Summer holidays have arrived, everybody going on vacation. The winds of change also have come to our holidays. Not just at home or work, but we can also have a green attitude on holidays and still enjoy them!

What is green travel?
"Green travel" is one of many catch phrases — like ecotourism, sustainable tourism and responsible travel — that are bandied about with increasing frequency these days. But what exactly do these terms mean?
There are various shades of difference among all these terms, but at the heart of the matter is the importance of protecting the natural and cultural environment of the places you visit. That means conserving plants, wildlife and other resources; respecting local cultures and ways of life; and contributing positively to local communities.

Why go green?
With nearly 1 billion tourists crisscrossing the globe every year, it's more important than ever for travelers to minimize their individual impact on the earth's natural and cultural treasures. The potential negative effects of tourism are both local and global; oceanfront hotels contribute to beach erosion in Hawaii, rising numbers of visitors threaten the fragile ecosystems of the Galapagos Islands, and carbon dioxide emissions from planes are a growing contributor to global warming.
Taking a green approach to travel is an easy and essential way to protect the places you love to visit, not just for yourself but for the travelers who come after you and for the people who will continue to live there long after you've flown home. As an added bonus, it often makes for a more rewarding, authentic travel experience, encouraging deeper connections with the people and places you visit.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't necessarily have to pay more in order to travel green. While offsetting the carbon emissions from your air travel will set you back a negligible amount (usually between $10 and $40 per flight, depending on the length), you can find green lodging options in all budgets, from hostels to luxury hotels. And earth-friendly transportation options like biking, walking and taking public transit are often cheaper than taking a cab or renting a car.

Choosing a green hotel:
There are a number of Web sites that list environmentally friendly hotels, B&B's and lodges around the world; these are a good place to start. Keep in mind that each site has its own guidelines for rating properties, so you'll want to do your homework to make sure that the hotel meets the standards you're looking for.

A few questions to ask before booking your hotel:
Is the hotel locally owned and operated? If not, is it at least staffed by local employees?
What kind of recycling programs does the hotel have (aluminum, plastic, paper, gray water, composting)?
Do guests have the option to reuse towels and sheets instead of having them changed every day?
What programs does the hotel have to reduce consumption? Examples include energy-efficient lighting, low-flow toilets and showers, and alternative energy sources like solar or wind power.
How does the hotel contribute to the local community?
Sarah Schlichter, Independent Traveller

Today I bought a pair of Timberland sandals. Inside the plain looking box I found:

And yes, of corse, this box is made from 100% post consumer recycled material, built with no glue and printed with soy and water-based inks. Reuse it. Then recycle it.

There is even a label with Timberland's footprint: impact on environment and on community.

Interesting box....What kind footprint will you leave?

Third and last: Recycle

Second: Reuse

The media has done a wonderful job of selling us on the attractiveness and benefits of buying "new", "improved", "special", etc. products. However, we already collectively own so much that we could all survive for quite a while on the existing products - if we just reused them a few times!

1. Garage Sales: Shop at and hold garage sales - this is a great way to reuse products.

Reusables: Switch from disposable to reusable products: food and beverage containers, cups, plates, writing pens, razors, diapers, towels, shopping bags, etc.

3. Donations: Donate your old:
*household items - clothes, furniture, dishes, books, sports equipment, magazines, appliances, electronics, business attire, wedding attire, etc. (to charity)
computer equipment
*building material (to companies who specialize in selling used material)
*cell phones and ink cartridges
*eyeglasses
*extra hangers (to your local dry cleaners)
*art materials (to a school or cultural organization)
*unwanted boxed/bagged/canned food (to homeless shelters, food banks, or soup kitchens)
etc.

4. Buy/Sell Used Items: Buy and sell your items on sites such as:
*Ebay
*Local second hand stores

5. Community Swap: Organize a community swap program (i.e., designate a place where people can leave unwanted items for others to use).
6. Buy Durables: Buy products that will last and take care of them.

7. Teach Thrift: Teach your children the value of being thrifty (the wise economy in the management of money and other resources; frugality).

8. Frugal Printing: Use both sides of each piece of paper -- for note taking or printing documents from your computer (at home or work). Create note pads by stapling together once-used paper.

9. Kitchen Reuseables: Instead of buying these items new, save and reuse all: paper bags, rubber bands, twisties, boxes, and packaging material. Reuse your plastic bags with a handy bag dryer.

10. Library: Pick up books from your local library or used book store. The library is also many times a great place for finding magazines, CDs, books-on-tape, and videos.

11. Rechargeable Batteries: Purchase rechargeable batteries and a battery recharger (some battery rechargers will also recharge regular alkaline batteries).

