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Category : Ecotourism Destinations

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Mara Safari: Pristine Wilderness In Nature’S Lap

Filed Under : Ecotourism Destinations by
May.7,2010
ecotourism
Africa is known world-wide for its wildlife Safaris and people from all over the world visit these safaris to experience wild life at its best. There are many wild safaris in Africa, but one Safari that has gained prominence in the recent times is Mara Safari. Mara Safari has recently been set up in the exclusive wildlife conservancy of Ol Kinyei, one of the most beautiful wilderness areas in the Serengeti Mara ecosystem.

It offers abundant wildlife and pristine wilderness with open Savannah plains, riverine forests, springs, streams, hills and spectacular views. It provides the experience of a private safari with the facilities suiting tastes of discerning travellers. If you are planning to visit Mara Safari, staying there may seem to be a big problem, but it can be taken care of by Porini Ecotourism Limited.

Porini Ecotourism Limited is a registered company providing safaris and beach holidays in Africa. They provide good safari camps, which makes your stay a lifetime experience. Porini camps emphasise on smaller and personalised safaris like Mara Safari, so that you could get to see more wildlife action. These intimate camps are designed as per traditional safari camps, but have modern facilities. Porini camps have 6 guest tents sighted in the yellow barked Acacia trees and built on Eco tourism principles. As these tents have minimal impact on their surroundings, they fade away in the landscape, which allows you to see the wilds in their natural way, without being noticed by them.

These tents are spacious and provide an en-suite bathroom with safari shower. High quality meals are served in the camps and Porini Ecotourism Limited also arranges trips to Maasai Mara for conventional game watching. At these camps, guests enjoy morning, evening and night game drives and escorted walks with Maasai guides. The main activity at the camps in Mara safari includes game driving in which the guests are taken on a drive to see wild animals up close. Travellers can spot animals like lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants and giraffes.

Porini camp is a four-hour journey from Nairobi and with daily flights from Nairobi to Mara and with a different strip of land for landing private flights, travelling to Mara Safari has become simpler.  Porini Ecotourism Limited is committed to preserve Africa’s unique wildlife; landscapes and supporting local communities by providing them livelihood. For every enthusiastic and adventurous traveller waiting to discover the African wilds, this is the best place to be.

By: Mohanjeet Brar

About the Author:

Mohanjeet is a well known Safari Enthusiast who writes on various safari topics like Safari Holiday, Safari Tanzania & Zanzibar Safari

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Environmentally Friendly & Green Driving – 4 Key Considerations to Own Hybrid Cars

Filed Under : Ecotourism Destinations by
environmental
More and more people are turning to hybrid cars these days because of their promise of lesser fuel consumption and environmental friendliness. Hybrid cars, because they run on both fuel and battery-powered engines, consume less fuel, thereby reducing the price pressures on consumers in the midst of an global oil crisis. In addition, it also emits significantly less smog pollutants in the air, compared to traditional fuel-operated cars.

Indeed, there are a lot of advantages to owning hybrid cars. This is why even the US government is starting to show support by welcoming more models into the country and by encouraging American auto makers to make more units.

The Key Advantages of Hybrid Cars are as follows:

Efficiency - Hybrid cars are electrically operated and are thus able to function well and consistently at any motor speed. This is in contrast to conventional gas-powered engines, which tend to produce less power in low revolutions per minute episodes. Hybrid cars do not need to use transmissions to make their engines run at full capacity even at reduced speeds.

Economy - One of the advantages of hybrid cars is that the feature called “regenerative braking”. Since a hybrid car works using both electric power and fuel power, each can function by itself or conjunction, depending on which is stronger at the time of use. This means that both engines complement each other and do not simply bog one when one of them becomes weaker.

