Ten Tips for Green, Low-Cost Summer Travel

It’s no surprise that gas prices are impinging on summer travel plans. However, given the right planning you can still take that summer Memorial Day vacation without dwindling your bank account or harming the environment. Here are ten tips for planning an environmentally-friendly, low-cost summer vacation.

1. Find destinations close to you. The act of traveling to or from the destination is often the most costly and environmentally-taxing part of a trip. Therefore, rather than fly your family across the country to a theme park or a National Park, find attractions that are maybe just a few hours away. You might discover a little hidden treasure right in your own backyard!

2. If driving, improve your miles per gallon. Turn off the air conditioning and enjoy the fresh air by opening the windows. Avoid accelerating quickly and pack light.

3. Remember to turn off the air conditioning in your house before you leave. You can also turn off the water heater and close the drapes so it stays cool inside while you are away.

4. Bike, walk and use public transportation rather than renting a car or using taxis. Many cities have bike share programs or allow tourists to rent a bike for a day. Take advantage of these options.

5. Travel light. Every extra pound in your car means you will use more gas. Bring only the essentials to ensure you are packing light.

6. Flying by air is worse than driving. According to some estimates, one cross-Atlantic flight produces carbon emissions equal to all of the passengers’ driving for a year. If it is feasible to drive, drive. If flying by air, consider offsetting your carbon emissions or flying with an airline that is committed to building fuel-efficient jets.

7. Camp in the great outdoors rather than staying in hotels. Not only will you save on cash and energy, but it will help your kids to foster an appreciation for nature.

8. If your idea of a vacation is jetting off to another country, look into eco-tourist spots that promise to take you out into nature without “leaving a footprint”.

9. Pack your own healthy food to avoid eating out too much or buying heavily processed and packaged foods in airports.

10. Visit a national park! They can be found all over the US, and the entry fee goes to help preserve the parks.

Plan an Environmentally-friendly Vacation

Kayak through the Amazon Rainforest, visit an organic grape farm in Italy or hike through a wildlife preserve all while engaging directly with the natural beauty of the area and leaving it undisturbed by your presence.

Today, we are all increasingly aware that our actions have a significant impact on the environment. Travel and vacations are no exception. With almost one billion people traveling each year, the effects of travel on the environment are significant. Cross-country road trips and air flights use up fuel; road development, which enables people to reach some of the most remote natural environments on earth, disrupts wildlife. Forests are cleared for hotels and parking lots, and many animal species are on the brink of extinction due to a loss of habitat.

However, ecotourism has become increasingly popular and it allows people to experience nature without disrupting it. But be careful, because even ecotourism can be harmful when it is not regulated. Individuals interested solely in making a profit often advertise eco-friendly tours or resorts that do not meet any environmental guidelines or standards.

If you are planning an environmentally-friendly vacation, look into the Green Hotels Association and Planeta. The Green Hotels Association lists hotels that hold up to their environmental standards. Planeta is a world travel directory that recommends guides, tours and hotels, and only lists businesses that are environmentally-friendly.

On a day-to-day basis during your vacation, use public buses, walk or rent bicycles to get around a city rather than taking a taxi. If you are staying in the same hotel room, request that the sheets and towels are not changed daily. Seek out organic, vegetarian restaurants in the city – HappyCow offers an impressive directory of vegan and vegetarian restaurants around the world.

Despite the changes you make, it is likely that you will require transportation involving buses, trains, planes and cars on your vacation, which will produce greenhouse gases and use fossil fuels. You may offset these emissions be making a donation to renewable energy initiatives. Look on Climate Care to calculate your carbon footprint from the trip and how you may offset it.

Google Where?……Bike There!

Finally! Google has an interface that is specific to cars, buses, pedestrians and now…..you guessed it….BIKERS! This huge and exciting announcement has taken the sustainable and pedaling community by storm, as now this new feature allows you to plot the best (and flattest) ride from one point to another on the map. The requests in the past few years have been overwhelming. Now that Google has decided to launch it, people are ecstatic. From petitions (over 50,000 signatures strong) to letters bike advocates around the nation have been pushing and asking for an application that is specific to them, as bike riding is one of the most sustainable and healthy ways to navigate around town.

Bikers in cities such as New York, San Francisco, Portland, and Minneapolis have bike-specific mapping sites. Having an application that supports this kind of sustainable transportation is going to further already bike crazed individuals and spark the interest of would be bikers due to its simple and convenient nature.

If you are a potential biker or a current bike advocate check out Google’s step by step video on how to navigate around their new site.

Bike directions will take advantage of bike paths and other bike facilities. There are specific colored lines to indicate one way streets, bike only streets and bike friendly streets, among a whole slough of other features.

Whether you’re just curious or an avid biker, check it out! Help yourself while you help the environment, one pedal at a time.

