If you’re reading this blog it is highly likely that you enjoy travelling to new destinations, experiencing the local culture and marvelling at the natural beauty, but that you want to do all of these things in a way that doesn’t have an adverse affect on the local environment or culture.
Booking your holiday at an eco-friendly accommodation is a great way to start, but they can’t do all the work for you! Here we look at a few measures you can take before you set-off on your travels, and during your time at your destination, to make your holiday as eco-friendly as possible:
Before you go
Once you’ve decided on your destination and sorted out your flights, there are a few things you can think about and prepare for before you go.
Firstly, you can research the cultural does and don’ts of the local population. For example, in some countries it is rude to point at things with your feet, to touch people on the head or to drink alcohol. By researching things such as this before you go, you can be respectful of people and their culture when you arrive.
Dress code is also an important factor – if you are travelling to a country where it is disrespectful to show certain parts of the body, it’s best to know this before you go so that you can pack accordingly.
Learning a few words of the local language before you go will help you to interact with the local people.
You may also want to look into local methods of transportation so that you can transfer to your accommodation and travel around the country both conveniently and responsibly e.g. take public transport instead of a private taxi to reduce carbon emissions.
If you plan on taking tours during your holiday you could research local companies who use local guides and try to protect the environment, rather than booking trips with companies who give nothing back to the local communities.
And of course, you can use ecobookers.com to find an eco-friendly accommodation and review its policies, ensuring it meets your criteria!
While you’re there
When you arrive at your destination, the important thing is to make a positive rather than a negative impact by being culturally and environmentally aware.
Cultural considerations
You could find yourself in a very different situation to that which you are used to back home, but you must remember that this is normal life to the people who live it, so be open-minded.
Traditions, culture, religious beliefs, clothing and food may all be very different to what you are used to but be respectful. Respect people’s wishes and ask before you take photographs. Try getting to know people - you may learn something about their way of life and they may be able to give you insider info on where to go and what to do that you won’t find in the guidebooks!
When you are buying goods, using services such as tour guides or eating in restaurants, try to spend money that will benefit the local communities.
Giving money to people begging is not usually encouraged as it does not promote self-sufficiency, although this is down to your own ethical beliefs. However, if you do want to give something back in a more sustainable way, some of the accommodations featured on the ecobookers website are involved in projects where you can volunteer and others will be able to give you advice on how you can help.
Environmental considerations
The majority of eco-accommodations have processes in place to recycle, conserve energy and water and to limit damaging waste. You can help them along by using water and energy as efficiently as possible e.g. don’t leave taps running or lights on unnecessarily, by taking shampoos etc. with you that are bio-degradable, by never littering and by recycling anything you can (if there are no facilities for recycling certain products e.g. plastic bottles, where you are, take these home with you to recycle).
So that you don’t upset the natural balance or cause erosion, stick to marked trails (both when walking and driving) and don’t take any souvenirs from along the way.
Also, don’t buy anything that has come from an endangered animal species, or a protected species of plant and don’t support shows where animals are used for entertainment.
These are just a few ideas to help you to be a responsible traveller, which will not only benefit the area you are visiting, but which will also help you to get the most out of your experience. Enjoy your trip!
Showing posts with label eco-friendly tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eco-friendly tips. Show all posts
Saturday, 12 July 2008
Thursday, 1 May 2008
Going eco in the USA!
Over 30 years ago, Bill Castle and his family began a project to build a log cabin. They now run Pollywogg Holler – a unique eco lodge set in 56,000 acres of New York State forest land in the USA. Here Bill tells us how it all began:
“Back in 1976 my wife and I, along with our three small children, embarked on a project to enter the forest with hand tools and build a log cabin. This was a weekend project and primarily a family project. We wanted to experience the true pioneer experience, at least on weekends. In no time at all we became very sympathetic with nature and started to strive to live in harmony with our new natural neighbours.
While travelling in Costa Rica back in 1987 we kept hearing about Eco-tourism. We started going to meetings and looking at what other people were doing. It was around this period that we decided that if they could run an eco lodge there, why couldn't we do it back in New York State.
As owners of an eco-resort we are all about Eco-Friendly. If you are running an Eco-Resort you are under the magnifying glass, so just being casual Eco friendly isn’t enough - you have to walk the walk and talk the talk. We have felt for a long time that we are setting the standards for Eco-Tourism and we will continue to improve on what we already have in place.
Since opening the Eco Lodge, we have had countless people come to Pollywogg Holler with the purpose of seeing how we do it. We have also consulted with many people who have been here and attempted to do their own thing, in various parts of the world.
