Video: First Runway Test of Solar Plane

After a flurry of activity over the past several weeks, the Solar Impulse team have finally taken their first steps towards solar flight. The prototype of the aircraft designed to be the first to fly around the world powered only by the sun, has completed the first taxi tests down the runway at its home airport in Switzerland.

Solar Impulse - Around The World In A Solar Airplane

The Solar Impulse will gain altitude during the day and descend during the night, thereby economising an important quantity of energy in its batteries. These maximum and minimum altitudes will have to be defined in terms of security parameters and meteorology. A complete feasibility analysis of the airplane and the security of the missions is therefore being carried out to identify the weak points, risks, redundancies and to find solutions that will guarantee the success of the real missions.

Britain ‘s Air Passenger "Green" tax: A disaster for the Caribbean

In spite of massive lobbying from home and abroad and objections from airlines, tour operators and tourism organizations including the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the British government went ahead with its plan to impose the allegedly "green" and controversial Airport Passenger Duty (APD) aimed at taxing aviation's "carbon emissions."

Ecotourism Or Greenwash? Is it possible to be an eco-friendly tourist?

... there are still lots of trips wearing a bogus "ecotourism" tag. These include swimming with captive dolphins (the feature documentary The Cove on the annual dolphin slaughter in Japan is a reminder of the truth behind their capture and trade) and hunting holidays with "sustainable" quotas – Tanzania has received criticism for the sale of ancestral lands to monopolies for under the market price, leaving local tribes high and dry.

Botswana Villagers: Tourist invasion is a threat to Okavango wilderness

For years the southern African country has restricted visitor numbers to preserve its habitat. But the government now sees tourism as crucial to a diversified economy that cannot depend on diamonds for ever. The fishermen who rely on the delta for their livelihoods accuse tourists of riding roughshod over their needs and jeopardising the fragile ecosystem.

UK's 'Green tax' risk to travel

The charge, which currently ranges from 11 pounds to 110 pounds, is set based on class of travel and distance flown, with premium long-haul passengers paying the highest. Such a system is 'clearly unfair and discriminatory' against long-haul travellers, said Singapore Airlines' chief executive officer Chew Choon Seng at the annual meeting of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA), held at the Conrad Centennial Singapore on Friday.

Green Travel Market

Definition Sustainable Tourism

'Shark fin' wings give airline chiefs something to smile about

The plane maker estimates the sharklets would save operators US$220,000 ($300,000) worth of fuel annually for each aircraft. ... About 700 tonnes of CO2 emissions would be saved by the devices, which will cost about $1.2 million per aircraft.

Share your travel experiences at Earth.org - Student UK

Hawaii's famed white sandy beaches are shrinking

The loss of so many beaches is an alarming prospect for Hawaii on many levels. Many tourists come to Hawaii precisely because they want to lounge on and walk along its soft sandy shoreline. These visitors spend some $11.4 billion each year, making tourism the state's largest employer. Disappearing sands would also wreak havoc on the environment as many animals and plants would lose important habitats. The Hawaiian monk seal, an endangered species, gives birth and nurses pups on beaches. The green sea turtle, a threatened species, lays eggs in the sand.

Eco Retreats

If you want to get away from it all you could hardly find a more remote and beautiful location than Eco Retreats.   In the heart of the Dyfi Forest you’ll discover five 21’ diameter tipis and one 18’ yurt in a landscape of woods, hills, streams and meadows. Each tipi or yurt is located in its own secluded site and provides a cosy and comfortable living space complete with wood burning ‘chiminea’ stove, sheepskin rugs, double bed, organic welcome hamper and your own toilet and shower facilities next door – ideal for enjoying the beautiful and peaceful surroundings and the company of your loved ones.   Most guests are couples on a romantic break, but families and larger groups are also very welcome. Many choose to remain on site, walking in the hills behind or enjoying the pleasures of an open fire. To help you relax, your stay includes a calming natural therapy session, a twilight meditation and tickets for the inspiring Centre for Alternative Technology nearby.   For more information visit www.ecoretreats.co.uk or phone 01654 781375

Canal tourism

Canal boat cruises and heritage walks through Salford have been introduced by the council as part of an initiative to help increase tourism. They form a part of Salford City Council’s ‘Walks and Water’ programme.  The tours will run until December and are operated by the Bridgewater Heritage Company with commentary of the different sites along the way.

