Barbados: The Crane's New Eco-Techniques

It may be the oldest, most historic hotel in Barbados, but it certainly isn't stuck in the past when it comes to earth-saving tips. Sure, 'Being Green' is all the rage, but taking a landmark from the 1700's and turning it green is another - more ambitious - story. Set on forty acres of oceanfront land on the Southeast Coast of Barbados, The Crane, located six minutes from the airport on a spectacular cliff overlooking Crane Beach, is comprised of the original historic hotel building, built in the late 1700s and expanded in 1887, with an new all-suite development underway. On completion, this world-class resort will feature a Barbadian village of retail shops, a jazz bar, art gallery/museum, a full-service spa set in a coconut grove on the beach, a choice of gourmet and casual restaurants, and flood-lit tennis courts.
The Crane, Living Room Suite

Known for its modern "vertically integrated" approach, this approach also increases environmental sustainability, examples of which include:

Landscaping - The Crane has a thirty-six person full service landscape team dedicated to beautifying Crane’s extensive grounds. A new on-site covered nursery will be used to propagate plants so that the grounds will continue to be beautifully and economically maintained. Rather than using metered town water for its irrigation needs, The Crane relies on a 350,000 gallon water tank that collects rainwater for irrigation.
Laundry - The Crane does all of its laundry in-house and has recently constructed a facility that utilizes state-of-the-art, high volume, commercial equipment and rain water collected in underground collection tanks.

Pool Service - A system of salt-water chlorination in which salt from sea water is converted into natural chlorine through electrolysis without the extra cost of replenishing chlorine.
Central Air - The Crane’s central air-conditioning system is not only far more energy efficient than individual “split system” units for every room, but it also produces hot water, requires less ongoing maintenance and has a life expectancy of over twenty-five years.

So make like Rhianna and "Shut Up and Drive" to the airport. You won't need an "Umbrella" in Barbados.

(Sorry, we couldn't resist)

Kenya & Tanzania: Climb Kilimanjaro!

Crowned by eternal snow, Mount Kilimanjaro is called the "Home of God" because to climb Kilimanjaro is to stand on the roof of Africa. Leave it to Mountain Travel Sobek to offer the most comprehensive, one-of-a-kind Kilimanjaro adventure around. Eco-Adventurer says, "What better way to appreciate the environment than to get right up in it?" Operating Kilimanjaro climbs since 1974, Mountain Sobek was the first company to lead commercial treks up the mountain. Today, over 90% reach Kilimanjaro's 19,340-foot high summit. We think those are pretty good odds, don't you?
Climbing Kilimanjaro is a Mountain Travel Sobek (MTS) classic, enough so that anchorwoman Ann Curry used MTS to make her own ascent to Africa's highest peak. In Amboseli National Park, you'll slip into "safari mode" by viewing elephants before taking off on a six-day climb of Kilimanjaro via the rarely-traveled Rongai Route, a trail skirting spectacular Mawenzi peak. You'll track game along the Tsavo National Park on the banks of the Galana River where MTS has the only permit to camp and hike along this stunning waterway. Your savvy naturalist guides include Alex Fiksman, one of East Africa’s leading mountaineers and rock-climbing aces, and Julius Odhiambo, one of Kenya’s top ornithologists and naturalists. As a grand finale, the trip ends with some "R&R" at the Indian Ocean coast (you'll need it) where you’ll bask in shameless luxury at a deluxe resort — a perfect spot to unwind at the conclusion of an unforgettable safari.

Not up for the climb? While your spouse, partner, or friend goes for the summit, you can enjoy traditional safari activities in five-star comfort like game viewing, horseback riding, and "sundowners," at two permanent camps: Ol Donyo Wuas, at the foot of the Chyulu Hills; and Finch Hatton’s, a luxurious legacy of the former big game hunter in Tsavo. Both offer views of Kilimanjaro. On Day 10 (see itinerary below) you’ll meet the group in Tsavo after the climb.