If you’re looking to become more eco-friendly yourself, probably the best way is to start by camping. Then, when you are comfortable with this, try living in a tent in a wilderness setting for an extended period of time. I am a firm believer in research, what ever your interest is, research, research and research some more. Read about it every day, subscribe to back-to-the-land magazines and read up on every faze of living next to/with nature.”
Read more about this unique eco-friendly resort here!
“Back in 1976 my wife and I, along with our three small children, embarked on a project to enter the forest with hand tools and build a log cabin. This was a weekend project and primarily a family project. We wanted to experience the true pioneer experience, at least on weekends. In no time at all we became very sympathetic with nature and started to strive to live in harmony with our new natural neighbours.
While travelling in Costa Rica back in 1987 we kept hearing about Eco-tourism. We started going to meetings and looking at what other people were doing. It was around this period that we decided that if they could run an eco lodge there, why couldn't we do it back in New York State.
As owners of an eco-resort we are all about Eco-Friendly. If you are running an Eco-Resort you are under the magnifying glass, so just being casual Eco friendly isn’t enough - you have to walk the walk and talk the talk. We have felt for a long time that we are setting the standards for Eco-Tourism and we will continue to improve on what we already have in place.
Since opening the Eco Lodge, we have had countless people come to Pollywogg Holler with the purpose of seeing how we do it. We have also consulted with many people who have been here and attempted to do their own thing, in various parts of the world.
If you’re looking to become more eco-friendly yourself, probably the best way is to start by camping. Then, when you are comfortable with this, try living in a tent in a wilderness setting for an extended period of time. I am a firm believer in research, what ever your interest is, research, research and research some more. Read about it every day, subscribe to back-to-the-land magazines and read up on every faze of living next to/with nature.”
Read more about this unique eco-friendly resort here!
Tuesday, 29 April 2008
ecobookers at UK Aware plus FREE Tickets!!!
On the 10th and 11th May 2008 London will see the very first UK AWARE – a new event which aims to inspire us with ideas on how to live an eco-friendly life. ecobookers will be there and because we’d love to see you there too, we have some free tickets on offer!
UK AWARE is a social enterprise with a conscience and a mission. The founders of this new eco-friendly event are not scientists, activists or radicals, just normal people wanting to help everyone to make a real and necessary difference.
Realising that to really fight climate change we need to make the right choices the easiest ones, the aim of this show is to help everyone to live and work more sustainably, without needing to sacrifice lifestyle or comfort. The products and services being showcased help to do that.
There will be a wide range of exhibits to visit, including food and drink, clothing, house and home, leisure and transport.
As an eco-friendly accommodation service, we at ecobookers are very excited to be exhibiting at UK AWARE and we’d love to see you there! So, if you’re free on the 10th or 11th May and would like to pop in and see us, drop us an email to ukaware@ecobookers.com – the first 10 emails will receive a free ticket for 2 to the show!
UK AWARE is a social enterprise with a conscience and a mission. The founders of this new eco-friendly event are not scientists, activists or radicals, just normal people wanting to help everyone to make a real and necessary difference.
Realising that to really fight climate change we need to make the right choices the easiest ones, the aim of this show is to help everyone to live and work more sustainably, without needing to sacrifice lifestyle or comfort. The products and services being showcased help to do that.
There will be a wide range of exhibits to visit, including food and drink, clothing, house and home, leisure and transport.
As an eco-friendly accommodation service, we at ecobookers are very excited to be exhibiting at UK AWARE and we’d love to see you there! So, if you’re free on the 10th or 11th May and would like to pop in and see us, drop us an email to ukaware@ecobookers.com – the first 10 emails will receive a free ticket for 2 to the show!
Sunday, 3 February 2008
Hickatee Cottages, Belize
Today sees the addition of another fabulous eco-friendly property to the ecobookers site.
Hickatee Cottages offers family-run, Caribbea-style cottage accommodation set in the jungle but still only one mile from Punta Gorda Town in Toledo. This is an ideal base for an adventure holiday, with great access to the World Heritage Site Sapodilla Cayes, Port Honduras Marine Reserve and Toledo's many inland attractions.
Service is friendly and personal, the atmosphere is comfortable and relaxed, and plentiful home-cooked meals are available on-site at Charlie's Bar, prepared with ingredients grown on the Cottages’ farm and seasonal produce from the local market.
Hickatee Cottages offers family-run, Caribbea-style cottage accommodation set in the jungle but still only one mile from Punta Gorda Town in Toledo. This is an ideal base for an adventure holiday, with great access to the World Heritage Site Sapodilla Cayes, Port Honduras Marine Reserve and Toledo's many inland attractions.
