Because it’s thereQuestPoint

It’s called many different things, green travel, adventure travel, sustainable travel and eco travel but ultimately this type of travel can be life changing. Both for those traveling and those visited. This kind of travel experience doesn’t include time in the tanning both or getting your nails done. In fact you actually get your hands dirty. Yet sustainable travel is one of the few segments within the travel industry that continues to grow. With the rise of social media we are also seeing a rise in socially responsible marketing; and businesses that while still motivated by the almighty dollar truly do want to make a positive impact on people and the planet. customers with whom they interact.

Today marketers are disparate to find new ways to reach their audiences. The old forms of media advertising just aren’t as effective anymore. Television, radio and print media are on a decline as consumers are simply overwhelmed by the constant 24/7 drum beat of buy it now, but wait there’s more message. It is within this climate that sustainable travel thrives. One of the innovators in this area and the are many others is GAP ADVENTURES. Through their non profit organization, Planeterra they have orchestrated projects throughout the world where their traveling guests have worked alongside rural villagers to install solar thermal stoves, paint schools and help fund weaving projects. Planeterra also purchased a permanent home for the street children of Cusco, Peru & their families. One person who’s been active around the world in establishing these projects is Danielle Weiss. Danielle is Planeterra’s Director of projects she lives and works in South America. You can hear an interview she had with QuestPoint N The Mix before she returned to Peru last fall.

Want to pack your bags and get going? But OMG you say you don’t have the funds to travel to Galapagos, Mount Kilimanjaro or Nepal right now. In the Bay Area Marissa LaMagna has established Bay Area Green Tourswhich does An Eco Tour of the San Francisco Bay’s Green Corridor and beyond. You can make a difference in your own local community. However if you can travel or can make plans to travel Mark Twain has said it best, “travel is enemy of prejudjice and bigotry.”

I’M LIKE A BIRD

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OREGON GETS GO AHEAD FOR THE COUNTRYs’ 1st WAVE ENERGY FARM

The Surfrider Foundation today joined over a dozen government agencies, ocean stakeholder groups, and environmental organizations in signing a historic settlement agreement with Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) in support of the construction and operation of the Reedsport OPT Wave Park.

The Reedsport OPT Wave Park is expected to be the first commercial-scale wave energy project in the United States, pending licensing from the Federal Energy and Regulatory Commission (FERC). Phases I and II of the project will consist of ten PowerBuoys installed 2.5 miles off the coast of Reedsport, OR.

The parties to the settlement agreement participated in a three-year process to develop consensus on aspects of project design, required monitoring, and contingencies for adaptive management. The Surfrider Foundation has served as a formal representative of recreational and environmental interests throughout the process.

“We believe this represents a really good approach for the development of wave energy technology,” said Pete Stauffer, Surfrider Foundation’s Ocean Ecosystem Program Manager. “Incorporating good science and meaningful stakeholder involvement in the planning and management of wave energy projects is in the best interests of nearshore ecosystems and coastal communities.”

The Reedsport settlement agreement defines a precautionary approach to development of the Wave Park that is intended to minimize impacts to the nearshore environment and existing ocean uses such as recreation and fishing. An adaptive management program that includes monitoring of ecological and socioeconomic effects will inform the management and further build-out of the project.

The Surfrider Foundation recognizes that technologies utilizing ocean waves, tides, currents and wind may offer important benefits as renewable sources of energy that will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. They may also help to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and the dangerous practice of offshore oil drilling.

The Surfrider Foundation has developed a policy statement on renewable ocean energy, which includes a set of principles to consider during the planning or evaluation of any proposed project. Employing these principles may help reduce impacts to ocean recreation, nearshore ecology, coastal processes, public safety, aesthetics, and fishing access

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Sustainability meets fishy fashion

Junly 27 – Designer Oskar Metsavaht, a favorite of celebrities such as Madonna and Sting, has started producing a new line of environmentally-friendly leather from the skins of salmon and tilapia. Ben Gruber reports. (02:15)

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10 Energy Saving Tips for Travelers Courtesy of International Ecotourism Society

With summer vacations in full swing, travelling without the guilt is a plus.

Why not start with 10 Energy Saving Tips for Travelers courtesy of International Ecotourism Society.

1. Fly Wisely:
Air travel is often the most energy consuming aspect of your travel. Plan your trip so that you minimize air travel, and choose, whenever possible, to stay longer in a destination instead of making many short trips.

2. Travel Light:
Pack only what you need, and don’t bring things that will become waste. By reducing the weight of luggage travelers can significantly cut green house gas emissions.

3. Book Responsibly:
When choosing your hotel, tour operator, or other service providers, select ones that have good sustainability practices. Look for information on the company’s environmental initiatives; strategies, save energy and minimize waste; involvement in sustainable tourism certification program. A good place to start your search is Ecotourism Explorer.

4. Before You Leave:
Turn off lights and unplug household appliances that can be left unplugged while you are away.

5. While You Are There:
Turn off all the lights and air conditioner/heater when you leave your room, and unplug unnecessary appliances.

6. Greener Way To Get Around:
Utilize public transportation (bus, train, city car, etc.) and alternative modes of transportation (walking, bicycle, non-motorized vehicles, horse, camel) as much as possible. It’s a more sustainable way to get around, and also a healthier and more enjoyable way to get to know the place you are visiting.

7. Eat Local:
Reduce your ‘food miles’ by choosing local. Visit a local farmer’s market, shop at a locally owned grocery store and choose locally owned restaurants that buy local. Locally produced foods are a tastier and more sustainable option.

8. Save Water:
Use the minimum amount of water needed for a shower/bath, don’t let water run while shaving, brushing or washing, and check if the hotel has a linen reuse program – if so, reuse your towels and bed sheets by placing the card to indicate you don’t wish to have them washed every day, if not, request hospitality staff not to change them every day.

9. Charge Your Trip Sustainably:
Whenever possible, utilize options that do not require batteries. Buy rechargeable batteries for your essential travel items such as cameras, razors, and flash lights.

10. Offset the Unavoidable Footprint:
Contribute to a credible carbon offsetting program to support

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FELY

IVORY COAST

MUSIC SENSATION

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PERFORMING

August 8 Click Here

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New solar energy process discovered by Stanford engineers could revamp production.

Stanford Report, August 2, 2010

New solar energy process found by Stanford engineers could revamp production.A new process that simultaneously combines the light and heat of solar radiation to generate electricity could offer more than double the efficiency of existing solar cell technology, say the Stanford engineers who discovered it and proved that it works. The process, called “photon enhanced thermionic emission,” or PETE, could reduce the costs of solar energy production enough for it to compete with oil as an energy source.

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AVANCIS solar installers at work

The solar module manufacturer AVANCIS has recorded a new international efficiency record.

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GREEN FOR ALL ANNOUNCES

Green jobs are a reality, and now is the time to honor the innovative companies that are creating them. With support from the Citi Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation, SJF Advisory Services and Green For All have partnered to launch a Green Jobs Award Program, which seeks to identify, recognize, and promote private companies that are leaders in quality green job creation.