With increasing environmental consciousness around the globe it seems no industry is safe from scrutiny through an environmental prism. The tourism/hospitality industry is no different, but not many people are aware of the ways in which to ensure they travel in a more sustainable manner.

Take for example lodging. This is a large area in which you can make sure your travels are environmentally responsible, but how does one go about it?

Let me introduce the Internet. There are many programs out there that rate hotels based on different “green” criteria.

Here are my favorite certification programs, and why:

Energy Star

Most are familiar with the Energy Star program. Along with all the appliances, cars and other products that Energy Star rates with it’s logo are buildings, including hotels. To qualify for the rating, buildings must rate a 75 or higher on Energy Star’s 1-100 scale, which, according to the program, means these buildings use 35% less energy, and emit 1/3 less carbon than other buildings.

You can look up Energy Star labeled hotels at your destination inside the United States here.

Green Globe

International in scope, Green Globe applies strict guidelines of energy and cultural sustainability to the hotels that get its label. Currently has certified properties in more than 80 countries.

You can do a search by nation of your vacation here. 

Sustainable Tourism Certification Network of the Americas

A joint effort of the Rainforest Alliance and the Eco-tourism International Society, this program allows you to search by various different certification programs throughout the Americas and the Caribbean.

Plan your Latin American getaway here.

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I just don’t get it. Gardening, that is. Gardeners till the soil and lovingly tend their plants and flowers. Words like “natural” and “wholesome” drip from their lips like honey. “Look at me!” they say, “I can pronounce chrysanthemum and spell rhododendron!”

But then just ask them. Ask them why they toil in the sun, breaking their backs.

“Because it’s so therapeutic!” they gush.

My ass! The reason they need therapy is because deep down, gardeners are violent people—especially if they’re “organic.”

Take my wife.

Not long ago, Liz went out of town to a wedding in California. This would afford me the opportunity to drink beer, watch sports on TV, and miss the hamper with my underwear. Not this time. Instead, I would prove myself to be the caring and sensitive husband my wife longed for. Surprises are important in a marriage. So says Dr. Phil.

“You’re so predictable,” my wife would complain.

No one wants to be called boring, so I decided to prove her wrong. I would plan a huge surprise! I would clear her garden of each and every weed. Moreover, I would do it the way she would, by hand, without the aid of chemical defoliants. I worked my butt off. I yanked out vines. I was merciless with dandelions, and turned over the soil. Then I stuck in a couple hundred bedding plants, adding mulch as I went. As the sun sank, I admired my handiwork. “Boy, she won’t believe this!” I thought.

Indeed, she would not.

The next day I ushered her into the back yard. “What do you think of your surprise?” I asked proudly.

I could sense something was amiss. Her jaw dropped. Her nostrils flared. Her eyes flashed. Her teeth clinched. Her knuckles whitened. Her butt cheeks tightened.

“What have you done with my perennials!!!???” This was not going to go well. “You destroyed years of my hard work!” Steam was now escaping from her ears and I could hear a whistling noise, like a boiling tea kettle.

“Uh…I thought they were weeds. They looked like weeds…” My voice trailed off.

To say that I was ripped a new one would be an understatement. I would have been better off caught in the embrace of my best friend’s wife, my wife’s best friend, or maybe both at the same time. Who could believe this was the same composting, recycling woman I had married twenty-eight years before?

But like all storms, such as Hurricane Katrina, this too passed. I threw myself on my sword and went perennial plant shopping with her. And yes, a couple days later I even managed to get lovey-dovey with her. Nevertheless, I knew that she would reference my gardening debacle for a long time to come.

ME (gasping, on death bed): “It was sure…nice of the grandkids… to send…those flowers…”

LIZ: “Speaking of flowers, do you remember when you pulled out all my perennials back in aught-eight? I came back from the wedding and you had destroyed my garden. You do remember that, don’t you, Jerry? You didn’t even know the difference between weeds and a mature perennial garden that I slaved at for years. You know I loved to garden because it was good therapy and…say, Jerry…you seem to have stopped breathing. Anyway, my garden was my pride and joy and…..”

Memories last forever with women. They file events in their brains according to the Dewey Decimal System, and are capable of retrieving them at any time. These memories are permanently fused into their brains with emotion. Emotion, you see, is critical to the formation of memories. Men, on the other hand, forget everything. This is because they just don’t give a crap.

What’s the lesson here? For the love of God, stay away from your wife’s garden. Instead, play some golf. Drink some beer. Or maybe take in a ballgame. As your wife slaves away and becomes one with the garden, remember, there is no need to be wracked by guilt. Instead, think of all that therapy you’re letting her get. When you get home, just be sure to compliment her on her garden, especially the chrysanthemums.

Those are perennials, right?

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As I blogged about a couple weeks ago, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch continues to swallow the trash (mostly plastic) that we throw away at an unsustainable rate.

NPR recently reported on a pair of scientists who crafted a boat from 15,000 (!) used plastic bottles. These guys, Joel Paschal and Marcus Erikson, are sailing from California to Hawaii (straight through the Patch) to raise awareness of how our throwaway culture is creating these kinds of problems.