Service is friendly and personal, the atmosphere is comfortable and relaxed, and plentiful home-cooked meals are available on-site at Charlie's Bar, prepared with ingredients grown on the Cottages’ farm and seasonal produce from the local market.
Thursday, 13 December 2007
Ecolodges in Belize!
Today sees the addition of 2 ecologes in Belize to the ecobookers site!
First, there's The Lodge at Big Falls, situated in the heart of Toledo. Situated on the banks of the Rio Grande River, this is an intimate family-run ecolodge with just 6 thatched style cabanas. The Lodge is also a licensed tour operator offering a wide range of tours and activities including a mix of natural history (birds, butterflies, moths and animals), adventure (kayaking, snorkelling, caving and hiking) and cultural encounters with local people.
Also added today is Black Rock Lodge, a unique ecolodge nestled in the dense rainforest above the Macal River in the Mayan Mountains of Belize. Black Rock Lodge's stunning rainforest surroundings offer abundant opportunity for exploration and adventure. Whether canoeing down the pristine Macal River, horseback riding to the Flour Camp caves, or hiking up the various Canyon trails, the abundant diversity of the local flora and fauna is inspiring.
First, there's The Lodge at Big Falls, situated in the heart of Toledo. Situated on the banks of the Rio Grande River, this is an intimate family-run ecolodge with just 6 thatched style cabanas. The Lodge is also a licensed tour operator offering a wide range of tours and activities including a mix of natural history (birds, butterflies, moths and animals), adventure (kayaking, snorkelling, caving and hiking) and cultural encounters with local people.
Also added today is Black Rock Lodge, a unique ecolodge nestled in the dense rainforest above the Macal River in the Mayan Mountains of Belize. Black Rock Lodge's stunning rainforest surroundings offer abundant opportunity for exploration and adventure. Whether canoeing down the pristine Macal River, horseback riding to the Flour Camp caves, or hiking up the various Canyon trails, the abundant diversity of the local flora and fauna is inspiring.
Friday, 7 December 2007
Exclusive to ecobookers special offer!
EcoHotel La Correa, Tenerife, is an oasis of peace and tranquility in the heart of a native vegetation estate situated in Altavista de Arona. Here you can enjoy a peaceful holiday in full contact with nature, with the majestic Teide at your back and the warm beaches at your feet.
EcoHotel La Correa offers guests staying between 1st May and 31st May 2008, 7 nights for the price of 6! Also, EXCLUSIVE TO ECOBOOKERS, guests staying for 1 week or more and completing their stay within the months of April and May 2008 will receive 1 complimentary Shiatsu Zen massage per person!
EcoHotel La Correa offers guests staying between 1st May and 31st May 2008, 7 nights for the price of 6! Also, EXCLUSIVE TO ECOBOOKERS, guests staying for 1 week or more and completing their stay within the months of April and May 2008 will receive 1 complimentary Shiatsu Zen massage per person!
Thursday, 6 December 2007
Eco Lodge in New Zealand!
Today sees the addition of a 2nd eco-lodge in New Zealand on the ecobookers site.
Although situated just 10 minutes from Gisborne airport, Knapdale Eco Lodge is a tranquil utopia, located on the East Coast of New Zealand where you will find breathtaking beaches with excellent surf!
Built in 2004, with as small an ecological footprint as possible, there are just 2 rooms at the Lodge, which has 32 hectares of sustainably managed, semi-permacultural operation with a variety of sustainable agro-forestry projects.
Here you can spend your time with the animals on the farm, take advantage of a variety of nature walks available from the Lodge, or book a personalised experience in the Maori Culture.
Although situated just 10 minutes from Gisborne airport, Knapdale Eco Lodge is a tranquil utopia, located on the East Coast of New Zealand where you will find breathtaking beaches with excellent surf!
Built in 2004, with as small an ecological footprint as possible, there are just 2 rooms at the Lodge, which has 32 hectares of sustainably managed, semi-permacultural operation with a variety of sustainable agro-forestry projects.
Here you can spend your time with the animals on the farm, take advantage of a variety of nature walks available from the Lodge, or book a personalised experience in the Maori Culture.
Tuesday, 4 December 2007
Win a 7 night stay in Jamaica!
In addition to lots of new acccommodations and destinations, plus special offers through our eco-friendly partners, ecobookers are now running a competition in which you could win a 7 night stay in a luxury eco-friendly hotel in Jamaica!
For a chance to win, simply register your details here to receive regular news and exclusive offers by email from ecobookers. All entries must be in by 9th January 2008.
