Sunday, August 17, 2008
BlogCamp Kerala a runaway success
The first ever blog camp held in Kerala on 16th in a house boat cruising along the placid backwaters of Alappuzha, was a smashing success. The attendees got a chance to get to know the fellow bloggers from across the country. The presence of Guillaume Marceau from Quebec, Canada gave the proceedings an international flavor. The lively discussion centered on the future of blogging with the experts chipping in with their dose of distilled wisdom. For the budding bloggers it was a dream come true. The typical Kerala style non vegetarian lunch tickled the palate. The breathtaking scenery added that extra punch to the lunch. Full marks to the organizers of the conference. I eagerly look forward to the second edition of the meet next year.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Seven steps to more responsible travel
I came across a good piece of writing on green travel in Guardian by green travel experts Liane Katz and Richard Hammond recently. The seven steps they advocate are.
1)Fly less:Plan breaks by rail and ferry as alternatives to short-haul flights whenever possible.
2)Find green accommodation: Look out for green accreditations when choosing a holiday. There are more than 20 'green' accreditation schemes in the UK and more than 100 worldwide.
3)Find a green tour operator: In UK the Association of Independent Tour Operators (aito.co.uk) has a rating scheme for members.
4)Play detective: Ask the hotel management directly what they are doing to control carbon emissions, for minimizing energy and water use and whether they employ local people and buy food and other supplies from local producers where possible.
5)Report bad practice: If you encounter exploitative practices in destinations or among tour operators, complain to the company that made your booking. Write a review on a site such as irresponsibletourism.info.
6)Take good habits with you: Stick to recycling, avoid unnecessary car journeys and take care not to waste water. Use public transport as far as possible. Keep heating, lighting and air-conditioning to a minimum and take showers rather than using the bath. Go for Environment-friendly suncreams and toiletries, such as the Dr Hauschka and Lavera.
7)Consider volunteering: If possible Offer your time and skills for the benefit of a developing country. It will be a very rewarding experience. The website ethicalvolunteering.org has some useful tips on how to choose the right agency.
If you want to read the original article click here
1)Fly less:Plan breaks by rail and ferry as alternatives to short-haul flights whenever possible.
2)Find green accommodation: Look out for green accreditations when choosing a holiday. There are more than 20 'green' accreditation schemes in the UK and more than 100 worldwide.
3)Find a green tour operator: In UK the Association of Independent Tour Operators (aito.co.uk) has a rating scheme for members.
4)Play detective: Ask the hotel management directly what they are doing to control carbon emissions, for minimizing energy and water use and whether they employ local people and buy food and other supplies from local producers where possible.
5)Report bad practice: If you encounter exploitative practices in destinations or among tour operators, complain to the company that made your booking. Write a review on a site such as irresponsibletourism.info.
6)Take good habits with you: Stick to recycling, avoid unnecessary car journeys and take care not to waste water. Use public transport as far as possible. Keep heating, lighting and air-conditioning to a minimum and take showers rather than using the bath. Go for Environment-friendly suncreams and toiletries, such as the Dr Hauschka and Lavera.
7)Consider volunteering: If possible Offer your time and skills for the benefit of a developing country. It will be a very rewarding experience. The website ethicalvolunteering.org has some useful tips on how to choose the right agency.
If you want to read the original article click here
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
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