The Algalita Marine Research Foundation’s Message in a Bottle Campaign

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We’ve all seen the yin-yang-esque logo of the human figure holding a bowl in each hand (like the scales of justice?) stamped on goods like Starbucks coffee or Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.  But have you ever wondered exactly what it means? 

 

Fair trade is an internationally recognized relationship between trading groups which is founded on the principles of mutual discourse, transparency and respect.  It strives to advance sustainable development by promoting more favorable trading conditions for the producers in less developed countries who are often exploited by their trading partners (such as international corporations).   It advocates the rights of producers and workers, seeking to increase awareness and enact producer-beneficial changes in conventional international trade practices.

 

Fair trade ideologies include:

 

Encourage sustainable development by alleviating poverty and creating opportunities for marginalized producers who are disadvantaged by conventional trading practices.

 

Promote equitable and respectful relationships with producers by practicing transparent management and holding trading partners accountable for their actions.

 

Develop producers’ autonomy and increase their capacity to improve their marketing skills and access new markets.

 

Promote the establishment of fair prices that have been established through dialogue.  A fair price is one that covers production costs and also enables sustainable and socially just production.  Payment should also include the meeting of certain primary needs of the producers, such as education and health care.

 

Ensure that men and women workers are treated as equals.  All individuals who participate in the production process are equally valued and compensated for their efforts regardless of gender.

 

Provide a safe and health work environment for producers.  Children are not negatively impacted if they participate, and their right to well-being, education and play are respected.

 

Promote the development and practice of environmentally sound production methods.  Producers are taught to apply responsible methods of production, which includes prohibiting the use of genetically modified organisms, and favoring organic farming methods.

 

Fairtrade Labelling Organizations (FLO)

 

Fairtrade (or Fair Trade Certified in the US) is a labeling designation that helps consumers identify goods which meet certain standards.  Standards are set by FLO International and certifications are granted by a committee called FLO-CERT. 

 

In order to carry one of the Fair Trade labels, a product must be approved by FLO-CERT, which ensures that the crops have been grown in accordance with the standards set by FLO International.  These labels thereby indicate that the seller of the product has adhered to the above principles of the fair trade philosophy.  The Fairtrade certification applies to many products including bananas, honey, coffee, oranges, cocoa, cotton dried and fresh fruits and vegetables, juices, nuts, rice, spices, sugar, tea and wine.

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Big cups, opaque cups, yesterday’s cups, coffee cups, oval cups, tea cups, tiny cups, walk into any Goodwill or Salvation Army and there is an abundance of cups, whole sets of cups, partial sets of cups, and the lone rangers of cups lining the back shelves.  Also, in almost everyone’s house in America you will find at least one set of cups, or more, retired in a back closet.  There are more sets of cups than there are people to drink out of them.  Marketers trick the consumer into believing they need cups for summer, cups for dinner, cups for holidays, cups for juice, and so on.  We have reached a point where there is just too much, and it doesn’t just obtain to cups.  Take a stand and refuse to be the cup-consumed consumer.  Resist the urge, say no to cups, however festive or complimentary the cups may be, especially the disposable kind.  Use what you already have.  Get some punch and party with the cups you’ve got.  Instead of purchasing your happiness, drink to it, it’s what’s inside that counts!

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I am not a mom and I may never be, but don’t tell me that using cloth diapers is more than you can handle; I won’t believe you. My friends’ share in parenting two kids, they work, they both change cloth diapers. You take the outer liner, which comes in many fun and exciting patterns, insert a cloth liner, and put on baby. In an undetermined amount of time the diaper is removed, the cloth liner is placed into a bin that closes, the outer shell relined, and the child is returned to civilization. When the bin is full, dump into wash machine, put in detergent, push start, wait for the end of the cycle, put into dryer, push start, fold and begin again. Cloth diapers are not new; your grandma, or grandpa, maybe with a one or two greats added, washed certain matter belonging to certain people, related to you, with his or her bare hands! Disposable diapers are the third most common item in American landfills and loiter for 500 years. When it comes to your dollar and the green concern, cloth is much cheaper than organic, disposable, biodegradable diapers and the not so biodegradable diapers. Yes, it does use water and electricity to wash diapers, but read more on The Panelist, and remember, water and energy are renewable, disposable diapers are a dead end.

Trivia: Over the first year of life, how many diapers will a baby wear?

Answer: xısʎʇǝuıu puɐ pǝɹpunɥ uǝʌǝs puɐsnoɥʇ ǝǝɹɥʇ

What’s your Human Footprint?

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Published articles: dog adoption, performing various commands dog.

Any dog knows the command "Come" need as quickly as possible to be at the feet of his master. Everybody knows - but not all do.

There are books and lots of different techniques, in which the authors describe in detail the process of training dogs.

But, unfortunately, a large number of such books - these are general recommendations which do not always lead to the result.

It is difficult to navigate the mass of blank media, therefore, on the site, we published for you really helpful advice with which you can teach your pet.