Save Eco Destinations

With so many tourists making the idyllic beaches of Quintana Roo-Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, etc. their destinations, they are taking a toll on the local endangered sea turtles.

As well, it’s become fashionable to celebrate weddings and honeymoons on these coasts. (Hey, I don’t blame these people – those coasts are gorgeous!)

In packed places like Cancun and Playa del Carmen, beaches are swamped with hotels, condos, restaurants, and other tourist attractions that exude bright lights and noise pollution. Severe beach erosions have also damaged or destroyed many of the turtles’ nesting sites.

Some biologists have shown laudable dedication and worked to coax some establishments into adopting certain turtle-friendly measures (ok, less turtle-hostile measures). These include putting out or redirecting their lights, withdrawing camastros, chairs and other portable furniture, and advising guests and employees to stay away from the turtles altogether. These measures are crucial, as anything that hinders turtles’ reproductive activities further endangers these animals.

Fortunately, these serene turtles can still count on Tulum and nearby beaches for respite. Since this part of the coast is less ridden with resorts and other buildings, the area provides turtles with a more tranquil habitat.

It is still necessary, however, for turtles to have pristine and peaceful havens if they are to reproduce at normal rates (which are already low!). For this purpose, there do exist certain restricted areas, although they do remain largely unsupervised.

How coastal weddings harm turtles

Habitually, weddings and their corresponding celebrations take place at night – turning normally dark, deserted, and quiet beaches into bright, loud, and chaotic spaces. These wedding practices screw with turtles’ spawning rituals, causing the animals to return to sea without taking care of their reproductive business.

Baby turtles at night

Exacerbating this is the fact that both turtle spawning season and low tourist season (during which flight and hotel reservation costs drop, which draws tourists in) coincide. Both seasons begin in April-May.

As you’ve probably already guessed, no legal restrictions exist in Mexico to protect sea turtles from such situations. Celebrations may legally take place any time of the year on any beach at any time. Sweet, huh? Not for the turtles!

At one point, Tulum was under the influence of rules that protected turtles during spawning season. But now they are obsolete. Many greedy hotel owners choose to invite their guests to do whatever the hell they please as long as they pony up the money, instead of respecting Mother Nature.

At the same time, there are some conscientious hotel owners make efforts to protect local ecosystems and thus prohibit noisy and bright events that would take place after dark. This is another reason to stay at an eco-hotel wherever and whenever you travel.  (Please check the “Lodging” category for posts with links to some eco-hotels around the world and peruse our blogroll, directories, and organizations lists on the right-hand column.)

Sea turtle populations on the Mexican Caribbean have already declined drastically from their original numbers. We owe it to our planet to play eco-nice.

You can read more on the issue here, and about the Xcacel-Xcacelito red alert here, here, here, and here.

UPDATE: 1 May, QR remains swine-flu free.

Happily, although Mexico D.F. and other parts are hosting people infected with the swine flu, Quintana Roo is home safe.

The trouble is that some people must fly through D.F. to get to QR. But, if you’re lucky and can just fly in through Cancún, you’re in the clear. (Still, if you’re in good health and take the proper precautions, even if you fly in through D.F., you should be fine.)

The QR State Secretary of Tourism has announced that the state is swine flu-free. Not a single case has been reported in the area. Beautiful.

Mexico’s Ministry of Health continues to monitor check points at airports, cruise and bus terminals and the more than 77,000 hotel rooms (whoa) operating in QR. Read the full text here.

All schools in Mexico-so in QR as well, are closed. However, I’ve been reading that in Tulum, “people are in the streets as usual, eating beside each other at the open-air food stands, and nobody is wearing masks.” Fabulous.  Speaking of walk-by sights, there is a new park on Avenida Tulum! It used to be a construction site, but now it holds a lively playground.

A few people are, perhaps as expected, canceling reservations in the area, but I’d wager it’s happening a lot more northwest of the Yucatán Peninsula. After all, Mexico is a big place! And the main “scary” part right now is D.F., far off from Tulum and Cancún.

Thus far, the party is on in QR–so if you’ve got reservations, as long as you take your vitamin C tablets, wash your hands thoroughly and often and stay away from sick people, you ought to be just fine. Enjoy the beach!

And just for the record, I am flying in to Quintana Roo through D.F. next week. Damn swine flu isn’t going to ruin my vacation!

I hope you all did something to celebrate your empathy toward the earth and all living creatures for Earth Day and had lots of fun doing it.

If not, hey, it’s cool—because it’s Earth Week! And if you read this late, well, fear not! This is about celebrating Earth Day daily, weekly, monthly, yearly—constantly doing things green.

