Guide to Green Eco Travel in California

I live here in Southern California, so I noted with great interest the article in Plenty Magazine listing the most green ecotravel destinations, state by state, including those here in California, which are as follows:

Tomales Bay Oyster Co Bivalve farm sells namesake oysters, mussels, and clams. Waterside picnic area for prime shucking. 15479 Hwy 1, Marshall, CA. 415-663-1242; tomalesbayoysters.com

Buell House Save-the-planet politicos Mark and Susie Tompkins Buell’s peace sign–fronted barn is a legend in Bolinas. Tricky hike to Alamere Falls, but it’s worth it for the 50-foot cascade directly into the ocean. Off Mesa Rd, Bolinas, CA. marintrails.com

Monarch Grove Sanctuary Some 25,000 monarchs arrive from the Canadian Rockies and Alaska to new digs in Butterfly Town, USA. Locals work to preserve their habitat and that of the Australian eucalyptus. October through March. Ridge Rd, Pacific Grove, CA. 831-648-5716; pgmuseum.org

Post Ranch Inn Architecture fit for its surroundings. Morning yoga, afternoon nature walks, and evening astronomy sessions. They know what you like. Off Hwy 1, Big Sur, CA. 800-527-2200; postranchinn.com

Los Feliz Lodge Live like an Angeleno who has compost, conscious lighting, vintage furnishings, and nontoxic laundry supplies. 1507 N Hoover St, Los Angeles, CA. 323-913-1443; losfelizlodge.com

Three Twins Ice Cream Certified-organic farmers’ market fave. Biodegradable and compostable servingware. 610 1st St, Napa, CA. 707-257-8946; threetwinsicecream.com

The California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture The roots of Nader Khalili’s futuristic subdivision and school. Called anything from eco-domes to super adobes to moon cocoons. Tours by appointment. 10177 Baldy Ln, Hesperia, CA. 760.244.0614; calearth.org

La Jolla Cove Ecological Reserve Swim past the lounging sea lions, snorkel into a protected underwater ecosystem with Garibaldi fish and endangered giant black sea bass. 1100 Coast Blvd, La Jolla, CA 619.260.1880; scubasandiego.com

Green Fusion Design Center Healthy for your home and the earth. Retail shop, gallery, and educational center. Green through and through, from the building to the initiatives. 14 Greenfield Ave., San Anselmo, CA. 415-454-0174; greenfusiondesigncenter.com

Roots Restaurant in the Orchard Garden Hotel San Fran’s first green hotel adds restaurant with same standards. Grass-fed beef, biodynamic beer in elegant whitewashed setting. 466 Bush St., San Francisco, CA. 415-399-9807; theorchardgardenhotel.com

Smiley’s Schooner Saloon & Hotel No signs and no tourists in this famously secluded, activist-minded coastal town. More than 150 years old and not ashamed. Drink up; stay the night. But don’t expect modern conveniences. 41 Wharf Rd., Bolinas, CA. 415-868-1311; coastalpost.com/smileys

Helios House Ironic concept that’s not Frank Gehry’s. A station that pumps BP gas, but much else is designed to save—from the energy-efficient solar panels to the water filtration. 8770 W. Olympic Blvd at the corner of Olympic & Robertson, Los Angeles, CA. 310-855-9346; thegreencurve.com

Akasha Locally roasted fair trade coffee and goodies flavored with artisan sea salt and non-irradiated spices. 9534 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA. 310-845-1700; akasharestaurant.com

For more see:  http://www.plentymag.com/features/2008/07/city_guide_for_local_travel.php

Eco Travel in the Middle East

(From Karin Kloosterman’s excellent site – highly recommended):

VISA issues aside, eco-touring is no longer a concept found only in the West. More Middle Eastern organizations are starting to cater to the ecologically minded and are marketing eco-tours. Whether it’s a trek on a camel through the desert, or a backpacking excursion through unspoilt forests, if you are willing to not be spoiled in the Western way, the Middle East offers a number of eco-friendly holidays. Here we offer a recap of some options provided by Israeli blogger Karen Chernick from Green Prophet.

While some countries like Costa Rica have started abiding by sustainability standards and practices, no such organizations or initiatives like this exist in the Middle East. In the interim, we can just suggest contacting the websites of the organizations to ask them any specific questions you might have.