Itinerary: Kilimanjaro & Beyond - Rongai Route

Day 1 - Meet in Nairobi, Kenya. Overnight at the Karen Blixen Cottages, just outside Nairobi.

Days 2-3 - Game viewing in Amboseli, noted for having the most magnificent elephant herds in Africa and dramatic views of Kilimanjaro. Noted researchers Cynthia Moss and Joyce Poole have conducted groundbreaking elephant studies here for almost 30 years.

Days 4-7 - From the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro on the Kenya side, you'll be climbing through unspoiled forests, moorlands, and alpine zone, arriving at a high camp at 15,500'. You'll take an extra day for acclimatization below the craggy north face of Mawenzi, Kilimanjaro's forgotten peak (it's the second-highest point at 16,893 feet).

Day 8 - Pre-dawn hike (the classic alpine start) to Kilimanjaro's glacier-clad summit to watch the sun rise over the African plains, an indescribable thrill and feeling of accomplishment! Descend to camp at 12,000'.
Day 9 - Hike down through the lush equatorial rain forest, home to colobus and Syke's monkeys. Meet waiting vehicles for a drive to the hotel in Marangu, Tanzania.

Day 10 - Drive to camp along the Galana River in Tsavo East National Park where Mountain Travel Sobek has an exclusive permit.

Days 11-12 - Tsavo is Africa at its most intense and dramatic, a raw sunburned land through which the Galana, the only source of water for the wildlife, cuts a bright green swath. Accompanied by trackers and an armed escort, you'll carefully search for prides of lions, including the rare maneless males, stalk elephant herds, view hippos and crocs in quiet pools, and enjoy some of the best birding in Kenya.

Day 13 - Drive to palm-fringed Watamu Beach at Malindi on the Indian Ocean coast, where you can swim, snorkel, bird-watch, or go deep-sea fishing (optional).

Day 14 - Morning on the beach; fly to Nairobi in the afternoon and depart, or join one of our extensions in East Africa.
Dates & Prices

2009
Jun 01 - Jun 14
Jul 09 - Jul 22
Jul 31 - Aug 13
Aug 29 - Sep 11
Sep 28 - Oct 11

2010
Jan 24 - Feb 06
Feb 22 - Mar 07
Jun 20 - Jul 03
Jul 20 - Aug 02
Sep 17 - Sep 30
Oct 17 - Oct 30

2009 Prices
$6,295 (11–15 members)
$6,595 (7–10 members)
$6,995 (3–6 members)
$1,250 park fees
$300 internal air
$1,200 single supplement

Toll Free 1-888-831-7526 (USA & Canada)

So what are you waiting for? The ice caps to melt?

Eco-Conscious Travel Style: Organic Rain Tees

In the Winter of 2007, Beth Doane changed her life forever. "I was running my clothing distribution company, Andira, for about two years when I started to feel this odd sense of emptiness and lack of respect for the fashion industry," Doane admits.

"I was learning so much about import and distribution of international brands through my travel internationally, trade shows, and fashion weeks, but none of what I was learned was fulfilling. I started to see the toxicity of mass production and began asking questions about price points and color-ways, when I also asked who was making this handbag or that line of dresses, where they lived, how much they were paid and what kinds of fabrics are used and how they are developed... questions the industry seemed to conveniently avoid. It seemed no amount of yoga or red wine could make my real questions or concerns about fashion go away. The more I had all this running through my head, the more miserable I became so I decided to do something about it."
Alas... Rain Tee was born.

Rain Tees, her 100% organic apparel line for women and children is designed by youth living in endangered rain forests across Central and South America, each featuring their own thoughts and illustrations regarding their tropical homeland. For every Rain Tee sold, a child involved in Kids Saving the Rain Forest, Costa Rica will receive a tree they can plant to replace one that has been destroyed.

Why tees for the rain forest?