Convenience - Because hybrid cars are part battery powered, they do not create huge holes on the pocket, compares to users of traditional cars who feel the pain of the continuing oil price increases. Most hybrid cars, particularly the ones that are made in Japan, are also more compact and lightweight, making them easier to maneuver on the road. Other models, particularly those by American and European car makers also do not deviate from the stylish designs their regular counterparts adopt, so users don’t have to feel they are being left out in the style department.

Sustainability - Sure, hybrid cars are fairly new, so their immediate impact on the environment cannot be foreseen in the short term. However, over the course of time, the next generations will definitely be thankful for having a clean, pollution free world, thanks to hybrid vehicles. Most critics say that it is not the time to buy hybrid vehicles because they are expensive. However, when you consider the advantages, you really shouldn’t think twice. While you must be discerning in choosing the right model for your needs, this doesn’t mean you start hesitating. After all, when more people patronize hybrid cars, manufacturers will see the need to produce more and eventually bring its price at very affordable levels.

In time to come, environmentally friendly hybrid cars will be the order of the day.

Do check out my site for more information on hybrid cars and other environmentally friendly car tips.

By: Joey Lee

About the Author:

Joey Lee has 17 years of business & marketing experience in the Insurance & Banking Industry, holds an Executive MBA, and a Platinum Ezine Author. Get the latest eco friendly hybrid green cars info at Environmentally Friendly Cars and much more at CngCar.org

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5 Tips to Improve Your Environmental Non-profit Organization

Filed Under : Ecotourism Destinations by
environmental
Non-profit groups come in quite a few stripes. Take, for example, environmental advocacy. It encompasses both safeguarding the public from environmental threats and securing our natural resources.

As with all advocacy groups, there is an increasing recognition that future success will be tied to improving use technology and best practices.

Managing a firm focused on environmental issues can be extremely challenging. Persistent lack of resource means that many organizations rely on part-time or volunteer team members. Yet, there are a number of best practices and tools that can help such organizations address these challenges.

1. Increase collaboration

California alone has hundreds if not thousands of environmental advocacy groups. And in the last several years, there has been increasing levels of collaboration between environmental advocacy groups across states.

One driver of this pattern may be lower cost airfares, a trend that is now intensifying as fuel costs continue to drop. Another driver is the expansion of communications resources.

This trend can clearly be seen in the growing adoption of conference calling services that provide teleconferencing solutions to such organizations. Many such conferencing services are now offer free conference calling which has further increased the feasibility of collaboration without expensive travel required.

2. Use networking tools

The most successfully managed advocacy groups generate networks of supporters. These networks can take years to build. Whereas the conference calling tools described above are facilitating teleconferencing and collaboration, the new networking tools are facilitating an ongoing sense of feeling connected. Web based resources for networking have now become ubiquitous.

The trick is realizing that online networking is about more than creating a profile. It is about using the whole range of tools including automated updates, blogs, bulletin boards, and photo sharing. These networking tools also help members share the emotional support which is so crucial to sustaining enthusiasm.

3. Remain focused

The best managed environmental groups are ones that stay clearly focused on their mission and do not allow themselves to become distracted. Many environmental advocacy groups are resource constrained. For that reason, committing to five goals with total effort will generally yield superior results compared to tackling ten goals, with one tenth the effort for each goal.

4. Use Desktop Sharing

Some advocacy groups have far flung leadership teams, and it is difficult to have face-to-face meetings. Conferencing can only achieve so much. People often say they want the visual connection. Video conferencing has still not yet seen wide adoption but video conferencing is not the only way to generate a visual connection. Another solution is to use a desktop sharing system

Whether it’s broadcasting a PowerPoint document showing the group’s development efforts or a spreadsheet showing volunteer recruitment stats, desktop sharing can effectively bridge the gap of time and space.

5. Leveraging academic resources

Some people believe that academia is too far removed from environmental politics to be useful. However, many campus programs now offer training in environmental stewardship, policy or advocacy. Such programs are building blocks in the preparation of future leaders and grassroots organizers.