JORDAN

Terhaal Eco Adventure: Terhaal offers a variety of adventures with a focus on outdoor activities. Rappelling, snorkeling, camping, camel trekking… you name it, they got it. You can choose from a list of trips that they offer, or they’ll tailor a trip to what you want to see.

Baobab: Alternative Roots to Travel: This tour company offers eco tours all over the Middle East and Africa, with some unique options in Jordan. You can check out some of their cultural tours or have them take you around some of Jordan’s nature reserves.

Feynan Lodge: Developed by Jordan’s Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, this eco lodge is in the middle of the Dana nature reserve. The lodge itself is built entirely out of local materials with traditional methods. It also incorporates green technologies such as solar power and they try to stick to candle light at night to save electricity. Very green and very romantic.

LEBANON

TLB Destinations: TLB is a tour company that offers sustainable tourism trips all over the Middle East. The small company is local and multilingual (they speak English, French, Arabic, and German), and promotes responsible tourism. This means that their tour guides inform travelers about local concerns regarding the conservation of natural areas, support local communities, and that the company itself tries to raise awareness about biodiversity and heritage. TLB offers a diverse range of trips in Lebanon, including adventure, biking, cultural, gastronomical, discovery, trekking, and hiking tours.

Eco Village: Eco Village is a spot in the Dmit Valley for educational eco tourism. While staying in one of their mud huts or camps, you can enjoy organic meals, learn about the environment, and help out on their farm. In addition to organic farming, fishing, hiking, swimming, and rock climbing, you can also do some yoga or tai chi at the Eco Village.

Lebanon Mountain Trail: The Lebanon Mountain Trail is a 440 km path that leads from the northern tip of Lebanon to the southern part of the country and goes through more than 75 towns and villages. It promotes environmentally and socially responsible tourism, and is the first long distance hiking trail in Lebanon.

Blue Carrot Adventures: This tour group brings together nature and adventure lovers to explore Lebanon’s wilderness. Some of their adventures include snowshoeing, paragliding, amateur caving, and diving. Sign up for their mailing list to find out about their next adventure.

IRAN

Ecotour Iran: Ecotour Iran, a leading tour operating company, cooperates with experts in the field of ecotourism. It runs the only official ecotourism center in Iran as well as training courses for ecotour leaders in the fields of zoology, ornithology, botany, geography, history, photography, outdoor sports, anthropology, and more. They offer a wide range of tours, some of which include bird watching and nature photography tours.

Iran Paradise: Iran Paradise is a tourism agency whose eco-tours focus on the many national parks and protected regions in Iran. According to their website, there are currently 10 national parks and 41 protected regions in Iran constituting 7.9 million hectares (around 4.8% of the total area of the country). Highlights of their 12 day/11 night eco-tour itinerary include visiting a variety of national parks, sleeping in tents, and viewing various aquatic, forest, and desert eco systems.

Let’s Go Iran: Let’s Go Iran is another tourism agency that offers a variety of eco-tours – skiing, diving, desert, and nomad tours. Highlights of the nomad eco-tour include a full day of camel riding in the desert followed by a delicious lunch of camel meat, camping overnight with the nomads in the Zagrus mountains, and trekking through mountains.

7 Tips for Choosing a Travel Adventure Company

TravelVideo.TV had a good article with tips on how to choose a travel adventure company:

by Rich Steck & Judi Janofsky /wheretogonext
Today anyone can hang out a website shingle announcing themselves as adventure travel experts. But how do you know that these “experts” know how to walk softly on the environment, what to do if the weather turns rough, where to go for the best local arts and crafts, plus a hundred other scenarios that can make or break a vacation?

An adventure vacation is an investment of your time and money. It’s worth the effort to ask a few hard questions upfront. Years of operation, the quality of the company’s website and printed materials, price, itinerary, guide training, insurance, after-hours accessibility and safety record are all good qualifiers but they only scratch the surface. You have to dig deeper to reveal the true nature of a company and its offerings.

Which is why a recent note from Austin-Lehman Adventures seemed worth passing on to all our readers.

