for 700 years, a country restaurant for over 25 years with hotel rooms for ten years. It has always been in the food business and the food business is its reason for being. Its future is to help protect our natural environment and the food it provides.
What is the Green Tourism Business Scheme?
Welcome to the Green Tourism Business Scheme. We are the largest and most successful environmental accreditation body of tourism related businesses in Europe and have over 500 members in the UK, including amongst others, accommodation providers, visitor attractions, tour operators and conference facilities.
While on Holiday why not eat at an Organic Pizza Place?
We were concerned about the extensive use of chemicals and fertilisers in virtually all food products and wanted to offer the ever-demanding customer a more wholesome menu. The menus from the food to the wine, and the branch decor are all full of natural flavours, textures and tones.
Can GM crops feed and save the world?
GM crops and the great debate has been around for 10 years and are people any closer to working out whether they are good for us, the planet or whether they are a necessary evil to feed the world?
What is the Mortgage Rescue Scheme?
Many homeowners in the UK have mortgage arrears due to numerous factors including ill health, reduced hours, redundancy and separation.
Green Energy versus Nuclear Power
I have just been reading about Namibia and how Uranium production is booming and creating jobs in this developing African nation and I thought it was about time I revisited the nuclear power debate after a 3 year break.