Staycations

The number of Britons taking a ‘staycation’, holidays taken in England by UK residents, has seen a 14% increase in the first six months of 2009. There were 2.6 million more trips and 9.1 extra nights spent away from home between January and June, compared to the same period in 2008. The trend is expected to continue next year with the current state of the economy. Despite the rise in home travel, the amount spent on trips of all kinds fell 1% in the first half of the year. It has been found in a poll by Virgin Money Travel Insurance that Bournemouth is the most popular destination for ‘staycationers’, with Brighton second and Portsmouth third out of 66.

Naturidyll

A note from Naturidyll:

In Austria it sometimes seems that we have failed to push our green credentials, simply because caring for the environment and using local products is embedded in our every day’s life. According to the second annual Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2008, Austria was marked as one of the world’s best destinations for sustainable tourism. The Austrian Institute for Sustainability hails us as the pioneers of Europe with an “aristocratic” green sensibility. We are proud to say that 70 per cent of power comes from alternative energy and 60 per cent of all waste is recycled.

Austria is at the forefront of ecologically-sound holidays – with “Naturidyll” at the very pinnacle of what the country has to offer: we respect nature and work tirelessly to preserve the harmony between man and his surroundings. We don’t just try, we promise sustainable tourism development because we want to save our wonderful scenery for further generations.

The Naturidyll Promise – no sooner said than done.
Nature awaits you just outside the hotel door. Whether you spend your holiday quietly relaxing or busily adventuring, nature is your constant companion. Therefore, our hotels are situated on the most beautiful places throughout Austria.

The countryside is our home. The region in which our hotels are based is not just a beautiful backdrop it is also an important supplier of certified quality products from local farmers.

We want you to feel at home. This is why our service is not only personal but lovingly attentive. Our hotels are family-run and limited to a certain size.

We take our responsibility seriously and look after the environment. Therefore, most of our member hotels have already achieved the standards of the Austrian Ecolabel and by the end of 2009 all of our hotels strive towards the environmental quality mark.

We know our way around the Austrian scenery and are more than happy to let you in on our leisure secrets!
The Naturidyll Holidays – individual, authentic and pure.

Kick back and relax. Stop dreaming and start living. Make the most of outdoor activities and the chance to breathe clean, fresh air in your Naturidyll holidays. Spend time together and create memories that will last a lifetime. This is what a holiday in one of our member hotels is all about. All share the same ideals, but everyone is different. Therefore we offer some specialties:

Family-friendly and on silent paws: at Naturidyll holiday, time is family-time. We offer spacious apartments, baby sitting and special leisure activities for children and parents. Some hotels have a play area with rustic play equipment in the garden. Most hotels accept dogs, offering treatments and giving hints on the best places for walkies. There is a child and dog-friendly atmosphere all around.

Savour Nature Delights: a Naturidyll natural setting is not just a place to refresh the mind, it is a place to refresh the body. Almost all our hotels offer in-house health spas, beauty treatments and massages. Our culinary delicacies come from local producers and our breakfast buffets include a bunch of regional products. Have a lie-in and enjoy breakfast in bed, sample a glass of wine, dine outdoors beside a moonlit Austrian lake is really something special.

Sportive Vacation: a Naturidyll holiday is a refuge for everyone who wants to escape the stresses and strains of daily life by getting out into fresh air. If a view is not enough, experience the meadows, woods and mountains at first hand. Our hotels provide comprehensive information and detailed maps covering walks, marked hiking routes and the best Nordic walking trails as well as day-by-day weather reports. After a strenuous day, come back to the comforts of our hotels.

To find out more visit Naturidyll’s website www.naturidyll.com

Parducci Wine Cellars

Parducci Wine Cellars (PWC) has received the 2009 Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA), California’s highest environmental honor. The tribute recognizes those who have voluntarily conserved California’s precious resources, protected and enhanced the environment, and strengthened the economy.   The winery earned the award for Enhanced Leadership, a category reserved for previous winners of the GEELA.