Dan Austin, 30-year industry veteran and co-founder and director of Austin-Lehman Adventures, gathered input from guests, staff, industry professionals and his own experiences, then put together a seven point guideline to help adventure seekers in selecting a qualified active tour operator. Here are his recommendations:

Surf and Ask Around: Surf the Internet, read the blogs, look at the “Best Lists” in national travel magazines or better yet, use your own online and real life networks. Ask others who are into adventure travel which companies they swear by. Folks love to recommend their favorites and dump on the duds.

Quality by Association: Check on an operator’s accreditation and its membership in respected organizations like Trusted Adventures, the Adventure Travel Trade Association, Sustainable Travel International, Rainforest Alliance and The Eco Tourism Society. These are top-notch vetters that demand a high level of accountability and service.

Authenticity: Look for a company offering flexible, innovative and compelling itineraries that also build in time for unprogrammed spontaneity. Do they demonstrate a passion for creating the conditions in which genuine experiences can take place? Do they avoid big international hotel chains and restaurants and include smaller, local establishments with character that enrich the traveler’s experience?

Use of Subcontractors: Many tour operators will sub-contract out all or a portion of their trip to a receptive operator. The key is the care a company has taken in choosing a subcontractor and what controls they have to assure a quality experience. Ask to what extent the company hires its own guides and operates its own trips vs. brokering out to second-party contractors.

Responsible Travel: Seek out travel companies that leave no sign of their passing and work to protect fragile environments and ancient cultures. Ask how a company’s practices benefit local communities and what they do to help protect the cultural and natural heritage of the places they visit. How do they minimize or offset their travel footprint?

Access to the Top: As a consumer and customer you have your rights! The better travel companies won’t hide behind a string of sales agents, supervisors and department heads if you have a real issue or problem to discuss. Ask if you could talk directly to the owner, president or CEO if for any reason you were frustrated or displeased by the answers and service you were getting from a guide or employee.

Fun Learning: Forward-thinking travel companies embrace education as fundamental to its day-to-day itineraries. Just stopping briefly for a picture or souvenir is not enough. Ask if local guides, historians, biologists and other experts join the group along the way.

…

The Man who Swam the Amazon

The book “The Four Hour Workweek“, by Timothy Ferriss, is one inspiration that led me to create this blog.  I also enjoy his blog, and yesterday Tim posted about a man who swam the entire length of the Amazon River.

Last year on April 8th, Slovenian marathon swimmer Martin Strel became the first man to swim the entire length of the Amazon River from headwaters in Peru to the Brazilian port city of Belém: 3,274 miles. It took him 66 days with a support crew of near twenty people following him in a boat for protection.

He’d already conquered the Danube, the Mississippi, and the Yangtze. In 1997, he became the first to swim non-stop from Africa to Europe, and he did it in 29 hours, 36 minutes, and 57 seconds… without a wetsuit. WTF? Seven swimmers had attempted it before and all had failed.

The Amazon was different. As the “Fish Man,” as the locals called him, reached the finish line at Belém, he had to be helped to his feet and ushered into a wheelchair amidst a cheering crowd. His blood pressure was at heart-attack levels and his entire body was full of subcutaneous larvae. But he lived to tell the tale.

You can read more at the link above.  What an amazing (and dangerous) adventure!  By the way, if you can’t tell, I’m a fan of Tim Ferriss’ ideas, and his book is highly recommended by me.

The Adventures of Dancing Matt

A video was forwarded to me, promising it to be impossible to not smile if I watched it.  A tear went down my face and pangs of jealousy and missed opportunities crossed my mind.  It made me kind of sad.

Where The Hell is Matt is a website chronicling a traveller of the most aggressive sort.  His catchy videos have been viewed millions of times.

You can see the video in high definition here:  http://www.vimeo.com/1211060

Or just click below and enjoy:

Article: “The Value of EcoTourism”

An article from the publication Westside Today appeared on their website, from a primatology student.  I found it fascinating and true.  There’s value in tourism of the right kind, value in ecotravel, and value in education combined with the eye opening and mind opening kind of travel.

The Value of Ecotourism

Recently returned from a three-month journey studying the primates in Africa, Brentwood resident Katie Hall gives Westside Today her story.