Cookin’ on the Road—Diamond Lil—a Sustainable and Convenient Restaurant

Take a beaten down, old 1957 Greyhound bus, hundreds of pounds of food and restaurateur Kai Schoenhals and what do you get? Diamond Lil—the refurbished and shaped up moving restaurant. Diamond Lil is a tasty moving eatery that will travel around the region to its guests granting them savory pleasure and convenient locations.

The operation was inspired by the Napa Wine Train, a two engine 3 kitchen fitted train that serves a 25 mile stretch in Napa Valley. They provide convenience, a seasonal menu and a nationally known executive chef, Kelly Macdonald on board.

San Francisco residents Schoenhals and partner Daniel Isberg run a sustainable operation on the road. Although this moving food venture may seem pricey and anything but sustainable, Diamond Lil cuts her own costs and carbon footprint by using left over cooking oil used in her gasoline tank—allowing her to cook her way across the country. The bus, named after a great aunt of Schoenhals is refit entirely with recycled materials, a recyclable herself and not to mention is the house for a warm and delicious menu.

Local Californians that are lucky enough to dine on Diamond Lil can look forward to not only a wonderful menu but a responsible outfit that has considered its customers and the environment.

Winter Travel: Eco-Style

As the leaves start to change, and the weather gets colder, your brain might start thinking about where you will travel to during the winter. Most people choose a nice, warm, exotic getaway, while others might venture to somewhere more traditional to the holiday season finding themselves in a snowy state or country.

Wherever you are thinking about going, think about doing it sustainably. Sustainable travel has been a rising topic and trend, and is something that can spice up your next vacation all while educating you on how to tread lightly on the planet.

A few great resource to get you started is Sustainable Travel International and also Responsible Travel; who coins themselves as the “World’s Leading Travel Agent for Responsible Holidays”. Through ResponsibleTravel.com you can search through activities, destinations, places to stay, etc., and learn about Travel Tips that will help you have a more sustainable trip.

Sustainable Travel International (STI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, dedicated to providing education and outreach services that help travelers, travel providers and related organizations support environmental conservation and protect cultural heritage while promoting cross-cultural understanding and economic development.

National Geographic also has a great section on their website devoted to sustainable travel.

Now is the time to start planning your winter trips, so don’t forget to book those tickets, offset that carbon, and have a sustainable, great time!

Feed Your Eco Featured September Recipe: Organic Roasted Tomato Sauce

I found this month’s Organic Recipe on a great site devoted to green living in our nation’s capitol:  City Renewed- The DC Area’s Most Comprehensive Green Resource Guide.  I encourage you to visit their site when you get a chance.  It is filled with informative articles with excellent tips and advice anyone can use to make their home and/or office a more eco-friendly environment.  This site is also terrific resource for DC residents to learn more about local events, educational opportunities, Farmers Markets, festivals, and more.

Here in the southeast, the hot summer days yield an abundance of delicious, juicy, ripe, red tomatoes for us to enjoy well into the month of September. The process of roasting the vegetables in this sauce really brings out the natural flavors.   Many of the ingredients can be grown in your own garden or can be purchased at your local farmers market.  Try making this over the weekend and let us know what you think!  Thank you to City Renewed for sharing this!!

Organic Roasted Tomato Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients
4 or more medium organic tomatoes, cored and cut into quarters or eighths
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 small or one medium onion, cut into quarters or eighths
1 large red bell pepper, cut into large pieces
1 leek, cut in half lengthwise, washed and sliced
1 small head of garlic
1/4 cup basil, chopped just a little
2 ounces goat cheese (optional)
Black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray large glass baking dish with nonstick spray. Put tomato pieces in dish, pour olive oil over tomatoes and stir. Bake for 30 to 50 minutes, stirring tomatoes every 20 minutes. Stir again then add onion, bell pepper and leek. Wrap garlic in foil and put on rack in oven. After about 30 minutes, when everything looks and smells delicious, remove baking dish and garlic from oven. Unwrap garlic, cut the top and squeeze the softened garlic into the tomato goodness. Add basil and black pepper, and mix well. Serve over chunky pasta. A dollop of goat cheese can be put on top for extra zing.

Photo Credit: helenkosings.wordpress.com

Feed Your Eco Featured August Recipe: Organic Carrot Soup with Ginger

I found this delicious organic recipe on Epicurious earlier this month and thought this would make an ideal summer soup recipe to share!

This healthy vegetarian recipe is by Carl Schroeder, chef at Arterra in San Diego, and is a wonderful blend of Carrots, Ginger and Herbs.  Try it hot or cold.