The eco-chic Hotel Mocking Bird Hill is a romantic, peaceful and comfortable hideaway, nestled between the majesty of the Blue Mountains and the Caribbean Sea. The ten select accommodations are lovingly decorated with hand crafted bamboo furniture, locally printed fabrics and original art. Guests are greeted with warm hospitality and can discover creative Caribbean cuisine in the hotel’s highly acclaimed restaurant, Mille Fleurs, which offers terrace dining with spectacular views overlooking the harbour of Port Antonio.
The lucky winner will receive a free 7 night stay at the Hotel Mocking Bird Hill, for 2 people in a double room, worth a minimum of US$1155 (approximately £560). The prize does not include flights or transfers.
For a chance to win, simply register your details here to receive regular news and exclusive offers by email from ecobookers. All entries must be in by 9th January 2008.
The eco-chic Hotel Mocking Bird Hill is a romantic, peaceful and comfortable hideaway, nestled between the majesty of the Blue Mountains and the Caribbean Sea. The ten select accommodations are lovingly decorated with hand crafted bamboo furniture, locally printed fabrics and original art. Guests are greeted with warm hospitality and can discover creative Caribbean cuisine in the hotel’s highly acclaimed restaurant, Mille Fleurs, which offers terrace dining with spectacular views overlooking the harbour of Port Antonio.
The lucky winner will receive a free 7 night stay at the Hotel Mocking Bird Hill, for 2 people in a double room, worth a minimum of US$1155 (approximately £560). The prize does not include flights or transfers.
Sunday, 2 December 2007
Unique eco-friendly hotels
With more and more eco-friendly hotels and ecolodges all the time, it's hard to keep up with them all! Not only that, but the ecobookers team spent the week before last visiting the World Travel Market in London, speaking to lots of new eco-friendly accommodations which will start appearing on the site soon!
With lots of new properties on the site over the last week, here's a selection of the most unique of the bunch!
To start with, we have 2 new, very unique and very different eco-friendly accomodations in South Africa.
The first is Klippe Rivier, a converted homestead and a fine example of Cape Dutch Architecture, built circa 1820 to 1825 and one of the white-walled beauties of the Cape. The typical outhouses for Cape Dutch homesteads were barns and stables, and in the case of Klippe Rivier, these have been converted into six luxury guest suites, preserving the ambience of a bygone era.
Next is Umlani Bushcamp, an authentic African game lodge located in the Timbavati Game Reserve, one of the oldest private nature reserves adjoining the Kruger National Park. Accommodation is in traditional African reed and thatch huts. Umlani's philosophy of simplistic luxury and 'getting back to nature' is enhanced by the romance of operating without electricity. Enjoy the warm atmosphere of candlelight and oil lamps as well as open-air bush showers fuelled by wood fires.
Moving over to Hawaii, we have one of the most unique properties on the ecobookers site - Lova Lava Land, a once-in-a-lifetime adventure in staying in creative off-the-grid accommodation. Here, on this old lava field, you will sleep in rescued VW campervans - Daisy the Daydream bus or Garth the Gecko Bus, or in a the mongolian yurt - Pele's Paradise Yurt.
With lots of new properties on the site over the last week, here's a selection of the most unique of the bunch!
To start with, we have 2 new, very unique and very different eco-friendly accomodations in South Africa.
The first is Klippe Rivier, a converted homestead and a fine example of Cape Dutch Architecture, built circa 1820 to 1825 and one of the white-walled beauties of the Cape. The typical outhouses for Cape Dutch homesteads were barns and stables, and in the case of Klippe Rivier, these have been converted into six luxury guest suites, preserving the ambience of a bygone era.
Next is Umlani Bushcamp, an authentic African game lodge located in the Timbavati Game Reserve, one of the oldest private nature reserves adjoining the Kruger National Park. Accommodation is in traditional African reed and thatch huts. Umlani's philosophy of simplistic luxury and 'getting back to nature' is enhanced by the romance of operating without electricity. Enjoy the warm atmosphere of candlelight and oil lamps as well as open-air bush showers fuelled by wood fires.
Moving over to Hawaii, we have one of the most unique properties on the ecobookers site - Lova Lava Land, a once-in-a-lifetime adventure in staying in creative off-the-grid accommodation. Here, on this old lava field, you will sleep in rescued VW campervans - Daisy the Daydream bus or Garth the Gecko Bus, or in a the mongolian yurt - Pele's Paradise Yurt.
Monday, 12 November 2007
eco-friendly accommodation in France, Italy, New Zealand and Nicaragua!
As I mentioned in my last post, last week was crazy busy in the ecobookers office. Not only did we add 11 fabulous new eco-friendly properties to the ecobookers site, we also completed our first ever newsletter which you can see here. Unfortunately, the link on the first send didn't work - doesn't matter how much you test these things it seems! So we had to spam everyone a second time. Hopefully that won't take away from the great articles!