"I knew that rain forests act like a delicate balancing mechanism for our entire planet. By keeping them intact we can control weather patterns globally. I knew this was an area in desperate need of global attention, so I started with combining nature (which affects everyone in the world)- with apparel - something that can reach everyone in the world," Doane explains. She traveled to the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, areas of La Selva Maya in Mexico, worked with teams of volunteers in Ecuador and Bolivia, researchers in Brazil, and NGO's in Peru that traveled deep into the Amazon Jungle to do art sessions with the children.

Manufactured in Peru, the tees give new employment opportunities to people who are often forced out of their homes to work for oil companies, cut trees, or poach animals illegally to feed their families because the waterways have become polluted due to industrialization. Using family-owned, vertically-integrated factories that pay their workers 25% above average wages, Doane tries to keep the manufacturing process as eco-conscious as possible, from the way the fabric is selected to the way the tees are packaged to ship. With each Rain Tee purchase, you're not only supporting fair trade and fair labor practices, but you're promoting reforestation, creating environmental education for youth living in both endangered tropical forests and in our local communities, and creating green jobs for workers in rain forest communities so they do not feel forced to work in deforestation, animal trafficking, or oil industries.

And really... if you're going to wear something cute, you might as well make the most of it.

www.raintees.com

Maui, Green Travel: Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ambassadors of the Environment

Take one of the most beautiful hotels in the Hawaiian islands, the always impeccable Ritz-Carlton service, a $180 million transformation, and a partnership with renowned diplomat for the environment, Jean-Michel Cousteau, and you have... the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua’s Ambassadors of the Environment program! We can't ever say enough about the Ritz. They just know how to do it right, down to the five food and beverage presentations of their Club Level, unmatched service with a smile, and now a program benefiting our most beloved resource... the ocean. Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ambassadors of the Environment program at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Maui (and other select Ritz destinations worldwide) offers everything from underwater photography sessions at Kapalua Bay to seasonal whale-watching excursions paired with Trilogy, as well as hikes in the Kapalua Arboretum. The best part? All activities are led by trained naturalists with degrees in the sciences. I visited in February and had an amazing time playing tennis with my husband, enjoying their stunning spa (complete with a private co-ed hot tub), nibbling delectable cuisine on the Club Level (not to be missed if you're staying at the Ritz), and alas... taking part in the Ambassadors of the Environment program.
Before our guide, Iokepa Naeole, took us on a memorable hike throughout the Kapalua Arboretum, he sang a moving Hawaiian prayer, thanking the environment for allowing us to appreciate her beauty and enter her honorable rainforest. When he sang, it seemed as if everything suddenly went still. The wind, the birds, and the trees. Once inside, Naole informed us about the culture, native endemic species and invasive species, but my favorite part of the hike was swinging from a branch like Tarzan while Naeole picked fruits for us to eat along the way.
The program certainly lived up to it's goal: inspiring Ritz guests to live a more sustainable life with a greater understanding of the relationships between land to sea, humans to nature, people to people, and present to future. To that end, the center's furniture is made with completely recycled materials like Marmeloum and tables made of reclaimed shredded U.S. currency and sunflower hull and straw. Using only CFL and LED lights, they also have dual-flush toilets and coreless toilet paper, 100% Recycled and biodegradable non-bleached paper towels, sustainable bamboo floors, reusable containers for beverages, and all single use products (cups, utensils, etc.) are made from non-GMO corn, potato or sugar cane that are biodegradable and compostable.

If that's not impressive enough, they get their drinking water from one of the most space-age devices I've ever come across - an atmospheric water generator (AWG) which converts ambient atmospheric water vapor into potable water. It extracts, filters, treats and purifies water all from the air we breathe! I was so impressed with their eco-friendly earth-conscious tips that as soon as I'm in one place long enough, I'm saving up for that handy water vapor machine.

So we say, get on that first flight to Maui and be sure to follow up your visit by joining Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society (OFS), a non-profit that explores our global ocean, inspiring and educating people to act responsibly for its protection, documenting the critical connection between humanity and nature, and celebrating the ocean’s vital importance to the survival of life on our planet.

The ocean can't wait!

www.ritzcarlton.com
www.oceanfutures.org