FIRST: Reduce

The critical first step of waste prevention has been overshadowed by a focus on recycling. Please help to promote a greater awareness of the importance of the "Reduce" part of the Reduce-Reuse-Recycle mantra.

To reduce is the first priority in the waste reduction heirarchy. Using less in the first place, sometimes called source reduction, is the easiest way to solve the world's mounting garbage problem. Source reduction means reducing the amount of material that enters the waste stream. It avoids disposal and pollution problems right from the start, and it conserves natural resources and energy. Reducing waste at the beginning means there will be less waste to be recycled or landfilled. Try some of these ideas at home, school or work today!

1. Simplify: Simplify your life as much as possible. Only keep belongings that you use/enjoy on a regular basis. By making the effort to reduce what you own, you will naturally purchase less/create less waste in the future.

2. Tree-Free Home: As much as possible, create a tree-free home:
*replace paper napkins with cloth napkins
*replace paper towels with a special set of cloth towels/napkins - store the used ones in a small container in your kitchen and just wash and reuse
*purchase bleach-free, toilet paper that is made from the highest post-consumer waste content you can find (80% minimum)
*if you print documents, print on once-used paper and/or bleach-free, recycled paper with the highest post-consumer waste content available (or hemp/alternative-source paper, if you can afford it)
*create and use note pads from once-used paper
*leave messages for family members/roommates on a reusable message board
*make your own cards/letters from once-used products or handmade paper

3. Reduce Purchases: In general, think before you buy any product - do you really need it? How did the production of this product impact the environment and what further impacts will there be with the disposal of the product (and associated packaging materials)? When you are thinking about buying something, try the 30-Day Rule -- wait 30 days after the first time you decide you want a product to really make your decision. This will eliminate impulse buying.

4. Bulk Purchases: Avoid products that are packaged for single use (i.e., drinks, school lunches, candy, cat and dog food, salad mixings, etc.). Instead, buy in bulk and transfer the products to your own reusable containers. Many health food stores have bulk bins where they sell everything from grains to cereal to cleaning products.
For additional ideas, read the Precycling information page.

6. Avoid Trash: Avoid creating trash wherever possible: when ordering food, avoid receiving any unnecessary plastic utensils, straws, etc. (ask in advance), buy ice cream in a cone instead of a cup, don't accept "free" promotional products, buy products with the least amount of packaging, etc. Every little bit of trash avoided does make a difference!

7. Shopping Bags: While shopping, if you only buy a few products skip the shopping bag. For larger purchases, bring your own.

8. Junk Mail: Find the way to avoid junk mail in your hometown.

9. Green Hotels: When staying at a hotel, motel, or bed and breakfast let the management know that you like to support businesses that adopt environmentally responsible practices (including reducing waste). Print out and drop off the Sustainable Solutions for Green Hotels list. To locate environmentally friendly hotels, search on the Internet under "ecotourism" and/or visit Green Hotels Association.

*Mug-to-Go: Carry a mug with you wherever you go for take out beverages.

*Protect Children: Protect your child from mindless consumption.

And more tips for REDUCING waste go to here!

Facts for mommies and mommies-to-be:
Your baby will spend about 25,000 hours in diapers and need about 6,000 diaper changes during the first years of life. Since your baby will spend so much time in diapers, let’s take a closer look at disposable diapers. On the market since the early 60’s, the disposable diaper changed from a plastic diaper with a lot of paper fluff to a diaper constructed of a waterproof plastic outer layer, an absorbent pad with super absorbent chemicals, and an inner liner. The super absorbent chemical, sodium polyacrylate, absorbs and holds fluids in the diaper. This chemical has been linked to toxic shock syndrome, can cause allergic reactions, and is lethal to cats if inhaled. This chemical is toxic. Dioxin, the most toxic of all cancer-linked chemicals, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is a byproduct of bleaching paper. The disposables also use dyes, potencially harmful. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) received reports that fragrances caused headaches, dizziness, and rashes. Problems may arise if plastic parts of diaper are torn by the babies and taken to the mouth or nose!

About 5 million tons of untreated body excrement, which may carry over 100 intestinal viruses, is brought to landfills via disposables. This may contribute to groundwater contamination and attract insects that carry and transmit diseases. In 1990, 18 billion disposables were thrown into United States landfills. Is it wise to use 3.4 billion gallons of oil and over 250,000 trees a year to manufacture disposables that end up in our already overburdened landfills? These disposables are not readily biodegradable. The paper must be exposed to air and sun to decompose. Thirty percent of a disposable diaper is plastic and is not compostable. Even if the rest of the diaper could be composted, these plants could only handle 400 of the 10,000 tons of diapers tossed in landfills EACH DAY, assuming they didn’t have to process any other compostable garbage. Biodegradable diapers have cornstarch added to the plastic to break it into tiny pieces. The pieces still end up in landfills.