I have just returned from a three-month term as a field assistant in the Budongo Forest Reserve, Uganda, collecting data on chimpanzee stress response to human impact on the forest. As a primate researcher, I can easily say that human encroachment on the forest ecosystem, whether through logging, hunting, growing crops on the forest edge, and other factors, are detrimental to the health and wellbeing of all forest inhabitants.
So it may come as a surprise to say that the future of the endangered chimpanzees, gorillas, golden monkeys, and other animals may depend on humans entering the forest—through ecotourism.

Katie Hall

During the course of my research, I visited four forest sites in Northwestern Uganda, each with different levels of human activity impacting the chimpanzees. Busingiro is heavily affected by illegal logging; Sonso is strictly a research station; Kaniyo-Pabidi, a pristine forest, is used for ecotourism; and Kasokwa is a tiny fragment between fields of sugar cane, major roads and several villages.

I spent most of my time in Kasokwa, 70 hectares of degraded forest overgrown with invasive lantana (the only trees left are those not wanted by loggers). The 14 chimpanzees that inhabit the area make the perfect case study for population bottleneck: Most chimpanzee groups in pristine forest travel in groups of 25-50 but socialize with a network as large as 100 individuals; with a group so small, inbreeding is inevitable.

I came to know the 14 chimpanzees of Kasokwa very well throughout the three months, learning to recognize them by their faces and other remarkable features, and by their voices. Four of these 14 individuals suffer from snare injuries: Wire snares are set to trap smaller animals for meat, but chimps often travel on the ground and occasionally get caught. While not always fatal, the injuries sustained can cause long-term damage. Limbs are lost, reducing climbing ability, feeding and social grooming, leaving individuals emaciated, ill and lonely.

Clearly, humans have a very negative impact here. They need the land to grow their crops; they need the water from the stream to drink and wash clothing; they need vegetation to graze their cattle.

But chimpanzees and gorillas especially are a source of national pride (not to mention income) in Uganda, and their conservation is significant to community development projects. Furthermore, both species offer us an opportunity to reflect on our evolutionary heritage.

While it breaks my heart to admit that Kasokwa may be a lost cause in terms of conservation, there is still hope in the many forest areas protected by ecotourism. Kaniyo-Pabidi, Kibale, Semliki, Kyambura Gorge, Bwindi and Mgahinga all offer the opportunity to view majestic chimps and gorillas in their natural habitat.

Tourists pay as much as $500 for one hour with the gorillas; this sounds expensive, but it is worth every penny in terms of conservation and local economic development. Without the income generated through ecotourism, guards cannot be hired to enforce National Park boundaries. Local villagers then cut trees for firewood or building and hunt animals for personal consumption or for the commercial bush-meat trade.

The profits earned from eco-tourism contribute to building sustainable projects within local communities. The results include enhancing farming skills, water sanitation projects, and building schools and hospitals. These amenities ease pressure about providing some basic infrastructure and services. In addition, locals have come to respect the endangered species with which they share space.

Without tourist dollars, chimps, gorillas and other species are likely doomed. While bringing more people into the forest is not good for the animals, this is nevertheless the best opportunity to learn more about the species, their feeding choices, social habits and most importantly, the dangers they face from the human front. The likelihood of anyone donating $500 is slim. This way, tourists have an interactive educational opportunity, the community receives the economic benefit and the animals are further insulated from human encroachment.

Conservation is a by-product of tourism. And tourism is not all bad. Without ecotourism, chimps all over Uganda would be suffering as much as my friends in Kasokwa. Consider an educational, eco-friendly adventure for your next vacation. It is a way to learn more, contribute to conservation and still promote economic development in surrounding communities.
Katie Hall is a recent graduate of UCSD and has had a lifelong fascination with primates. She starts her PhD. at St. Andrews University in Scotland this fall, where she will study primatology.

From About.com: How to Zip Line

1. What is a zipline tour?

   One zipline lover describes it as “being as close as you can get to flying across the top of the jungle.” Participants don a harness with a caribiner that is attached to a wheel on a cable strung between trees. You push off from a platform on one tree and zip along the cable to a platform on another tree. You can be anywhere from 20- to 80-feet off the ground and, literally, flying between the trees at a height in jungles where birds and monkeys hang out on the branches.