Even if you can’t attend any events for Earth Week, skim some events for inspiration. Maybe you can join an activist group to organize beach clean-ups, for instance.

Eco events taking place this week throughout the U.S.:
Many colleges are organizing events this week, such as
DePauw University, IN
Ithaca College in NY
Berkeley and USC in CA
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
University of Houston, TX
University of Iowa

If you live in Charlottesville, Virginia, check out local events such as critical mass (Sunday 26, 12:30pm) at earthweek.org.

Also:
Denver, CO
Western NY

Canada: Ontario

Corning Community College in NY showed the animated movie Ferngully: The Last Rainforest (see trailer) today.  If you haven’t seen it, it’s a charming film about a human male who chops down trees for a living suddenly shrinking and becoming part of a village of tiny, beautiful creatures that live harmoniously in the forest. That is, the forest the guy was helping chop down. It’s very sweet and wonderful for kids. I highly recommend it.

Whether it’s to meet new people and join forces or to take a moment to nourish yourself and the planet some other way, I hope we all take advantage of the awareness raising to continue on our path to sustainable living.

Tomorrow, April 22, is Earth Day 2009. Have you planned any events?

OK, I’ll ‘fess up: I haven’t. I thought it was on April 20, and today I saw it’s the 21^st, and I freaked out. Then I learned it’s tomorrow, and I felt a lot better. But I still don’t have any plans.

So, here: let’s look some up together.

Let’s go to EarthDay.net. Awesome. Here are the 4 things Earth Day Network encourages us to do:

1)      Help create a billion acts of green.  Log it in and become a member of The Green Generation. Sweet. Here you get to pledge how you will celebrate earth day. Are you finally switching to cloth napkins? Vowing to air-dry your laundry in the back yard? Installing a low-flush toilet? Solar panels? Going vegetarian? Having an Earth Day potluck to raise awareness? Ooh, that one sounds like my kind of Earth Day. Perfect.

2)      Make the NO COAL CALL.  Whether you’re in the U.S. or elsewhere in the globe, check out what you can achieve by making this simple call. Use Skype to make it cheaper. You can even encourage others by setting up a booth for them to call from.

3)      If you live in the U.S., you may be concerned about school food. Find out how to green your school here.

4)      Join Earth Day 2009 events at your university campus. Publish your event to garner attendants here.

More ideas:

• If you liked my idea, you could host an Earth Day potluck to raise awareness and nourish those you love. Go for locally bought, organic, sustainably grown, and vegetarian (vegan!) as much as possible. You know how to roll.

• You could host an Earth Day bake sale! If you’re a baker extraordinaire, here’s your chance to mesh two of your interests and bake for the planet! Perhaps whole-grain cookies with nuts and seeds, as wholesome as can be. You could request shoppers’ email addresses to send them eco-friendly tips for traveling, home, work, and so on. There’s really no limit to what you can do.

• Find a local protest and join it! Make signs, wear blue and green, maybe paint your face. You know, with biodegradable, recyclable materials. Obviously.

• Been feeling shady about shopping at a certain Earth-polluting corporation? Start your boycott.

• Get your office to switch to recycled paper, go off plastic and Styrofoam cups and switch to ceramic mugs, encourage your co-workers to print only when necessary, and so on.

Any ideas you’d like to share?

And remember, Earth Day is there to remind us to make every day count. So make every day, week and month Earth-y. It’s up to us.

Bicyclists and a bike counter in Malmo - photo by 2headedturtle

What a surprise – we’re again looking at Scandinavia! This post focuses on Malmö, the home of almost 300,000 Swedes in the southern province of Skane, Sweden.

Oh, Malmö, let me count the ways that you are green:

• Between 2008 and 2012, you are cutting your CO2 emissions by 25% (!), essentially giving the Kyoto Protocol the finger as you obscenely surpass the Protocol’s meager 5% goal
• You lead the way in green electricity practices
• You consist of eco-friendly neighborhoods that contain hundreds of smart energy homes!
• Western Harbour runs on 100% renewable energy (solar, wind, hydropower, and biofuels from organic waste)
• Your buildings are energy-efficient and were built with sustainable, recyclable materials
• Your streets encourage walking and cycling instead of driving – and it works: about 35% of the population travels by bike
• The restoration of Sege Park will power the neighborhood with solar (photovoltaics*), wind, and biofuels power
• Malmö, you renovate shipyards and industrial areas, transforming them into green residential communities
• Your district known as Augustenborg uses green roofing that reduces runoff and insulates buildings
• Augustenborg has the first-ever emissions-free electric steel trains (swank!)
• Another one for Augustenborg: more than a dozen recycling houses process 70% of collected waste

Brilliant.

