empty roads

Public transport frequently emerges in the debate around sustainable tourism. By promoting the use of green tourism businesses, we also have to promote the use of public transport. In my own experiences this can sometimes be a little frustrating when trains are delayed and buses only run twice a day. Therefore it was encouraging to learn that one man took to the road for a whole year to draw the lines between the UK's YHA properties. Not once was he permitted to drive or rely on any other form of transport other than public transport. In his own words the experience was not as difficult as it may seem. The product of his work can be found at www.emptyroads.com which contains a map detailing the bus routes to youth hostels across the country.

recycling ecoescape: part 1

Thanks to Arthur at Calverts, we have our first suggestion of how to go about recycling well loved and well read ecoescapes at the end of next year.

Fuel for the fire

ecoescape can be turned into a very handy log for your open fire or the barbeque. You just have to follow some very easy instructions and incredibly the briquette will burn for 1 - 2 hours and leave a very small ash deposit!

1. Take one very well used guide and remove staple.

2. Half fill a bucket with water.

3. To the bucket add the old copy of the guide, and any other newspaper you have lying about.

4. Soak until you have a gooey pulpy mush.

5. Next you will need something to squeeze out the excess water. You can buy them here or here. Put the mush in the briquette maker, squeeze and leave until dry to form a very handy brick shape or 'log'. Logs can be made without the briquette maker providing pulp is dried out and compressed properly.

6. Alternatively, the pulp can be added in small amounts to a compost heap.

You may wonder why we are talking about ecoescape's return to the ashes before it has even been printed, but that's how much we care about what it means to create a product which is sustainable and part of a life cycle and not simply thrown into landfill. If you have more ideas for ecoescape's after life email info@ecoescape.org. Don't forget ecoescape will return with a new installment in 2008!

exit strategy

As I mentioned before, ecoescape will have a responsible life cycle. This means that not only will we think about what goes in, but we will also more importantly be looking at what comes out. In other words what happens when ecoescape has been consumed, read, digested and loved? As much as we would like everyone to treasure ecoescape forever on their mantlepieces the breadth and width of the country, we would so much prefer it if we all combined creativity and recycling to help restore this guide's ambition to be high impact on behaviour but low impact on the planet. So what do we do? email your ideas to info@ecoescape.org. To start, we'll publish instructions on how to make your very own waste paper briquette much like Strattons Hotel have done (below).

advertising in ecoescape

ecoescape is genuinely encouraged by all the support it has recieved from individuals, organisations and friends and family so far. What a font of knowledge the project has opened up and will set free! There's so much to tell that we just know we'll have to save some for next time when the guide will return year after year...

Our next step is to appeal to the media and commercial organisations for support. ecoescape can help them reach faithful audiences and also discover new ones as green becomes more mainstream.

We are keeping advertising in the guide to an absolute minimum to cover printing and distribution costs. However, there are a few remaining bargains to be had. Please contact Laura with your media pack request on info@ecoescape.org.

The responsible life cycle of ecoescape

Not only will ecoescape aspire to close the print production loop of its life cycle, but the supply chain responsible for that loop will all hold and practice values which do business in an environmentally and socially sustainable way.

As publisher and developer of ecoescape, Lo Carb Travel has a strict operational manifesto which monitors the environmental and social impact of its work. An integral part of this work is to source suppliers which share similar values.

So far the chain looks a little something like this:

Lo Carb Travel - ecoescape – eskimo design – Calverts – and the chain is growing

eco-art

This autumn sees the ecoescape art project plant its seedlings and spread its message. We need your help!

With the earnestness of the climate change debate, ecoescape aims to build a portfolio of images which etch the message in pollution and in nature. Using (but not disrupting) nature, the letters can be spelt out above ground, or even better, planted beneath the ground to blossom next spring coinciding with ecoescape's official launch. We can send you bulbs which can be planted between now and December.

Along side the positive fruition of nature, we need the message to be drawn in places which have seen the negative effects of pollution, climate change and carbon emissions - for example the side of the road, a dirty vehicle, dirt from a power station..

Arrange, draw, plant, create and take a photograph of your art work. Post to this blog site or email info@ecoescape.org.

Sustainability in English Tourism

On 1 November, industry leaders in sustainability in tourism assembled for the first conference of SusDestinations in the New Forest. The topic of the day surrounded ways in which to overcome the challenges of communcating sustainable tourism and to encourage businesses to adopt green practices. This inevitably addressed the need to reassess the adequacy of the quality accreditation schemes in helping businesses go green. Ben Tuxworth, Strategy Director for Forum for the Future, was an excellent Chair and managed to both sustain debate and entertain his audience. The Green Business Tourism Scheme was a key focus of the day, as industry official assessed its impact and approach.

The audience numbered over 160 delegates which proved that it was a much needed event. The question put to all who attended, was how do we continue this debate and embed sustainability into tourism? Anthony Climpson proposed to set up a network which would support dialogue of this kind, which received a positive response from potential members.

www.susdestinations.co.uk