Carbon offsetting - is it really worth it?

As keen travellers, we are encouraged to find solutions to reduce our impact on the planet and to travel responsibly. That is very well  but if you can't give up flying because there are no alternative transport to a particular destination, then what do you do? Do you choose airlines that offer offsetting schemes? Do you know where the money goes? Do you buy a flight and then find a scheme where you can select a carbon offsetting project? Do these schemes really work?

Elisabeth at Go Green Travel Green wrote a great post about this topic: 12 Things You Need to Know About Carbon Offsets.

Another good source of information is DirectGov website.

Personally, I am confused. We are told that flying is bad for the environment but airlines come up with such cheap flights that you can't refuse these offers to discover the world. Shouldn't airlines be the ones responsible for offsetting in the first place? Shouldn't the price of the ticket include offsetting?

I would be interested to hear your views on this topic. Do you care? If so, what do you do to offset your carbon consumption?

5 reasons to go green on holiday



Photo from ohsingapore.com

 1. Recharge your batteries (no electricity involved here, promise!)

Most people go on holiday to relax, breathe some fresh air, forget about work and catch up with the family. Spending a few days in the countryside will give you a chance to clear your mind and enjoy the small things in life.

2. Connect with nature (without computers)

People are leading such busy lives that they forget what it's like to go for a walk in the park. For some, spending time in the countryside might seem a little bit alien and perhaps even a touch scary. Choose a destination which has a few things to do to start with. As you get used to enjoying nature, you will want to come back again and again.

3. Try something new 

Have you ever tried rock climbing, caving, coasteering or zip lining? The BBC has just launched a new website called ThrillSeeker. All you need to do is visit the site, enter your postcode and you will find activities near you. Trying new activities is very rewarding. It can help you build confidence and it is so much fun!

4. Save some cash

Holidays close to home are usually cheaper than foreign holidays. You don't need to go very far to find a nice accommodation close to nature. Caravanning and camping are both great alternatives to hotels.

5. Feel good about yourself

Taking the time to think about what impact your holiday could have on the environment, is one step closer to being an ecotourist. So whether you are green for a day, a week or a lifetime, it all helps preserving our precious planet.

Personally, I grew up on a farm. I now live in London but I love going back to my home village to be surrounded by mountains. How about you? I would love to hear if you have recently discovered the pleasure nature has to offer or if you have loved nature since your childhood. Please share your stories, your favourite outdoor activities and your recommended nature spots.

Choosing your next holiday destination: will it be green?

This is a quick survey to establish whether eco-friendly practices influence the choice of a holiday.

1. What is your key deciding factor when you pick a holiday?

A. Price
B. Location
C. Convenience
D. Impact on the environment

2. If the price was the same, would you favour a holiday destination with eco-friendly practices?

3. How much do you care about the environment right now?

My personal feeling is that currently, the majority of holiday places are not yet working towards preserving our planet. Unless you go to a specialist like Ecoescape, Ecofriendly tourist or Responsible Travel, it is difficult to find sustainable holiday options. The tourism industry needs to educate consumers about the impact of travel on the environment and it needs to help us make a difference. We all know how difficult a task this is, but we need to be shown how to do this. Do you agree?

Many thanks for answering those questions and feel free to add any comments. 

Ecotourism: Why are holidays at home more expensive than abroad?



Photo: Woodview holiday cottage

 Is eco tourism a luxury?

Package holidays are extremely popular for one main reason: the price

Indeed, it is probably the first criteria people consider when they choose a holiday. If you wish to spend 2 weeks abroad in the sun, the easiest option is to book the accommodation and travel through a travel agent. Prices are usually very good thanks to low cost airlines and the plethora of accommodations available.

Shouldn't we be encouraged to spend our holidays in our country to limit our carbon footprint? 

Yes, but there is one issue: the price.

Have you ever tried to spend 2 weeks holiday in the UK? Assuming that the weather is fairly pleasant, the main issue is finding accommodation at a reasonable price. Personally, I have always gone away for long week-ends in England (which I have thoroughly enjoyed) but never longer than 4 days because of the price of accommodations. The most attractive solution would be to hire a cottage but it is difficult to find anything cheaper than a 2-week holiday abroad by the sea side.

I would be interested to hear your views. Is this trend changing? Are there more options available now that the demand for local holidays is increasing? Is Eco tourism a luxury?

Here are a couple of places to start the research for Eco holidays  and Eco breaks in the UK, should you wish to start planning for next year.

Are you a tiptoe traveller?

Photo from Aredev Sulekha

 

A few questions to define if you really are a tiptoe traveller

1. Do you enjoy visiting new places and experiencing new cultures?
2. Do you love trying food you never had before?
3. Do you prefer booking your own accommodation and dislike all-inclusive-packages?
4. Do you feel amazing when you have exchanged a few words with someone who does not speak your native language?
5. Do you avoid crowded places whenever possible?
6. Do you feel proud when you have travelled in a foreign country using public transport?
7. Do you feel angry when you visit a touristic sites littered with rubbish?
8. Do you feel that you could benefit from more information about responsible travel?
9. Do you wish there were more green holiday options and ecotourism destinations available?

If your answer is yes to most of these questions, I would like to invite you on this journey of discovery to learn how to be responsible travellers and kind to our planet. 

Airport lounges: are they missing a trick?



Photo from: My Opera

Ever been bored in airport lounges?

I have just travelled back from Turkey via Zurich airport. Unfortunately, we had to wait 3 hours for our connection back to the UK.

When I go to a new airport, I am always quite excited. I am hoping to find something a little bit different: a great shopping experience, a good choice of places to eat, anything to help pass the time. However, as soon as I get through passport control, I find myself wondering around another "soulless" airport lounge with the same designer shops (who can afford these products?), the same boring coffee shops (you can only have so many coffees) and if you are lucky you might find a couple of places to eat (with uninspiring and overpriced menus). In large airports, you might find an area where you can access the Internet.

The waiting area for me is the worst of all with the most uncomfortable seats (if you can find one), bad lighting and no entertainment whatsoever. How depressing!!

Isn't there an opportunity here to create fun and interesting areas to make the journey a bit more enjoyable?

Isn't it a great place to educate travellers about responsible travel?

What would you like to see in airport lounges, that would change your travel experience?

3 words to describe Ecotourism - what are yours?



Photo:The Gordon Butler Nature Preserve (NCBQ)

For the majority of people, ecotourism is about spending time enjoying what nature has to offer: trekking through a desert, climbing a mountain or skiing in the Alps are all good examples.

I have been trying to find a really simple definition. This is what I found on the International Ecotourism Society website, which is a very informative site.

Ecotourism is: "Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people." (TIES, 1990)

Another interesting definition is the one for sustainable tourism.  

Sustainable tourism is: "Tourism that meets the needs of present tourist and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future."  (TIES, 1990)

For me, being a responsible traveller means focusing on three things:

- Communities

- Culture

- Environment

Wherever we go, we should respect local communities. We are visiting their home after all. We should try to discover and understand their culture. This is really rewarding. And most importantly, we should respect their environment. For them and for future generations.

What is your definition of ecotourism? I would love to hear your views.

Welcome

Welcome to THE TIPTOE TRAVELLER, an informative blog created to raise awareness of the impact of travel on our lovely planet and to share useful eco tips with fellow travellers. Travelling green does not have to be hard work. We can all do our bit while enjoying our well deserved breaks away from home. So please feel free to comment on my posts and let's all travel a little bit lighter.