Students who are enrolled in these courses are good candidates to volunteer or lead efforts for your organization. Another effective approach is involving faculty or staff members who can provide perspective and advice. Students come and go but faculty generally remain.

The ideas are not expensive to carry out. Whether its better use of networking tools, free conference calling systems or desktop sharing, the cost of these resources is generally minimal in comparison with the expected benefit.

By: Andy Denis

About the Author:

———-
Anders Dennis helped lead the effort to launch the first free conference call numbers plaform providing both online scheduling and response tracking. He is consultant to Rondee.

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Committing to Love and the Earth: a Guide to Green Weddings

Filed Under : Ecotourism Destinations by
May.6,2010
ecotourism
Over the next twelve months, roughly 2.4 million Americans will spend 70 billion dollars (US) getting married. Green and socially responsible weddings can have a huge impact for the better on local economies and ecologies. Here are ten ways to express your commitment to the interconnectedness of life on earth during your wedding day.

1. Eco Engagement Rings and Eco Wedding Rings

It can take up to twenty tons of rock to produce a single wedding ring, yet there is more than enough gold available now for the entire jewelry industry. Some jewelers offer rings that are made from recycled gold. The ethical jeweler who has committed to using recycled gold will more than likely have a selection of conflict free diamonds or other gemstones that are responsibly sourced. Start your search locally, but realize that ethical wedding rings have not reached the mainstream yet and may be difficult to find.

Here are several online ethical jewelers, arranged by price range, for your consideration:

low-mid price range

high price range

Here is a guide to buying green wedding rings.

http://www.articles-collections.com/culture-and-society/consumer/ten-tips-to-purchasing-green-ethically-sourced-wedding-rings-online.html

2. Greening Your Guests

Consider reducing the numbers of people who have to travel for your wedding. This is NOT easy, but then again neither is a commitment to the earth, much less to your spouse-to-be. If you decide to have a larger wedding with many guests coming in from out of town, consider donating some money to an organization that offsets the carbon imprint of the travel.

Here is a wedding carbon dioxide offset calculator:

http://www.terrapass.com/wedding/index.html

Here are some US companies that offset carbon emissions:

TerraPass

http://www.terrapass.com/

Native Energy

http://www.nativeenergy.com/

MyClimate

http://www.myclimate.org/index.php?lang=en

3. Greening Your Invitations

Another reason that reducing your number of guests is significant is that you will also reduce the amount of paper required for printing. There are often save the date announcements, actual invitations, wedding handouts for each guest and then all the thank you letters. Be sure you’re using recycled paper or - if you can - use email as much as possible.

Here are some great sources for recycled paper:

Twisted Limb Paper - 100% Recycled Invitations

http://www.twistedlimbpaper.com/

Invite Site - Eco Invites

http://www.invitesite.com/

Green Field Paper - non-tree paper, 100% recycled paper

http://www.greenfieldpaper.com/

4. Your Green Venue

The marriage should take place somewhere that is beautiful, inspirational and resonant with your green values. Look locally for meeting houses, farms, retreat centers, community gardens, parks or a building that supports a cause you believe in. Further, make the location central to the majority of your guests. If possible, consider having two ceremonies if you have large groups of guests at opposite ends of the country.

If you choose an indoor location, talk with the building managers about the energy efficiency of their facilities. If they are working to meet LEED standards for high-efficency buildings then you’re in good shape. Ideally the place will have outdoor and indoor space, allowing for different weather contingencies. Try to choose your venue as far in advance as possible; the best places book up quickly.

Wilderness Weddings (location suggestions from the Sierra Club)

http://www.sierraclub.org/e-files/weddings.asp

Learn more about LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)

http://www.usgbc.org/

5. Your Food and Drink

A wedding is - for the majority of the attendants - a great big party. Buy organic food that is, if possible, locally grown. There are now excellent organic, and often locally produced, wines and beers. Food can be one of the most expensive parts of a wedding, but this is part of your gifting to the community that witnesses your vows. If you can’t afford an entirely organic menu, then consider going with organic meat, or choose a vegetarian option. Another idea is to ask friends to help prepare the feast.

