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  Today Online 19 Jul 07
The green kit Pack for the environment with these eco-friendly products

Today Online 19 Jul 07
Wilderness is the new luxury
Neo Chai Chin

Today Online 19 Jul 07
Leave that stone unturned
Eco-travel is all about respect for nature and native culture;
you may even volunteer for conservation projects
Neo Chai Chin chaichin@mediacorp.com.sg

You shook your head at the dire state of our planet in the documentary film An Inconvenient Truth, and marvelled at its astounding diversity in the documentary series Planet Earth, shown recently on MediaCorp TV Arts Central.

Some of us may even be motivated to give the usual cosmopolitan cities like Hong Kong and New York a miss for our next vacation, in favour of holidays further off the beaten track.

Here's where the exciting part comes in.

Places like Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands off Ecuador and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania are not just faraway lands you see on National Geographic or the Discovery Channel.

With curiosity, respect for nature and a sense of adventure, you can partake in the pleasures these places offer and be part of the growing industry called ecotourism.

Defined as "responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people", ecotourism is growing faster than the tourism industry as a whole.

The International Ecotourism Society estimated that in 2004, it was growing three times faster than the tourism industry. And in Singapore, agencies specialising in eco-travel have noted an increase in people who sign up for such tours.

Atrium Eco Travel estimates a 10 to 15 per cent increase in such tours conducted in the last two years, while Eco Adventures Worldwide said more people — consisting of both expatriates and Singaporeans — have signed up for eco-tours compared to five years ago.

While the development is good, Timothy Tan of Eco Adventures Worldwide noted that "you don't want too many people to know about the place and take away its charm".

Some may argue that the carbon emissions from air miles clocked defeat the purpose of the trip, but Ben Lee — founder of Nature Trekker — believes that the advantages of eco-travel outweigh its drawbacks.

"Education is the cornerstone (in) the success of nature conservation and the protection of flora, fauna and the environment," he said. "Education has to come with practical field trips."

Besides increasing awareness of environmental issues, ecotourism also reduces the rate of deforestation, provides opportunities for the creation of gazetted nature reserves and wildlife sanctuaries, and creates sources of income for Third World countries, said Mr Lee.

Eco Adventures Worldwide and Atrium Eco Travel conduct their own tours to places like the Himalayas and Indochina.

Both agencies ensure responsible travel by working with local guides and ground handlers.

"We offer nature-based itineraries as well as cultural and historical tours, and try to minimise the impact of our travels. For example, we use local guides and transport operators, and encourage our customers to buy local products," said Andy Yeo of Atrium Eco Travel — which also organises tours to Africa, India and the Middle East.

Eco Adventures Worldwide and STA Travel also partner with international adventure travel operators like G.A.P. Adventures to offer packages that cover a multitude of destinations.

What these trips have in common is the focus on education and immersion in the local culture.

Led by experienced trip leaders, participants dine on local cuisine and live in accommodation ranging from homely lodges to tents.

Besides signing up with responsible tour operators, travellers themselves should bear a few principles in mind as they mingle with nature — a universal ecotourism rule is to take nothing with you but photographs, and leave nothing behind but footprints.

One should also follow the designated trail during treks so that plants and other living organisms on the forest floor do not get trampled.

And to reduce carbon emissions and support the local economy, take public transportation or travel on foot or bicycle when possible, and buy local products.

Some websites like www.carbonfootprint.com also allow travellers to calculate the carbon footprints (see sidebar) caused by their trips and purchase credits to offset the harmful impact. The money goes to organisations that operate environmental schemes such as planting trees and funding "clean" energy.

And if you decide to go a step further by volunteering for conservation projects, take your pick from the choices out there. G.A.P. has a 13-day Project Costa Rica package, where travellers double as volunteers to protect endangered sea turtles for six days and visit forest reserves and do horseback riding for the rest of the trip.

While the idea of paying to work, during a vacation no less, may not appeal to some, the satisfaction comes from seeing parts of a country usually bypassed by tourists, and the meaningful labour of nature conservation.