2. Different types of zipline tours

   Zipline tours vary both in length and style. Many tours in Costa Rica and other countries with jungles or rainforests include a jeep tour to the zipline site during which a guide tells you about the wildlife and flora. At some mountain resorts, the zipline experiences are near the base of summer-green ski slopes and the first zipline is reachable via a chairlift. Some experiences only have five or six ziplines; others have many more strung between trees.

3. What does the basic training include?

   Ideally, the experience will include some “how to” information plus a safety briefing. You’ll learn how to put on the harness, latch onto the cable and how to brake if you want to slow down while zipping on a cable. After you learn the basics and watch a demonstration, you may get a chance to practice once or twice on a short zipline that is just a few feet off the ground.

4. Who enjoys zipline tours?

   Many zipline experiences can be enjoyed by entire families. But before you book, ask about the number of ziplines and the heights at which they are strung to make sure you are comfortable with the heights for both you and your children. Also, make sure of the age, weight and height limits.

5. What do I need to wear and bring?

   You should wear long pants and gym shoes or hiking boots. Shoes must not have open toes. If you have long hair put it in a pony tail. Use a strap to keep your glasses secured. Don’t have any sharp objects, such as keys or pens in your pockets. Keep your camera in a case close to your body, not dangling on a strap. The company should provide the harness, a helmet and gloves. But, confirm that they provide all three.

6. Do I need to be in great physical condition?

   The answer depends upon the tour. A basic zipline experience requires little physical exertion, although it’s not for anyone who has a serious fear of heights). If the tour you want to take includes hiking, mountain biking, kayaking or other activities, you’ll have to be in the proper shape to participate.

7. What’s the minimum age?

   Always verify the minimum age before you book the tour. Some tours require participants be 18 years or older.

8. Are there minimum and maximum weights?

   Brad Morse of Canopy Tours, Inc., says that anyone on the big side concerned about fitting into a harness properly should check in advance with any waist-size requirements and ask if there is a chest harness or full body harness.

9. How much do these tours cost?

   Prices vary dramatically depending upon whether it’s just a zipline experience, or if the zipline tour is part of a longer tour that might include a jeep tour to the site where the ziplines are set up and lunch. They can cost as little as $45 for just the zipline experience up to $120 or more for a zipline experience and other activities.

10. Companies offering zipline tours

    Zipline tours are offered in many places around the globe from Whistler and Alaska in North America to Hawaii, Costa Rica and New Zealand. Canopy Tours, Inc. has a directory of Zip Line tours around the world. With Kauai Backcountry Adventures you can zoom down a mountainside on a series of 7 ziplines.

11. How do you find zipline tours?

    Many vacation packages offer a zipline tour option and other countries you can usually book them through the hotel concierge or front desk. You can also book before you go directly with a company via its Internet site.

Zipline in Lake Tahoe

Heavenly Resort in Lake Tahoe claims to have the longest zip line in the United States, stretching 3,300-feet. Be prepared for a fast, steep descent because the 525-foot vertical drop matches that of the Space Needle. The zipline is open year-round, so whether there’s snow on the ground or the slopes are summer-green, you’re guaranteed spectacular views as you descend.

The Heavenly Flyer zipline propels riders over treetops at speeds up to 50 miles per hour – and the total ride time is about 80 seconds. With two separate lines, you could even zip down side-by-side with a friend.

Weather permitting, the Heavenly Flyer zipline is open 10:30 am to 5 pm in the summer and 10am to 3 pm in the winter. During the winter months, the Heavenly Flyer is offered at Adventure Peak, with other snowsport activities including cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, tubing, sledding and snowbiking. Summertime, you can fly down the Heavenly Flyer zipline in between scaling a 25-foot-high multi-ability climbing wall or taking a hike on the trails threading the resort.

Rides are $30 ($20 for passholders who present an active Heavenly season pass). Lift tickets and sightseeing tickets are sold separately and are required to take the Heavenly Gondola then the Tamarack Express chairlift to reach the zipline’s Launching Pad.

For more information visit Heavenly Resort.  And I can tell you from experience, nothing gives you a rush like going down a fast zip line, even though it’s much safer than the car ride to get there.