The largest photovoltaic project in Scandinavia in Malmö's Sege Park

Malmö, oh, Malmö – your vibrant dedication, your grass-stained fingers, your cool, clean breath, your practical ingenuity – you are so wonderful I would give up certain sweets for you.

Oh, Malmö, with your canals, beaches, parks, and your harbor you remind me of the aesthetics of the Middle Ages and the distant future in spirit.

My love, oh, Malmö, is yours.

And I’m not the only one raving about this city: check out this BBC article on Sweden’s eco-awesomeness.

* What the hell are photovoltaics? I’m glad you asked. Why, they’re a solar energy technology. Photovoltaics cells transform solar light directly into electricity. Learn more here.

photo by AE Creations

I first started finding out about Vancouver because that’s where one of my favorite fiction authors, Douglas Coupland, resides.  But that’s besides the point.

Point: Vancouver’s so green it beats Reykjavík! Very impressive.

Here’s how Vancouver does it: 90% of its energy is currently renewable-mainly hydroelectric-and “feeds” its population of over half a million peeps. This makes it the global leader in hydroelectric energy.

It has a 100-year plan that aims to use emerging energy-efficient technologies for everything. (Note 1: Yeah, we’ll be dead by then, but if you’re into kids, think about them! They’ll benefit! Note 2: why 100 years? 2050′s far enough into the future! Not to mention the Maldives’ 2020 vow.)

Okay. More about its 100-year plan: It’s going for reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to levels 20% lower than what it’d planned at the initial Kyoto Protocol agreements in 1990 (which it’d better, since now the outlook is grimmer-let’s hope others follow suit).

photo by Getty Images

You thought Portland was cool for its solar-powered parking meters? Well, it is. But Vancouver’s got solar-powered trash compactors! These babies hold 5 times the waste of regular trashcans, reducing the use of garbage trucks.

The Economist magazine named Vancouver the most livable city in the world, and evidently it is also a model, not just for Canada but for the world, for using renewable and clean energy sources for its power.

Next up: solar, wind, wave, and tidal-powered energy. Surf’s up!

(image courtesy of sapdesignguild.org)

Oh, Portland. Home to over half a million people, many vegan restaurants, amazing bands (RIP Sleater-Kinney), bikers, tree huggers, DIYers, and the like. (BTW, check out Havi Brooks, a Portland-based wonderful coach/yoga teacher/inspiration source galore/lots of etc.etc.)

Check it out: by 2010 (2010!!!) Portland will be so green it will supply 100% renewable energy. Had you heard of solar-powered parking meters? I hadn’t. Holy shit that’s amazing.

Of course, this green hub has always been innovative in its eco ways. Back in 1903 it was already trying to get other US cities to heart green spaces in urban areas, for instance. Three decades ago it replaced a 6-lane highway with a waterfront park. (Wow.) Today the city boasts 92,000 acres of green space plus 74 mi. of biking, hiking, and running trails. Portland protects 25 million acres of forest and farms.

More: Portland employs fuel cells that run on waste methane (maybe farms should get on this, since cattle produce so much methane it’s screwing up our planet-ahem, thought about going vegetarian lately?), a micro hydro facility in its drinking water system, and microturbines that run on, again, waste methane. Next time you’re feeling gassy, think about that! (If you’re the gassy type, maybe consider powering your house that way. If only, huh?)

Portland’s the first US city to implement a plan to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The city helped found the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign and has been touted as a green city for a long time.

50 of the city´s buildings meet or exceed the US Green Building Council’s sustainability standards. The city is pedestrian and bike-friendly (hear that, Florida, Los Angeles, etc. etc.??) About 25% of commuters ride their bikes to work. There is lots of green amidst the drab cement or urban life (hear that New York? Mexico DF? Detroit? Santiago? Sao Paulo? Etc. etc.?)

‘Nuff freaking said.

Our first stop is Reykjavík, Iceland’s capital. It is the smallest of all the green cities, hosting just about 115,000 people (almost half the country’s population!).

As previously mentioned, not only Reykjavík but also the entirety of Iceland is going 100% fossil-fuel free by 2050, aiming to become a hydrogen economy.

People swimming outside a geothermal plant in Iceland

For a long time now, Iceland has been running largely off hydropower and geothermal resources thanks to its many volcanoes and hot springs. These are completely renewable, greenhouse-gas-emissions-free resources. Thus far, a few of Reykjavík’s buses run on hydrogen and hopefully more will be joining them very soon.