Local Harvest: Find Organic Food Near You

http://www.localharvest.org/

Green Restaurant Association: search for green restaurants for catering

http://www.dinegreen.com/restaurant_guide.asp?page=search

6. Green Wedding Clothing

To purchase dress that will only be worn on one occasion for the wedding ceremony does not make a lot of sense. Purchase clothing that you will enjoy wearing on special occasions after the wedding. Organic fabrics are still limited, but you can choose to purchase clothing that is not made in a sweat shop. You can also rent your outfit or buy something that was worn by someone else once or twice.

Get Conscious: Hemp Wedding Gowns

http://www.getconscious.com/

Faernyn’s Grove: Green Bridal

http://mycorset.com/bridal.htm

Rawganique: Hemp, Organic Cotton Clothing

http://www.rawganique.com/organic-hemp-wedding-clothes.htm

7. Gifting And Being Gifted

The experience of gifting and being gifted is an integral part of any wedding ceremony. You can decide to make your party favors environmentally responsible products. Look for locally made regional products that visitors from out of town might appreciate. People want to gift the bride and groom. Everyone wants their gift to be appreciated. So it is best to open a Green Gift Registry. Those who feel as if they have everything they need may want to ask that, instead of gifts, money be donated to a particular environmental organization.

I Do Foundation: Charity Registry

http://www.idofoundation.org/

Vivaterra

http://www.vivaterra.com/

Branch: Sustainable Design

http://branchhome.com/

GAIAM

http://www.gaiam.com/

Send Us Off: request donations towards your green honeymoon

http://www.sendusoff.com/ecofriendly.htm

8. Dishes, Recycling and Redistributing

It is more environmentally sound to rent your dishes and glasses instead of simply using disposable paper products. Ask your caterer to use earth friendly soaps when cleaning up. Also, make sure that you have bins for recycling all aluminum and glass products. Look in advance for a food depot or soup kitchen that can take the left over food and distribute it.

Nat-Ur Store: Biodegradable Cups, Cutlery, Garbage Bags

http://w5inter2.hivelocity.net/biocorp/cart/showall.asp

Recycline: Green Table Ware

http://www.recycline.com

Second Harvest: Donate Perishable/Preparred Food

http://www.secondharvest.org/how_to_help/donate_food/perishable_food.html

9. Support Your Local Economy

Purchase locally from small businesses whenever possible. Buy local and organic flowers, which reduces transportation and pesticide impact on the environment. Or consider growing your own! Hire a local band or DJ who does not have to travel far to your venue.

10. Your Green Vows

This is the most important part of your wedding ceremony and it needs to be deeply considered. Spend some months and meditate on what is in your heart and what you can commit to. Write it out. Talk to friends who have been married a while. Include life affirming commitment to living in balance with the ecology. I was married by an Apache Medicine Woman, and she had us publicly state what my wife and I brought to the marriage-our good qualities and our flaws. For my wife and I, this exercise in front of our friends and family was a powerful expression of our humanity. Your vows are also your opportunity to spread the idea of eco-friendly values to your guests.

11. A Green Honeymoon

You will want to go to a place in nature that can restore and inspire you. Many people are familiar with ecotourism, yet know nothing about geotourism. The Geotourists has opportunities to improve the places that they visit and have meaningful experiences of local culture.