In the words of legendary wildlife broadcaster and naturalist David Attenborough, "the natural world is not something which is separate. We depend on it for our food, for the air we breathe — we are a part of it".

So, if you're ready to roll up your sleeves for a good cause, it's time to pack your bags and get in touch with nature.

Today Online 19 Jul 07
Wilderness is the new luxury
Neo Chai Chin chaichin@mediacorp.com.sg

Eco-travel adventurer and consultant Kerry Lorimer's first trip abroad began with a one-way ticket to Athens, and lasted eight years.

Since then, she has left her footprints on more than 100 countries and written numerous travel articles.

Rich with experiences accumulated over 20 years, she sat down to write Code Green, Lonely Planet's book on responsible travel adventures published last year.

Depending on your threshold for adventure, her author's biography would inspire anxiety, admiration, or both: "She's been held hostage; been surrounded by snack-happy sharks; salsa-ed through South America; and ... been lost in more places than she can count."

Today asked Sydney-based Kerry, 44, about her green adventures during a recent phone interview.

Which of Code Green's 82 adventures did you enjoy most?

I probably went on 60 per cent of the adventures listed in the book (other writers contributed the rest). Antarctica is one of the most amazing places on earth. It feels like going back to the dawn of time — it's so pristine.

You began eco-travelling when it was still a novel idea. Tell us about your first trip abroad.

The term eco-travel came to the fore in the late 1980s, and developed from there. My first trip lasted eight years. I went to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, lived and worked in the Caribbean, then went to South America. Most of my travels were over land; I took about four flights in eight years.

What advice would you give newcomers to eco-travel?

If you're going to be travelling with a tour operator, look for one with responsible travel credentials. Rather than taking a flight, see if there is another way of travelling — by bus or by train. Try to take public transport, or walk when possible. Read up on the culture you will be visiting to avoid any faux pas and make sure the money you spend — where you stay, at restaurants, for transport — stays within the community.

How would you get more people to travel responsibly?

We're starting to see growth in this area, on the back of climate change and sustainability issues. At present, I think it needs to be driven by tour operators, agencies and airlines. We need to make people aware, and make them aspire to do it, so that responsible travel becomes a transformational experience. We can also go about encouraging others by word of mouth.

Many people think luxurious holidays are about spa resorts, but the new luxury is wilderness.

Today Online 19 Jul 07
The green kit Pack for the environment with these eco-friendly products

WEAR IT:

This sling pouch ($8, above), which can be used to hold money and passports, is made from non-recyclable plastic waste collected by Jakarta's trash collectors. It provides the poor with a livelihood as well as helps clean the environment.

The Tierra Ecologia Eco Denim Shawl ($135, left) is made from an organic cotton and eco denim blend. Both from CurioCity.

PLUG IT:

The Solio Portable Hybrid Solar Charger ($150) is powered either by electricity or by solar energy. It can charge all your gadgets from mobile phones and iPods, to digital cameras and game players, making it an ideal device to take on your travels. One hour of the sun will give the charger enough energy to power an iPod for about an hour or provide up to 25 minutes of talk time on most mobile phones. From www.solio.com

HUG IT:

Press this eco-friendly heatpack to release heat and when it is used up, tear open the pack and use the contents to fertilise your plants. $12 for a pack of 10 from Cold Wear.

EAT WITH IT:

Leave the plasticware at home and use these eco-friendly utensils made with 100 per cent bamboo. The Bamboo Utensil Set ($30, above right) includes flatware and chopsticks that are heat and stain resistant. The pretty carry case is woven by Karen craftswomen living on the Thai-Burma border. The Wrap-N-Mat Reusable Sandwich bag ($10.50, above left) replaces wasteful plastic sandwich and snack bags. Better yet, the wrappers unfold into placemats. Both from www.reusablebags.com

WASH WITH IT: The Biodegradable Camp Soap ($7.90, above left) needs little water to be effective. When water is scarce, apply the No Rinse Moisturizing Body Wash ($4.80, above right) to the skin, massage to lather and towel dry. Both from The Planet Traveller.
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