And the good news are:
Nowadays there are several alternatives to normal disposable diapers. You may find organic diapers (biodegradable, without bleach or other chemicals that may harm the baby's skin and the environment, you may even order with amazon.com) or you may turn to old-style reusable diapers. Don't be scared right away! These diapers don't need to be tied with pins or anything. They already come in the shape of the disposable diaper, with elastics and attachable strips, and experienced mommies say it's easy to clean....

It's cool and easy on your purse, your baby's skin and spares the environment ;-)

And if you are a mommy-to-be in Macau, it will not cost you a thing to take a peek at THIS! It may sound strange at first, but the info may be useful!

Well, perhaps this Earth Day you should pause for a little reflection. Step back, watch the kids dressed up as butterflies and trees dancing in your city park or main street while adults drink their organic wine and eco-friendly microbrewed beers, and think about what you can and will honestly do to reduce the weight of your impact on the world around you. Maybe you will make more of an effort to recycle those bottles and cans that sometimes end up in your trash or actually take the time to cut those six pack plastic rings, because you have seen those pictures of sea creatures, and it hurt you to look at them. Maybe you will glance at the origin of the wood listed on the tag before you buy your next set of garden furniture. Indonesia? That might be a problem. Maybe you will think twice about tossing that cigarette butt out your window, and not because of a fear of starting a brush fire or getting caught and having to pay a fine, but simply to be decent. What is keeping you from showing a basic level of respect for the environment that provides you with so much? Is it laziness, greed, indifference? It cannot be ignorance. My point is, today, on Earth Day, you should take a moment to consider what a nice place Planet Earth is and what you can do to help keep it that way. Life is short. If that is your excuse, think about the grandchildren you have or the ones you hope to have someday. You may not see a significant change in the quality of life on Earth in your lifetime, but in two generations, there will be.

(more here)

Plastic bags are a real plague and a threat to the environment, to life and to all of us.
What some may consider the invention of the century, others feel that plastic bags are finally turning against us and now one may spot one virtually everywhere, even in what we thought was an untouched natural landscape.... !
We find them stuck in the trees, dumped on the street floors, clustering in the corners, flying with the wind, half buried in the beach sand and deadliest sin of all, floating in the oceans. They survive the elements and live way longer than us. It takes 20 to 1000 years for a plastic bag to breakdown in the environment. After they breakdown, small bits of toxic plastic dust will still remain.

Plastics ain't fantastic...

How can a turtle tell: A jellyfish and a coral or a plastic bag stuck in a coral?

Because they resemble jellyfish (a common food for most sea
creatures), when "swimming" in the ocean, thousands of innocent marine animals die each year, as plastic bags block the guts of turtles, dolphins, seals, puffins and many others. And most shocking of all....the same bag becomes a serial killer, as it gets released from the victim's decomposed body, rather unchanged, and ready to strike again.

REUSE and RECYCLE all the plastic bags you have and if you dispose of them, be certain that they are not let free to roam and cause more victims in the ocean. Don't leave plastic bottles or bags or products unattended near the rivers or the sea. If you find one in the beach, please help and take it to the nearest bin, it might make a difference to a passing by sweet dolphin or gentle giant turtle, searching for a meal.

A grotesque view of a beautiful creature and an even more grotesque way to die.

Fortunately, many countries are implementing rules for reducing the use of plastic bags, and in many stores you need to pay for each plastic bag, and so they are not given away so thoughtlessly!

Do search for biodegradable plastics and BYOB!
For those who haven't noticed yet, many shops have reusable bags available, like Hong Kong's City Super, Ikea or in Macau the new collection of Bossini fold and go-bags! It doesn't take that much to keep one in your bag or pocket.

Facts:

1. If you throw away 2 aluminum cans, you waste more energy than 1,000,000,000 (one billion) of the world's poorest people use a day.

2. Making a new can from scratch uses the uses the energy equal to half a can of gasoline.

3. Aluminum cans may be recycled over and over again!

What we can do to help:

1. Separate all cans we use (drinks, canned food), give them a wash and put them in the can-reclycling container in your neighbourhood.

2. In Macau you may find these containers all over the city. Or give them to passing by can collectors - they earn money for selling cans to recycling companies!

3. Cans, paper and plastic are taken from Macau and recycled in Guangzhou Province, China.

...but still pretend it won't affect us.
Our planet is tired.
We can make a difference to improve our lives and our future.

Here's a first tip:

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE.

At least think about it. You only need to start doing it, then you get used to it and soon after you'll feel bad about yourself whenever you don't do it. ;-)