Archive for July, 2008
July 24, 2008
I have finally found something that may be the start of a viable greening process for the cruising industry.
The world’s largest cruise group, Carnival Corporation, have identified 140 different ways of saving fuel. While not focusing on actually being green, a side-effect may be fewer emissions at least.
The company is looking at such things as cutting the speed of cruise ships to using special paint to help vessels travel through the water more efficiently.
Meanwhile Holland America Line has presented a number of possible energy-saving options while showcasing new ship Eurodam to the UK trade in Southampton. These include harnessing waste heat, developing new software to automatically adjust the trim of ships to ensure they operate most effectively, reducing speed through better itinerary planning to improve fuel consumption and even turning off lights.
Turning off lights! What a novel idea. Perhaps they should speak to the greener hotels around the world who are already doing such things and may be able to give a few more ideas?
Come on cruiseliners, Green Is In!
July 21, 2008
Go see the capital of New Zealand on fish and chip oil! Probably amongst the greenest of transports, the conversion of diesel engines to run on waste oil is gradually gaining momentum. I brought a book on such a thing for my engineer husband to convert his work van and I am excited by the idea.
Stray Tours is using waste oil because they wanted to do something to make their Auckland city bus “more environmentally friendly to keep it in tune with the rest of our fleet and company values.”
There is no problem getting the waste oil for free. “The fish and chips shops are very willing to give us their waste oil as at the moment they have to pay (approx $10 a barrel) for it to be taken away.”
Unfortunately there are no plans to use the good oil on their other buses and routes: 1) because it would be more difficult getting a supply of waste oil around the whole country – “our current oil bus just runs around Auckland city so it’s easy to maintain one set supply”; and 2) “They are all new and relatively efficient anyway.”
More: www.straytravel.com
July 17, 2008
I like this: The Hilton Seattle Airport and the Doubletree Hotel Seattle Airport are both using free-range eggs. It is so simple and so effective, it simply caught my attention.
The hotels use an estimated 4,000 eggs each day, so that a lot of happier and healthier chooks.
Apparently there is a kind of ‘free the chooks’ movement on, driven by Whole Foods who have ‘egged’ on large companies like Google, Burger King, Omni Hotels and Wolfgang Puck to stop using caged eggs.
Egg-cellent! Let us egg on the management at our next hotel to use freed eggs!
July 14, 2008
The state of South Australia (SA) is phasing out plastic bags and I believe the other Australian states should follow. SA is also the only state in Australia offering cash-back for bottles and cans.
In fact, let the world follow. Not that SA is the only place in the world to ban these bags: San Francisco and China are two that come to mind.
Imagine if all of Australia banned plastic bags: we would see five billion plastic bags less in our landscapes and oceans. The birds, whales, seals and turtles out there who are hurt and choked by such items would be much happier as well.
Travelers can do their bit by refusing plastic bags when offered at shops anywhere. Take along the backpack or material bag and lets reuse bags not throw them away to kill and maim our wildlife and pollute our environments.
July 9, 2008
Great to hear about other people’s low-carbon adventures. Kate Andrews left England on a cargo-ship to volunteer in Central America and is now in the Pacific Ocean visiting islands on the way to Australia.
Kate is out to prove that you can choose to travel lightly:
“I’ve done some things that most people only dream of, from sailing across the Equator with a glass of fake champagne, to showering in a rain storm and barbecuing steaks off the back of the yacht while drifting through the Doldrums. I’ve seen more flying fish and dolphins than you can shake a stick at (this was hindered only by the fact that I didn’t have a stick to hand), but most importantly, I survived. All this excitement…”
A website is following Kate on her journey and may just inspire you to set off on your own low carbon adventure. Visit Loco2travel.com
July 6, 2008
Going to Ireland. A new handbook will help visitors to travel a little greener there. Irish writer Catherine Mack calls it Ecoescape. She writes about 50 ecoescapes around the country, including practical details and a ‘Slow Travel Toolkit’.
“I wanted to make a guidebook to share the stories of great people who are, quite simply, trying to make a difference,” says Mack. “They are striving to make a living out of Irish tourism, but taking responsibility for the impact it might have locally.”
The slow travel aspect encourages more use of trains, buses, boats, bikes and our very own legs rather than driving cars and flying. Visit Ecoescape.org
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