In 2007, Parducci received the award for combating Climate Change. In 2009, Parducci is the sole recipient of the GEELA for Enhanced Leadership, a recognition of the winery’s expanding commitment to the environment.   Parducci has continued to assess its environmental impact, improve practices and develop systems to reduce, re-use and recycle resources with these strategies:

• A comprehensive water conservation program
• A reclamation system that recycles 100% of the water used in the winemaking process while providing water for vineyard irrigation and creating a wildlife habitat in a scenic constructed wetlands Reduction of energy use and conversion to 100% green energy
• Organic certification for 100% of Parducci’s estate vineyards
• The partners created a Leadership Challenge to the Wine Industry by defining the minimum requirements that qualify vineyards and wineries as sustainable. These standards are spelled out in Parducci’s Green Winegrowing Handbook, available online at www.pauldolanwine.com/images/stories/Handbook_r5.pdf.

“At Parducci, sustainability means farming and business practices that enhance wine quality and nourish the environment, the community and the individual, encompassing an abiding respect for the agricultural roots of Mendocino County,” says partner Tom Thornhill. “This is an ongoing journey, not a destination.”

Dreamland Trust

The Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded development funding to The Dreamland Trust in Margate which has plans to create the world’s first amusement park of historic rides. They have been awarded £384,500 in funding.  They now have two years to submit more detailed plans and apply for a £2.65m HLF support that it is seeking for the first phase of the £12m project.

Blackpool Bike Hire

Blackpool, the famous English seaside resort has announced an ambitious scheme to introduce bikes for hire in the city.  Similar to the scheme in Paris people will be able to hire bikes within the city – initially 60 bikes will be introduced which could increase to 500!  It is hoped that both local residents and tourists will be encouraged to use the bikes.  The scheme will be managed by Hourbike and has the potential to link in with government initiatives in terms of healthy living and sustainable transport.

Emsworth Seafood Week

October 19th – 25th, 2009 – Emsworth Seafood Week will celebrate over one thousand years of maritime commerce in this picturesque Hampshire market town. During the week of 19th to 25th October its cafes, hotels, pubs, restaurants and retail outlets will be offering special discounts, offers and special menus using local produce to recognise the town’s dredging and fishing history at the centre of Chichester Harbour. Full details in Emsworth Seasons Magazine (£2.00) available in Emsworth shops, pubs, cafes and restuarants and on the web: www.emsworthseasons.org

Adventure tourism

I thought readers may be interested to know that we have launched a new service focusing on the adventure and activity tourism sectors. Please visit our website www.adventuretourism.tv

Sustainable Hotel Design

Apex Hotels are seen as leaders within the industry on their environmental initiatives and as a result have won numerous environmental awards.

Their London Hotel produces less carbon emissions than a typical hotel of its size and many of these environmental initiatives were installed into the new Apex Waterloo Place Hotel in Edinburgh: The existing building structure was retained conserving resources, energy and reducing drastically the quantity of demolition waste to landfill. Walls and roofs were insulated, the original sash and case windows were renovated and draught proofed, the external fabric of the building was restored by local stonemasons using natural materials and traditional construction techniques, new high performance double glazed timber windows were fitted in bedrooms and high quality durable timber and stone finishes enhance the interior spaces. A new energy efficient boiler and heating system was installed, linked with a Building Management System (BMS) which enables Apex Hotels to have full control of energy consumption and by monitoring daily can implement measures to further reduce the carbon emissions. Market leading heat pump technology and energy efficient lifts were installed. Card readers were fitted in all bedrooms. Low energy LED lamps were fitted throughout the property and motion detectors fitted to low traffic areas to switch lights off. A range of water saving devices were installed. The pool using an ozone based cleaning system to reduce the amount of chemicals such as chlorine in the water, is naturally lit by roof lights and is highly insulated. Eco friendly chemicals are used throughout the hotel and a re-use towel policy is in place. The interiors were designed selecting durable and sustainable materials, locally sourced where possible.

The hotel group work with an architect in charge of Sustainable Hotel Design. The hotel serves local seasonal produce. In addition the group have a CSR & Environmental policy, offer a carbon offsetting facility, recycle and compact waste, a Purchasing policy reducing packaging at the source, and a Marketing policy concentrating on e-marketing.