As I don't want to list 11 new properties here, today I'm going to tell you about eco-friendly hotels and ecolodges that are featured in destinations which are new to the ecobookers site.
First up, we have two new destinations in Europe - great for our UK customers who want to cut down their carbon emmissions by travelling on public transport:
France - In France we feature country house Hotel Les Orangeries, which is situated mid-way between the Loire Valley and the Dordogne, in the village of Lussac-les-Châteaux. This EU Ecolabel certified hotel provides guests with individual attention and simple, sincere hospitality.
Italy - The Hotel Arcobaleno is located in the forested green hills of Northern Tuscany, in the town of San Mommè. It is just a few minutes by car or train from the lovely and historic city of Pistoia. This eco-friendly hotel provides the opportunity to spend a relaxing holiday far from the tourist crowds, yet within easy reach of the famous and artistic cities of Florence, Pisa and Lucca.
For those planning on travelling further afield, we have 2 contrasting properties in 2 contrasting new destinations:
The MonteCristo River Lodge in Nicaragua, is located along the San Juan River. This typically Nicaraguan ecolodge is ideal for those looking for an adventure. In addition to the beautiful surroundings and the many facilities on offer at the Lodge, there are activities to suit all tastes in the abundant tropical rainforest of the San Juan River.
The Chalet Eiger in New Zealand, on the other hand, is a luxury lodge set in a tranquil environment. There are only 4 bedrooms to ensure privacy, with facilties such as a sauna and a state-of-the-art digital home-theatre system complete with big screen plasma TV. From this ecolodge you will have beautiful views over Lake Taupo to Mount Tauhara and Taupo town.
I will be back with details of some of the other 7 new accommodations featured on the site later in the week!
As I don't want to list 11 new properties here, today I'm going to tell you about eco-friendly hotels and ecolodges that are featured in destinations which are new to the ecobookers site.
First up, we have two new destinations in Europe - great for our UK customers who want to cut down their carbon emmissions by travelling on public transport:
France - In France we feature country house Hotel Les Orangeries, which is situated mid-way between the Loire Valley and the Dordogne, in the village of Lussac-les-Châteaux. This EU Ecolabel certified hotel provides guests with individual attention and simple, sincere hospitality.
Italy - The Hotel Arcobaleno is located in the forested green hills of Northern Tuscany, in the town of San Mommè. It is just a few minutes by car or train from the lovely and historic city of Pistoia. This eco-friendly hotel provides the opportunity to spend a relaxing holiday far from the tourist crowds, yet within easy reach of the famous and artistic cities of Florence, Pisa and Lucca.
For those planning on travelling further afield, we have 2 contrasting properties in 2 contrasting new destinations:
The MonteCristo River Lodge in Nicaragua, is located along the San Juan River. This typically Nicaraguan ecolodge is ideal for those looking for an adventure. In addition to the beautiful surroundings and the many facilities on offer at the Lodge, there are activities to suit all tastes in the abundant tropical rainforest of the San Juan River.
The Chalet Eiger in New Zealand, on the other hand, is a luxury lodge set in a tranquil environment. There are only 4 bedrooms to ensure privacy, with facilties such as a sauna and a state-of-the-art digital home-theatre system complete with big screen plasma TV. From this ecolodge you will have beautiful views over Lake Taupo to Mount Tauhara and Taupo town.
I will be back with details of some of the other 7 new accommodations featured on the site later in the week!
Wednesday, 31 October 2007
ecobookers in India and Indonesia!
Today sees the addition of 2 new eco-lodges in Asia on the ecobookers site.
The first is Sarinbuana Eco Lodge in Bali, Indonesia - Here you will stay in a cosy bungalow, situated at 700m, on the slopes of Mount Batukaru in central Bali and surrounded by a lush tropical “food forest” of organically grown cacao, coffee, vanilla and jungle fruits. This eco lodge is also family friendly - children are warmly welcomed and valued in this family oriented community. Children are able to reconnect with nature - walking in the rainforest and swimming in the clean mountain streams.
The second is Chambal Safari Lodge in India - Here you will stay in an en-suite cottage 15km from the National Chambal Sanctuary. Along with a number of eco-policies to reduce their impact on the natural surroundings, the hosts at Chambal Safari Lodge also run the Chambal Conservation Foundation with their own funds and are committed to protecting the pristine environment of the Chambal valley.