Organic Carrot Soup with Ginger Essence

Makes 4 servings
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced leeks (white part only)
1/2 large white onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 1/2 pounds organic carrots, chopped
2 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon chopped fresh lemongrass (or 2 teaspoons dried, tied in a piece of cheesecloth)
3 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 cup fresh carrot juice
1/2 cup light sour cream, plus 4 tsp for garnish
Coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped chives

Preparation

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed large stockpot on high heat until hot. Cook leeks and onion 2 to 3 minutes. Add carrots and 2 tbsp water. Cook, covered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add stock, lemongrass and 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger. Simmer about 30 minutes. Let mixture cool for 10 minutes, then pour into a food processor and purée. Add carrot juice and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard pulp. (If not serving immediately, cool and refrigerate liquid.) Add sour cream and remaining 2 teaspoons ginger to strained liquid. Stir until completely incorporated. Heat 3 or 4 minutes over medium-low heat or serve cold. Season with pepper. Divide among 4 bowls. Garnish with chives and 1 tsp each sour cream.

Simple Summer Vegan Dinner Party

I had some friends in town this past weekend. On Saturday we tooled around the Farmer’s Market and visited a couple of local shops and art galleries. The afternoon was spent cooling off in my pool; later enjoying the early evening breeze and manatee-watching off my dock on the Indian River.

We had picked up some veggies at the Farmer’s Market that morning so as night fell we broke open a bottle of wine and the four of us quickly put together a yummy light summer meal before we settled in to watch a soppy chick flick & eat watermelon, the end to a perfect day! All ingredients are ORGANIC, of course!

Veggie Salad with Peanut Sauce

1 bunch broccoli, chopped
2 ears corn on the cob, corn cut off the cob
1 red bell pepper, chopped
DRESSING
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
Salt & red pepper flakes to taste

Place the broccoli, corn & bell pepper in a mixing bowl. Put the remaining ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Mix thoroughly with the vegetables. Serves 4.

Sweet & Sour Vegetable Stir Fry with Almonds
     (adapted from The Complete Vegetarian Cuisine by Rose Elliot-1988)

1/2 cup sesame oil
1 cup slivered almonds
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 pound shitake mushrooms, chopped
SAUCE
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 cup fresh ginger, grated
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
2 tablespoons agave nectar

This savory mixture of sweet & sour flavors cooks fast so if you plan to serve it over brown rice (which is oh-so-yummy), be sure to start the rice early enough to be ready when you are! This dish is also good served cold.

Put the ingredients for the sweet & sour sauce in a blender and blend until smooth. Heat the sesame oil on medium in a deep fry pan or wok. Add the almonds & stir fry for 2 minutes. Turn the heat to high and add the vegetables. Stir fry for 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Turn the heat off, stir in the sauce and cover the pan for 2 minutes to heat through. Serves 4.

Reasons to Eat Organic

If you are reading this post, chances are you are already on board with the movement to go Organic. Everyone has their own reasons to choose organic foods- Here are a few of mine.

Eating Organic Food = a Healthier Lifestyle

It is a sad reality that Americans have been consuming more processed foods with harmful and unrecognizable additives than ever.  The human body was not designed to consume artificial ingredients like growth hormones, preservatives, artificial colors, synthetic flavors, and pesticides. Over consumption of these foods contributes to long serious health problems such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and even some forms of cancer.

According to the Organic Facts page, people who consume more organic foods such as fruits & vegetables, meats and dairy products experience better health by eliminating chemical fertilizers and pesticides from their bodies. Another factor is once the food is harvested, it begins to lose its’ nutritional benefits. Eating food when it is fresh will provide your body with more nutrients it needs to stay healthy.

Organic foods usually taste better.
Just my opinion, but I think most of you will agree. Eating food when it is fresh just tastes better!

Buying local, organic foods are good for the community and environment.
Putting food on your table that is purchased from a local farmer makes your community better and uses less fuel and energy.  In addition, the organic standards were created with consideration to the health of the soil, water and the Earth’s natural eco-system.  Farmers following organic guidelines harvest their food while conserving precious natural resources and materials.   The lack of specific chemicals and pollutants means the farmers are not contaminating rivers, lakes and oceans.

For more reasons to consider buying and eating organic foods- visit these sites:

Organic Trade Association

Organic.org

Euphoric Organics

She Knows

Organic Cooking: Liven Up Your Dishes with Fresh or Dried Herbs

I started reading a site called Organic Authority and am becoming a big fan!  Writer/Organic Living expert Laura Klein inspires us with her passion for cooking with organic food.  This site is a great resource for delicious organic recipes and tips.

Any good cook knows the secret to amazing dishes is how you use your herbs.  I keep a stash of dried herbs in my pantry when I am in a pinch or need a stronger flavor.  But nothing beats the taste of fresh herbs grown locally or in your own garden like basil, dill, parsley, rosemary, mint…I could go on and on.  Growing your own herb garden is not expensive and quite easy to do!

Laura Klein’s article Be A Cook In the Know really demonstrates the versatility of using herbs in cooking.  She also clarifies HOW herbs can be used- the stronger woodsy herbs like sage & rosemary are ideal for marinating and infusing the flavors into the dish before or during cooking.  However- the delicious leafy herbs such as cilantro, basil and parsley are great for finishing the dish.  I learned so much about herbs by reading this article that I wanted to share it with you!  Kudos to Laura for sharing this helpful information with us!

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