Posts Tagged ‘environmentally friendly’

Swiss Hotel Sustainability

May 6th, 2010

SwissHotelcouple250743 Swiss Hotel Sustainability

More hotels worldwide are renovating and making their properties more environmentally-friendly.

In it recent extensive renovation, Swissôtel Zurich has adopted a modern, contemporary design and enhanced the hotel’s sustainability. The harmonious, light guest rooms now have modern, customized furniture and a color scheme of beige and green shades.

Says Marc Ohlendorf, general manager at Swissôtel Zurich:

“Various measures, such as the installation of energy and heat recovery systems and the conversion from oil heating to the Zurich Nord district heating supply, for instance, have enabled us to meet the Kyoto Protocol requirements already. This allows us to offer our guests a product that is not only modern, but also completely sustainable.”

Image courtesy of Swissôtel

How To Be Ocean Wise In Vancouver

February 5th, 2010

VancouverAquariumOceanWiseviewer How To Be Ocean Wise In Vancouver

Will you be traveling to Vancouver, British Columbia for the 2010 Olympics or on vacation?   If so, when you’re dining out, ask about Ocean Wise, a leading Canadian sustainable seafood program.

Founded by the Vancouver Aquarium in January 2005, the program gives consumers and travelers information on making smart seafood choices.

The Ocean Wise logo on a restaurant menu, deli-counter or seafood product has become a  symbol of ocean-friendly seafood choices.  Whether you’re buying canned tuna at the supermarket or spicy tuna rolls at a sushi restaurant, look for the symbol on a restaurant menu, display case or product.

In 2009, Ocean Wise went national in Canada from coast to coast with partners from Halifax, NS to Victoria, BC.  Today, Ocean Wise works with 300 partners from the restaurant, supplier and retail sectors at 2700+ locations.

Says Ocean Wise:

“Overfishing is the number one problem facing the world’s oceans. Ocean Wise addresses this critical issue by promoting sustainable fishery practices to prevent habitat destruction and enable species to thrive at optimum population numbers. The program enables Canadians to make environmentally-friendly seafood choices.”

Here are the BC locations where you’ll Ocean Wise:

» Read more: How To Be Ocean Wise In Vancouver

Cool, Eco-Sporty Gift Ideas

December 7th, 2009

AnvilKnitwear21 682x1024 Cool, Eco Sporty Gift Ideas

Are you looking for cool, eco-sporty gift ideas?  Then the AnvilSustainable Tee from Anvil Knitwear might be the perfect eco-gift fit.

Recently, traveling greener became a fan of Anvil Knitwear eco-clothing when the company sent over an AnvilSustainable t-shirt and a sweatshirt for review.  These stylish, incredibly comfortable, eco-sporty pieces are ideal for a green travel wardrobe for voluntouring in Australia to ecotouring India.

What makes them special is the AnvilSustainable clothes are made from recycled PET plastic bottles and transitional cotton, which has been grown on farms that are in the process of becoming certified organic.

Says Anthony Corsano, Anvil’s CEO:

“The AnvilSustainable tee was designed to support two important environmental initiatives: the recycling of plastic bottles and the conversion of acreage from conventional cotton farming to organic cotton farming. Each AnvilSustainable tee uses approximately three 20-ounce recycled PET plastic bottles, and the cotton comes from farms that are in the three-year process of transitioning to organic. Buying a shirt made with cotton in conversion is a great way to support farmers making the switch, and encourage more to do the same.”

» Read more: Cool, Eco-Sporty Gift Ideas

Amazon’s Hottest Green Gift

November 24th, 2009
Kindle angle with text 2 Dec 620x1024 Amazons Hottest Green Gift

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

Need a green travel gift idea for your favorite reader?   Take a look at the Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Amazon’s most wished for, most gifted, and #1 bestselling product.

Kindle wirelessly downloads books, magazines and newspapers to a high-resolution 6-inch electronic ink display that looks and reads like real paper. It utilizes the same 3G wireless technology as advanced cell phones.

The Kindle’s features include:

  • Slim and Trim: “At just over a third of an inch thin (0.36 inches) and weighing just over 10 ounces, Kindle is pencil thin and lighter than a typical paperback.”
  • 3G Wireless: “Readers can wirelessly shop the Kindle Store, download books in less than 60 seconds, automatically receive newspaper and magazine subscriptions, and read from their library-now in more than 100 countries and territories including Canada.”
  • Reads Like Real Paper: “Kindle’s 6-inch electronic ink display reads like printed words on paper because the screen works using real ink and doesn’t use a backlight, eliminating the eyestrain and glare associated with other electronic displays.”
  • Stores Up to 1,500 Books: “Kindle’s 2 GB of memory holds up to 1,500 books and Kindle books are automatically backed up by Amazon so customers can re-download titles in their library.”
  • Read for Weeks on a Single Charge: “Kindle’s electronic paper display sips battery power so users can read for over two weeks with wireless turned off and up to four days on a single charge with wireless on.”
  • Read-To-Me: “With the experimental Text-To-Speech feature, Kindle can read most newspapers, magazines and books out loud.”
  • Automatically Syncs With Kindle and Kindle Compatible Devices: “Amazon’s “Whispersync” technology automatically syncs customers’ last page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights across Kindle, Kindle DX, and Kindle compatible devices like Kindle for iPhone and Kindle for PC.”
  • Read Personal Documents: “Read personal documents in a variety of formats such as Microsoft Word and PDF.”
  • Instant Dictionary Lookup: “Kindle comes with the New Oxford American Dictionary and over 250,000 definitions that appear instantly at the bottom of the page.”
  • Choose Text Size: “Kindle lets readers customize their reading preference by providing six different text sizes.”
  • Bookmarks, Notes and Highlights: “By using the QWERTY keyboard, Kindle users can add annotations to text, as well as highlight and clip key passages and bookmark pages for future use.”

For more info or to order, check out the Kindle on Amazon.

All-Electric Zero S Motorcycle In NYC

November 23rd, 2009
Zero S on track

Image courtesy of Zero Motorcycles

The all-electric Zero S Motorcycle could be hot green wheels this Christmas.   It is a featured product displayed for the holiday season at the new WIRED Magazine’s Showroom in NYC.

WIRED magazine’s fifth annual holiday store, located at 415 West 13th Street between 9th Avenue and Washington Street in Manhattan’s Meatpacking/Highline District, features the latest cutting-edge products.  It is now open for six weeks during the holiday shopping season.   A Zero S is featured in a special green section curated by Entourage star Adrian Grenier and Peter Glatzer of SHFT.COM.

Says Gene Banman, CEO of Zero Motorcycles:

“WIRED magazine is known for bringing the newest and best technology to the world. Showcasing a Zero S in the WIRED Store is great for us to connect with New Yorkers who are interested in technology, motorcycles or green transportation. The Zero S is perfect for New York’s city streets. It’s quick, lightweight, fun and environmentally friendly.”

The company says the motorcycle, with its lightweight design and instant acceleration, was developed to “aggressively take on urban environments and encourage the occasional detour.”  Designed for optimal performance, it says at 270 lbs, the Zero S is ideal for the city where riders are “focused on maneuverability and off the line performance”

If you’re interested in going for a demo ride on a Zero S in New York, you can schedule it on the Zero’s website here.

Fiji’s Leading Eco-Resort

November 12th, 2009

cousteausfijiresortimage001 Fijis Leading Eco Resort

Photo credit: © Chris McClennan

Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort was recently named “Fiji’s Leading Resort” at the 2009 World Travel Awards in London earlier this week.

“We are honored by the continued recognition from our colleagues in the travel industry for the guest experience we provide,” says Greg Taylor, General Manager. “This is the third World Travel Award for ‘Fiji’s Leading Resort’ we have received in four years, indicating our staff’s enduring reputation for excellence.”

Last year, the award-winning resort was designated “Fiji’s Leading Resort” and recognized as the first-ever “Australasia’s Leading Green Hotel.” Among its other awards, the resort earned a 2007 “Global Sustainable Tourism Award” by ISLANDS Magazine and ranked first on TripAdvisor’s 2007 “Top 10 Environmentally-Friendly Destinations” list worldwide.

» Read more: Fiji’s Leading Eco-Resort

Top 10 Ski & Save Tips

October 30th, 2009

directski2gview Top 10 Ski & Save Tips

Are you planning a ski holiday this winter?

British online ski holiday specialist Directski.com has come up with 10 ways to ski and save this winter like booking a ski holiday online from £199.  The best part is some of these ski and save tips are environmentally friendly too.

Here are the Top 10 Ski & Save Tips:

1. “SKI WITH FRIENDS.  Tip: Take a ski apartment for 6 or more and the cost per person tumbles. Fill it with friends, set up a Facebook page or ask around for people to share.”

2. “VALUE BY TRAIN. Tip: Travel by train and save on airline excess luggage costs. The ski train from London to the Alps every Friday night also gives you an extra day’s skiing.”

3. “SKI WITH A GRANNY. Tip: Bring a relative to look after kids as it’s often cheaper to take an extra person than to use local nannies and kindergartens.”

4. “DIY MOUNTAIN LUNCH. Tip: Pop into the local supermarket or bakery for an inexpensive alternative to mountain restaurants. (Of course we wouldn’t suggest you snaffle from the hotel’s breakfast buffet).”

5. “PAY AS YOU GO. Tip: Book early and pay in instalments to break up the cost into affordable chunks.”

» Read more: Top 10 Ski & Save Tips