The first is Sarinbuana Eco Lodge in Bali, Indonesia - Here you will stay in a cosy bungalow, situated at 700m, on the slopes of Mount Batukaru in central Bali and surrounded by a lush tropical “food forest” of organically grown cacao, coffee, vanilla and jungle fruits. This eco lodge is also family friendly - children are warmly welcomed and valued in this family oriented community. Children are able to reconnect with nature - walking in the rainforest and swimming in the clean mountain streams.
The second is Chambal Safari Lodge in India - Here you will stay in an en-suite cottage 15km from the National Chambal Sanctuary. Along with a number of eco-policies to reduce their impact on the natural surroundings, the hosts at Chambal Safari Lodge also run the Chambal Conservation Foundation with their own funds and are committed to protecting the pristine environment of the Chambal valley.
Monday, 29 October 2007
eco-lodges in Thailand and Costa Rica!
Slowly but surely we're building up the number of eco-friendly hotels and eco-lodges on the ecobookers site, so that visitors to the site have as much choice as possible. And today there are two more new additions:
Faasai Resort in Chanthaburi, is our first eco-friendly accommodation featured in Thailand. At this resort you will be in the perfect location to experience the authentic culture of Thailand. You can explore the sea, mountains, historical and archaelogical sites, local festivals, markets, temples and much more. Faasai Resort is also a spa hotel, offering treatments such as traditional Thai massage, herbal steam therapy, oil massage and aromatherapy.
Sabalo Lodge in Costa Rica is located on the Osa Peninsula, only accessible by boat from the town of Sierpe. This Lodge offers lowland rainforest, river, mangroves and a mountainous jungle, but unlike some other rainforest lodges, it is also within easy access of a beautiful ocean beach - a 15 minute boat ride will take you to a beautiful, secluded, white sand beach, appropriately named Playa Blanca. The lodge currently has 2 rooms and 2 cabins available.
Faasai Resort in Chanthaburi, is our first eco-friendly accommodation featured in Thailand. At this resort you will be in the perfect location to experience the authentic culture of Thailand. You can explore the sea, mountains, historical and archaelogical sites, local festivals, markets, temples and much more. Faasai Resort is also a spa hotel, offering treatments such as traditional Thai massage, herbal steam therapy, oil massage and aromatherapy.
Sabalo Lodge in Costa Rica is located on the Osa Peninsula, only accessible by boat from the town of Sierpe. This Lodge offers lowland rainforest, river, mangroves and a mountainous jungle, but unlike some other rainforest lodges, it is also within easy access of a beautiful ocean beach - a 15 minute boat ride will take you to a beautiful, secluded, white sand beach, appropriately named Playa Blanca. The lodge currently has 2 rooms and 2 cabins available.
Thursday, 25 October 2007
new destinations on the ecobookers site
We have put another 2 great eco-friendly accommodations live on the ecobookers site today, one in Ireland and the other in the Seychelles.
Prospect Bay Lakeside Accommodation, Ireland - We're very pleased to feature this eco-friendly B&B, our first property in Ireland, on the ecobookers site as we feel it's important to feature accommodations in Europe which people can reach by other means than flying. For example, to reach Prospect Bay it is possible to take a ferry from Liverpool to Dublin, and then take a bus to a stop 2 miles from Prospect Bay where you will be collected by the owners!
Prospect Bay is set in a stunning location just a few minutes drive from the lively town of Ballyconnell and is close to the Marble Arch Caves, part of the Cuilcagh Mountains World Heritage Site and UNESCO Geo Park. There are plenty of activities nearby including Out Doors and Dirty™ - a new concept in extreme adventure, this company offer a unique range of extreme and entertaining events on both land and water in one location.
The second new destination launched today is the Seychelles, specifically Bird Island, home to Bird Island Lodge. The east and south sides of this island paradise are surrounded by a protective barrier reef which is home to many varieties of colourful tropical fish and the rest is an open beach which offers superb safe swimming. The accommodation itself is made up of individual chalets where the emphasis is very much on relaxation and informality.
There are lots of activities around the island such as safe swimming, ocean kayaking, snorkelling, nature tours, nature boat tours (dolphin watching), big game fishing, traditional hand line fishing and bird watching.
Prospect Bay Lakeside Accommodation, Ireland - We're very pleased to feature this eco-friendly B&B, our first property in Ireland, on the ecobookers site as we feel it's important to feature accommodations in Europe which people can reach by other means than flying. For example, to reach Prospect Bay it is possible to take a ferry from Liverpool to Dublin, and then take a bus to a stop 2 miles from Prospect Bay where you will be collected by the owners!
