Eco-Chick · The modern girl's guide to living green & fabulous.

Conscious in the Caribbean: Bucuti and Tara Beach Resorts

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by Starre Vartan · 04/27/11

There are always enough chairs and shade on Bucuti’s portion of the beautiful Eagle Beach! A low density of guests ensures no annoying overcrowding on the beach or anywhere else at the resort.

I love the Caribbean, from the Virgin Islands (British and US) to the Antilles and the Bahamas, and over my lifetime I’ve seen many of the gorgeous isles that populate that special sea between North and South America. What strikes me every time I visit is how each locale is so different – in architecture, cuisine, and people. Some islands have been settled for hundreds of years, and some not until recently. Some have a French influence, some British, others mixtures of African, native American Indian and Spanish.
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caribbean, Eco Travel, travel

Traveling in Earth-Friendly Style: Accommodations, Gear and Other Tips

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by Stephanie Rogers · 09/22/08

Just because you’re jetting off for a holiday of relaxation and fun doesn’t mean you’re taking a break from being environmentally responsible, right? In a society where convenience almost always trumps eco-friendliness, it can be challenging to stay green on the road.  There are disposables everywhere, it’s tough to find eco-friendly travel gear and racking up a whopping carbon footprint from all those travel miles is all too easy.  That doesn’t mean it can’t be done, though.  Guess what, ladies and gentlemen – you can be just as green on a weekend getaway as you can at home, without sacrificing quality or style.

Find green accommodations online through one of the many directories and resources on the web.  Green hotel ratings aren’t yet available for every city, but they’re much easier to find now than they were a few years ago.  Check out Sustainable Travel International, which offers a searchable directory of eco-friendly lodging and other tourism services, as well as Green Seal, which lists lodging properties in the U.S. that meet its Green Seal certification standards.  Another place to check is the Green Hotels Association, which maintains an international directory of earth-friendly hotel members.

Keep your luggage to a minimum to make taking public transportation, walking and riding bikes way easier (because naturally, that’s how you’re going to get around, right?).  It’s really no fun trying to lug insanely heavy, bulky luggage around, let alone fitting it into the tiny compartments offered by trains and buses.  Think about everything you’re putting in your bag – are you really going to use that? Is there a real need to pack four pairs of shoes for a single weekend trip? A few things that should definitely go in your bag include a reusable water container, your own mini toiletries (leave the ones the hotel provides behind!) and your own little tableware set complete with a cloth napkin, fork, knife and spoon.

Pack your gear in an eco-friendly suitcase or travel bag like the Joy Travelbag by Mandarina Duck, pictured above.  The entire Mandarina Duck ‘Joy’ line is made from DuPont™ Sorona®, a renewably sourced polymer partially made from corn.  It’s greener than nylon – DuPont™ Sorona® takes 30% less energy to produce and emits 63% less CO2 emissions during production.  The Joy Travelbag comes in brown, black or natural.  Since chic, stylish, affordable travel gear is still hard to come by (come on, designers!), vintage luggage is a great option for the budget-minded.

Eat, drink and shop locally while you’re there.  Why not enjoy your destination to its fullest? Immerse yourself in the local culture by enjoying local restaurants, sampling regional specialties and purchasing items made by the people who live there.  Buying locally-made souvenirs is a great way to support the local economy of the place you’re visiting.

Conserve resources in every way possible.  Browse brochures at the display in your hotel and then only take the ones you really need (or type the info into your cell as a note, to save paper).  Ask the hotel staff not to wash your towels every day – use them a few times.  Make sure you turn off the lights and air conditioning/heat in your room when you’re going to be out, and bring recyclables home with you if there aren’t any facilities available on your trip.

Eco Travel, Green Tips

Eating Healthy on the Road – Avoid Processed Junk!

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by Stephanie Rogers · 09/05/08

What to do when you’re traveling and need to stop for a bite to eat, and the healthiest thing available is a microwaved veggie burger from a fast food joint?  I find myself in this dilemma all the time, frustratingly enough.  For the majority of us, healthy and organic fast food places just aren’t an option because they simply don’t exist across most of the country.  It’s especially hard for those of us who are vegetarian or vegan.  We find ourselves snacking on a wilted, flavorless salad or a package of french fries for lack of anything else.

Until more restaurants pop up that are both healthy and fast, your best choice is still to pack your own food.  The idea is to choose healthy items that will hold up to travel.  What you choose does depend a bit on how far you’re going and whether you’ll be able to replenish the ice in your cooler (or if you’ll have a cooler at all).  Fruit and nut bars, crackers with sliced hard cheeses, dried fruit, veggie sticks and dark chocolate hold up well and will give you the energy you need.  Sure, airlines offer those little packs of pretzels and peanuts, but remember – they’re loaded with preservatives and other nasty stuff.  You’re better off having control over what you’re eating.

I packed my own meal last year for an international plane trip, and once I saw the nasty little plastic tray of unidentifiable ‘food’ the airline called a vegetarian meal, I was really glad I did.   I made myself a little Caprese sub – fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil on a baguette – and packed it in a small soft-sided cooler.  I also had some almonds and fruit in my carry-on bag.  Remember the TSA rules about liquids – you won’t be able to get anything over 3 ounces past security, even peanut butter or salad dressing.  Packages under 3 ounces can be included in your quart-size bag of liquids.  Bring your Sigg or other reusable container (empty) and fill it when you get past the gates.

Some suggestions for full-on meals include pasta salad, hummus wraps, pita pockets full of veggies and cheese, or bagel sandwiches.  Some travelers go gourmet with cucumber, dill and goat-cheese stuffed croissants, or soba noodle salad with mushrooms, green onions and ginger-lime dressing.  These ideas sound a lot better than the boring meals offered by the airline already, don’t they?

Another idea is to pack a Japanese obento, or bento box.  Though it’s a bit large – and plastic – the Laptop Lunch Kit is popular with travelers for its modular design and reusability.  Options for bento boxes are virtually limitless – you could go with traditional Japanese food, or just fill them with whatever you like.

Hopefully these tips will help you out next time you’re on the road, whether you’re just driving a few hours to visit family or jetting across the globe.  Happy travels!

Photos by Flicker users sporkist and Joi

Eco Travel, Food, Organic

Eco Travelling

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by Starre Vartan · 05/22/07

There has been plenty of discussion surrounding travelling and it’s impact on the environment- mainly about how bad air travel is for global warming. Some people are suggesting that to be a real environmentalists, we should all cut down on our travelling, working closer to home (sensible), getting our food locally (tastes better anyway), and even forgoing vacations to far-away locales (no, say it ain’t so!!!).

As an avid globe-hopper, I was excited to find Claire McDonough’s site, Eco-Travelling, where she and her team of writers cover all aspects of travel, from boating and bikes to getting into the nitty-gritty of which planes might have a lower environmental impact (something I can’t say I really thought about before, but will now!) and if the critique of long-haul flights is fair.

A great resource for Earth-loving travellers (and isn’t that why many of us want to hop on planes in the first place?) with great writing and serious consideration given to alternative and traditional modes of travel.

bicycles, bikes, Eco Travel, ecotravel, farm, Food, Global Warming, holiday, Holidays, Home, local, Tea, travel