Fabulous, dah-ling.

In fact, it is Iceland’s very renewable energy resources that many people hope will pull the country out of its sunken economy.  It is cheap and ridiculously convenient for Iceland to obtain all the green megawatts it needs from [yet untapped!] geothermal power sources within the ground. (Its other resource is its fishing industry, whose further tapping is not an appealing choice given the hydropower dams needed to extract additional quantities of fish from national waters.)

Already back in 2003, Reykjavík became the home of the very first Shell-branded hydrogen station. (It was built by Shell Hydrogen, a global business of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies.)

75% of the world’s energy is consumed by urban areas, so any cleansing choices in terms of energy sources, such as substituting pollutants for renewable, clean energy, is the absolutely 100% awesome way to go. Note: I don’t know how Iceland would fit in here, since 54% of the geothermal energy generated in 2006 was used for space heating and everywhere in Iceland is cold enough to require space heating!

So if you’re thinking about going somewhere spectacular on the cheap, consider Reykjavík! (Need some coaxing? Read this blog post.)

Let’s review.

Essentially, the “green cities movement” comprises loose groups of cities focused on becoming and remaining sustainable. Green cities, I joyfully report, are sprouting worldwide, albeit only in urban areas thus far.

Their point is, as I’m sure you’ve guessed already, to lessen their environmentally destructive impact. Green cities do this by reducing their waste, recycling it, and reusing materials. Their goals are lowering emissions and increasing housing density, green spaces, and sustainable local businesses.

Remember Gothenburg’s ecotopia?  Same concepts, although Gothenburg’s are more evolved.

Examples

Curitiba

I was surprised to learn that a typical green city is located in Brazil: Curitiba. This city went green back in the 1970s!

Curitiba has a high-tech bus system and has worked to increase population density around transit hubs, enabling other areas to become green, open land instead of stimulating urban sprawl.  I’m not sure why this city counts as green when it has such a long way to go, but if it’s the best Brazil’s got right now, I’ll take it. It’s got a lot more than many cities can boast, after all.

And remember Iceland? Reykjavik relies on geothermal and hydropower for heating and generating most of its electricity. This city has the largest geothermal heating system in the world. In fact, it was ranked 1^st in Grist Magazine’s “15 Greenest Cities” list. On the other hand, it’s got large scale urban sprawl and one of the highest worldwide per-capita ownerships. Public transport consists of an unpopular hydrogen-powered bus system.

Rekyjavik

We should note that Reykjavik plans to go fossil fuel-free by 2050, though. Cheers to that.

Other green cities include Sydney, Copenhagen, Portland, and Seattle. More on that coming up.

I knew you wanted more, and here you are to prove it!

Acorn House

Acorn House

Let me begin by saying that this shop was built in part with recycled and organic materials. Score. Next, they shun foods that reach London by ship or train. They compost. The generate their electricity from wind power. They propagate eco responsibility actively by “provid[ing] leadership within the catering sector with regard to” such policies. Sweet. You can also ask for small or large portions and their menu wears fancy pants.

Also, they buy certified fair-trade products from third-world countries-wait. So they’re not into ships or trains to carry their food to the restaurant, but if it’s by some other form of transportation, purchasing foods from way the hell far from London’s OK? Now I’m confused (my poor little pruny brain!). Some not-so-kosher food for thought here.

So, which factor(s) outweigh(s) the other(s)? Your call.

Water House

Water House

This restaurant is new, only 3 months old! So young and so rad: it feeds off hydroelectric and solar power. It’s located on the Regent’s Canal (just in case you were interested). Hydro-carbon fridges reduce energy consumption, worms eat up the compost, toilets are paperless, and they filter water on-site to avoid having it shipped over. Pretty good!

They never throw out trimmings, which makes me smile. All the wasted food, even from horrible places like McDonald’s, could certainly be put to “good” use by going to the hungry-ok, this is interesting. Would it be better for them to go partially hungry, or develop health conditions from the crappy food? Maybe, if they’re lucky enough to also get Water House’s trimmings, anyone who might eat up McDonald’s food would end up relatively all right.

Ok, I went off on a tangent, there. As it turns out, Water House uses up all the trimmings (wait, is that hygienic? What if what’s left on the plate is infected with the viruses of someone who’s becoming ill with the flu, for instance?).

Anyway, at Water House the idea is that you won’t be spending too much because they keep costs low by buying sustainably grown food and using it all up.

Another plus: profits go to regenerate Shoreditch Trust, an award-winning charitable regeneration agency (which owns Water House, ha!). That’s funny.