Prospect Bay is set in a stunning location just a few minutes drive from the lively town of Ballyconnell and is close to the Marble Arch Caves, part of the Cuilcagh Mountains World Heritage Site and UNESCO Geo Park. There are plenty of activities nearby including Out Doors and Dirty™ - a new concept in extreme adventure, this company offer a unique range of extreme and entertaining events on both land and water in one location.
The second new destination launched today is the Seychelles, specifically Bird Island, home to Bird Island Lodge. The east and south sides of this island paradise are surrounded by a protective barrier reef which is home to many varieties of colourful tropical fish and the rest is an open beach which offers superb safe swimming. The accommodation itself is made up of individual chalets where the emphasis is very much on relaxation and informality.
There are lots of activities around the island such as safe swimming, ocean kayaking, snorkelling, nature tours, nature boat tours (dolphin watching), big game fishing, traditional hand line fishing and bird watching.
Wednesday, 17 October 2007
ecobookers forms eco-friendly partnerships
Today we have launched some great eco-friendly special offers on the ecobookers site. It stands to reason that ecobookers customers are also eco-friendly in their everyday lives, or at least interested in being so. Therefore we are teamed up with the following eco-friendly partners to give our customers discounts on eco-friendly products to help them be eco-friendly at home as well as on holiday.
Current partners are:
ecotricity – This UK-based electricity company is dedicated to changing the way electricity is made, investing the money their customers pay into clean forms of power such as wind energy. They are also the electricity suppliers for the ecobookers office! ecobookers customers switching their electricity supply to ecotricity receive a £25 discount on their bill at the end of their first year (terms and conditions apply).
Earth & Wear – This UK-based clothing and accessories company sells fair-trade and ecologically sound goods, including No Sweat footwear – the original brand of fair-trade footwear. ecobookers customers receive a discount of 15% when purchasing ethically-sourced products through the Earth & Wear site (terms and conditions apply).
Nigel's Eco Store – This online store offers pretty-much every eco-friendly gadget you could desire, with a wide range of eco-friendly, natural and organic products at reasonable prices. You can buy all sorts of goods including travel gadgets, cleaning products, toiletries and books with ecobookers customers receiving a discount of 10% (terms and conditions apply).
Current partners are:
ecotricity – This UK-based electricity company is dedicated to changing the way electricity is made, investing the money their customers pay into clean forms of power such as wind energy. They are also the electricity suppliers for the ecobookers office! ecobookers customers switching their electricity supply to ecotricity receive a £25 discount on their bill at the end of their first year (terms and conditions apply).
Earth & Wear – This UK-based clothing and accessories company sells fair-trade and ecologically sound goods, including No Sweat footwear – the original brand of fair-trade footwear. ecobookers customers receive a discount of 15% when purchasing ethically-sourced products through the Earth & Wear site (terms and conditions apply).
Nigel's Eco Store – This online store offers pretty-much every eco-friendly gadget you could desire, with a wide range of eco-friendly, natural and organic products at reasonable prices. You can buy all sorts of goods including travel gadgets, cleaning products, toiletries and books with ecobookers customers receiving a discount of 10% (terms and conditions apply).
Monday, 15 October 2007
eco-lodge in Ecuador
Today sees the addition of a fantastic eco-friendly accommodation on to the ecobookers site - the Black Sheep Inn in Ecuador. It's great to have this property on the site, as they have an innovative approach to eco-friendly tourism and have won a number of awards.
The Black Sheep Inn is an inexpensive hotel, set high in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador. Perched on a hillside just outside of the rural village of Chugchilán, Cotopaxi, the Black Sheep Inn provides a great base for day hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and exploring indigenous markets. One of the biggest talking points at the Inn seems to be the ecological composter toilets. All toilets take advantage of a spectacular view across the canyon and inside the rooms are flower/vegetable gardens fertilized with finished compost from the toilet - the finished “humanure” is used to plant trees, bushes or shrubs and is even used in the organic vegetable garden!
The Black Sheep Inn is an inexpensive hotel, set high in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador. Perched on a hillside just outside of the rural village of Chugchilán, Cotopaxi, the Black Sheep Inn provides a great base for day hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and exploring indigenous markets. One of the biggest talking points at the Inn seems to be the ecological composter toilets. All toilets take advantage of a spectacular view across the canyon and inside the rooms are flower/vegetable gardens fertilized with finished compost from the toilet - the finished “humanure” is used to plant trees, bushes or shrubs and is even used in the organic vegetable garden!
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
Greening up the ecobookers office!
Although I try to live and work in an eco-friendly manner I thought it's about time I apply the ecobookers principles to ecobookers and see how things are going! There's always more that can be done and sometimes we get stuck in our ways (well, I know I can!), so it's good to sit down and have a good think to see what we can do differently.