Here are some links to sites that offer green honeymoon opportunities:

National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations

www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainable

The International Ecotourism Society

www.ecotourism.org

Responsible Travel

www.responsibletravel.com

Travel By Train

http://www.seat61.com/

Green Hotels:

GreenSeal Approved Green Lodging

http://www.greenseal.org/findaproduct/index.cfm#lodging

Green Hotels Members

http://www.greenhotels.com/members.htm

More Green Wedding Resources:

Eco-Friendly Wedding Planning Magazine

http://www.portovert.com/

Ethical Weddings: Forums, Blog

http://www.ethicalweddings.com/

Green Wedding Planner

http://www.greeneleganceweddings.com/index.html

Co-op America: Green Businesses

http://www.coopamerica.org/

Green Confetti

http://www.ecoparti.com/toec.html

Organic Flowers Online

http://www.organicbouquet.com/

In CA: California Organic Flowers

http://www.californiaorganicflowers.com/

Conscious Living Tips

http://www.newdream.org/

Other Green Wedding Guides:

A Green Wedding

http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/96/wedding

How To Green Your Wedding

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/04/how-to-green-your-wedding.php

10 Steps to a Green Wedding

http://sierraclub.typepad.com/greenlife/2007/03/10_steps_to_a_g.html

Guide to a Growing Trend: The “Green” or Ecological Wedding

http://www.americanbridal.com/gutogrtrgore.html

Wedding Industry Stats (2002)

http://www.theknot.com/au_industrystats.shtml

By: Marc Choyt

About the Author:

Marc Choyt is President of Reflective Images, an award winning jewelry company, www.celticjewelry.com that sells wedding rings sourced by artisan designers online at www.artisanweddingrings.com. His company produces fair, eco-sourced, fairly trade jewelry. Marc also authors www.fairjewelry.org supporting green, fair trade, socially responsible jewelry practices.

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Connecting with the Environment Intensely - Environmental Graduate Programs Distance Learning

Filed Under : Ecotourism Destinations by
environmental
Environmental graduate programs distance learning are intensive interdisciplinary programs that involve the students in social, political and educational perspectives on the environment. The range of environmental courses offered in the different universities by distance learning include environmental biology, environmental architecture/design, environmental control technologies, environmental education, environmental engineering technology, environmental health engineering, environmental psychology and environmental health. A few universities stipulate that the student opt for electives such as computer and telecommunication skills, programs in leadership, human development and family studies, enroll for an internship and submit a thesis. The programs aim to give the student theoretical foundations of environmental education and a practical means of applying the theory to daily living.

Course Content: Environmental Graduate Programs Distance Learning

The courses are constructed around the philosophy that the student needs to develop his understanding of the environment and must be equipped with skills that enable him to design and deliver environmental information as an agent of creative change. The theoretical foundations of environmental education and communication are considered an integral part of learning. Analysis and tools for analysis are considered essential for a student tackling environmental issues of the age. All the environmental graduate programs distance learning are directed towards equipping the student with the necessary skills to provide viable solutions to the environmental problems facing mankind today.

Graduate Programs by Distance Learning

Fischler School of Education and Human Services associated with The Nova Southeastern University, Florida offers an MS in Environmental studies. The Royal Roads University is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the Business Council of British Columbia. It offers a Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma program in Environmental Education and communication. It also has a full Master of Arts degree on the subject. The Institute of Global Education offers MS and PhD degrees in Integrated Ecology and Nature. The focus of the course is on building socially and environmentally responsible relationships. The degree is accredited to the West Coast University by International council for Open and Distance Education recognized by UNESCO and UNO. The University of Denver, the Nicholos school of Environment and Earth sciences, the Southern Methodist University, the University of Connecticut, the University of Florida and the University of Alabama are some of the other universities which offer environmental graduate programs distance learning.

The depth and range of environmental studies is only limited by the imagination of the student and the resources of the University. The student can skim the surface of the subject by selecting a broad based program or drill down to the depth on a single topic by selecting a specialized area of study. The student is the best judge of his area of interest.

By: Jim Zorn

About the Author:

Jim Zorn is web master of the Guide to Distance Learning. Please visit to learn more about online colleges and universities, distance learning degrees, majors and courses offered.
http://www.guide-to-distance-learning.com/index.html

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