Eco-Design - The building we are based in is a 1900 brick building, typical of the architecture in Yorkshire. There's no air-conditioning but the positioning of the house seems to keep it cool in the summer. Unfortunately there is no outdoor space at all, so there's nothing to be done there!
Energy - ecobookers is powered by ecotricity who take the money they receive from customers and invest it in clean forms of power such as wind energy. We also use low energy light bulbs and try to conserve electricity in small ways such as turning off the computer monitors when not in use, turning things off at the plug instead of leaving them on standby.
Although we own a small car (i.e. one which has a small engine and uses very little petrol) this is used very rarely – all shopping and other daily needs are undertaken on foot and public transport, and where possible longer distances are covered by public transport.
Conservation - At the moment I'm sorry to say that we don't have any input into conserving our natural surroundings. As I mentioned earlier, we don't have any outdoor space. However, this is definitely something to look into further as I think we should get involved in a tree-planting or tree-wardening scheme - cities need trees too! If anyone has any suggestions it would be great to hear them!
Ecological sustainability - We recycle paper, plastic and metal cans through the council collections and take glass bottles to a bottle bank. Old clothes are taken to charity shops or to fabric banks if they are not in a good enough condition to sell on. Unfortunately we don't compost as this isn't collected by the council and we have no outdoor space to put the finished result.
Where possible we buy organic and fairtrade food and occasionally we visit the farmer’s market in Leeds to buy fresh, local produce. When shopping we use non-plastic, reusable bags.
The ecobookers office is virtually paperless. Our fax machine is online so that we receive faxes by email (which we store electronically and don't print out) and we don't send faxes, instead we use scanned signatures to authorise contracts. For the odd very little piece of paper we use, we use a type of pen where you can rub the ink out, so that we can keep on using the same bits of paper over and over again! And of course, our toilet paper is made from recycled paper!
Looking at this, I think we are doing quite well for ecological sustainability but we haven't really got any water-saving policies so this is something else to look into in the near future. We could also do more to check that cleaning products and toiletries used on the premises are eco-friendly so that is something else I will look in to.
Community - As ecobookers is so small, we don't employ staff and don't buy much in the way of services, so this is another area where we could do more. More ideas to come....
Well, looking at it all, I think we are setting a good example in our eco-friendly ways, but there is certainly more to do. Any ideas, please feel free to comment!
Eco-Design - The building we are based in is a 1900 brick building, typical of the architecture in Yorkshire. There's no air-conditioning but the positioning of the house seems to keep it cool in the summer. Unfortunately there is no outdoor space at all, so there's nothing to be done there!
Energy - ecobookers is powered by ecotricity who take the money they receive from customers and invest it in clean forms of power such as wind energy. We also use low energy light bulbs and try to conserve electricity in small ways such as turning off the computer monitors when not in use, turning things off at the plug instead of leaving them on standby.
Although we own a small car (i.e. one which has a small engine and uses very little petrol) this is used very rarely – all shopping and other daily needs are undertaken on foot and public transport, and where possible longer distances are covered by public transport.
Conservation - At the moment I'm sorry to say that we don't have any input into conserving our natural surroundings. As I mentioned earlier, we don't have any outdoor space. However, this is definitely something to look into further as I think we should get involved in a tree-planting or tree-wardening scheme - cities need trees too! If anyone has any suggestions it would be great to hear them!
Ecological sustainability - We recycle paper, plastic and metal cans through the council collections and take glass bottles to a bottle bank. Old clothes are taken to charity shops or to fabric banks if they are not in a good enough condition to sell on. Unfortunately we don't compost as this isn't collected by the council and we have no outdoor space to put the finished result.
Where possible we buy organic and fairtrade food and occasionally we visit the farmer’s market in Leeds to buy fresh, local produce. When shopping we use non-plastic, reusable bags.
The ecobookers office is virtually paperless. Our fax machine is online so that we receive faxes by email (which we store electronically and don't print out) and we don't send faxes, instead we use scanned signatures to authorise contracts. For the odd very little piece of paper we use, we use a type of pen where you can rub the ink out, so that we can keep on using the same bits of paper over and over again! And of course, our toilet paper is made from recycled paper!
Looking at this, I think we are doing quite well for ecological sustainability but we haven't really got any water-saving policies so this is something else to look into in the near future. We could also do more to check that cleaning products and toiletries used on the premises are eco-friendly so that is something else I will look in to.
Community - As ecobookers is so small, we don't employ staff and don't buy much in the way of services, so this is another area where we could do more. More ideas to come....
Well, looking at it all, I think we are setting a good example in our eco-friendly ways, but there is certainly more to do. Any ideas, please feel free to comment!
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