Go Green Travel Green

We’ve written so much about stainless steel water bottles — including about a Healthy Water Bottle, Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottle, and CamelBak Stainless Steel Better Bottle — that we’ve decided to wrap it up once and for all with a Stainless Steel Water bottle smackdown.

When I was finishing my master’s degree in community-based tourism and had worked all year with a rural community group in the small town of Quizarra, in Costa Rica, I had to start thinking about how I could help them create partnerships with an international tour operator…. The couple I accompanied from California said their favorite part was being in the community with the families, having lunch with them, learning how to make tortillas from scratch, taking a walk through beautiful primary forests on different families’ properties, and even riding in the back of their trucks!

My first visit to Mayan ruins was to Lubaantun in Belize several years ago. Since then, I’ve also been to Xunantunich, a magnificent spot near San Ignacio, Belize…. This means that as you go from temple to temple, you walk by huge mounds of dirt and grass, often with large trees sticking out.

From spider monkeys and toucans to jaguars and parrots, Tikal National Park (Parque Nacional Tikal) in the rainforests of Guatemala’s Petén region has it all… We watched the sunset from a Mayan temple and woke up with the animals at dawn. Here are photos of the animals we were lucky enough to spot.

Eva gives money to the poor, chats it up with commoners, and scoffs in the faces of traditional women who tell her she can’t hold an office because she’s a woman and too young…. If you’ve still got a hankering for hearing “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” in Spanish (I know I did) here’s Nacha Guevara, the star of Eva: el gran musical argentino , singing it — “No llores por mí Argentina.”

After experiencing the amazing Lake Agnes Tea House in Lake Louise, Canada, I was excited to learn that San Martin de los Andes, Argentina has the Mirador Arrayán Tea House…. A gorgeous spring day with just a few clounds in the sky provided the backdrop for our hike and within 15 minutes of our hike we had a spectacular view of the city below.

During our hour long tour of Guira Oga we got to see many animals up close that we saw while hiking in Iguazu (see Kimberly’s post about the animals we saw at Iquazu Falls ) as well as others we didn’t get to see such as the Capuchin Monkey and Oso Melero (both pictured below)…. Unfortunately, because it was a Sunday and during siesta hours we didn’t get to see any of the hospital veterinarians in action, but we learned a lot about the animals and the park during our tour.

Six months ago I watched a PBS documentary about animals in South America. It featured the capybra, which — at 140 pounds — is the world’s largest rodent… Luck was on my side and a capybra did come out to pose for a photo, along with lots of other exotic animals — from toucans and kites to coatis and lizards.

Iguazu Falls were indescribable. The rushing sound of the Devil’s Throat waterfall was unlike anything I had ever heard and the overall expansiveness of the waterfalls was gorgeous. On our second day visiting Iguazu Falls National Park we decided to get off the tourist path and hike the Macuco Nature Trail through the jungle.

On Saturday, along with porteños (what people from Buenos Aires are called) who didn’t leave the city for the weekend, we went to Puerto Madero and the Reserva Ecológica Costenera Sur (also known as Reserva Ecológica de Buenos Aires or the Buenos Aires Ecological Reserve).
It’s the only ecological reserve in the city. There are three [...]

We’ve only been gone for two days, but I already know that as much as I was ready to leave D.C. there is plenty I loved about the city. Here are 10 things I’ll miss:
1. The Metro (D.C.’s subway system)

photo credit: ChrisDag
2. Politics
3. Washington Post (especially the Sunday edition)
4. Variety of Restaurants
5. Diversity
6. Neighborhoods (especially [...]

What I Learned at the Most Eco-Friendly Wedding Ever The food was grown by the bride and groom, the toilets were composting, and the tableware was borrowed from friends…. Registry: At a Local Shop or Donation to Non-Profit We learned the hard way that if you register at a national store (like Crate & Barrel), you’ll receive an obscene amount of packaging with your gifts.

Then walk down Robson Street and find a spot where you can observe consumerism at its best as passersby shop at stores like Armani Exchange and Tommy Hilfiger If you have a sweet tooth, get in touch with the terroir side of your traveling locavore diet , and pick up some mint truffles or maple chocolates from Daniel Le Chocolat Belge …. Day 2: Yaletown, Chinatown, Gastown, and Granville Island Munch on a vegetarian breakfast tortilla wrap while you sip artistically-designed organic espresso at Caffe Artigiano on Hornby St., then cross the street to Vancouver Art Gallery , and browse the collection of nearly 10,000 artworks by Canadian and international artists.

Washington, D.C. may be one of the most accessible cities in the country in terms of public transportation. If you can take the Metro or the bus to Dupont Circle, the Capitol, Georgetown, the (National) Mall, or even (Mazza Gallerie shopping) mall, why can’t you take public transportation to a campsite? Turns out [...]

Elizabeth and I headed to the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, DC in mid-May for a day-long retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city. Even though the Arboretum is in DC, it’s quiet and peaceful. And we were lucky enough to catch some of the azaleas in bloom. The weather was perfect - [...]

One minute I was walking my bike across busy West Georgia Street, the next I was cruising past totem poles with the ocean breeze in my hair. With its 1,000 acres of luscious grass, giant trees, goose-filled lakes, and gorgeous ocean views, Stanley Park is a green haven in a metropolitan city.
And if you’re lucky [...]

Now we’re moving into the homestretch of our 25 Days to Green Travel series with tips for traveling green on the way home.
At the end of my study abroad trip to Russia, I found myself scrambling to find souvenirs for family and friends back home. Fortunately, I stumbled upon a market and found awesome locally-made [...]

Being a green traveler means more than just taking public transportation, sleeping in a eco hotel, and using a water bottle; it also means being respectful and responsible when taking pictures.
Every traveler who takes photos and every photographer who travels needs to be sensitive to the local culture. Here are some tips to help [...]

As a lover of nature, especially animals, I set out to learn everything I could about being respectful while watching wildlife.
You know what I found out?
Everything I need to know about watching wildlife I learned in kindergarten.
Keep your hands to yourself. Don’t touch animals, their nests, babies, etc.

photo credit: Chalky Lives
Don’t feed the animals. [...]

The great thing about traveling is once you’re at your destination, it’s much easier to be green. Most of your carbon consumption comes from the actual travel itself. That’s not to say that if you’ve done your best to be a green traveler getting there (who says you can’t bike around the world?) [...]

Bringing your furry friend along on a camping trip can be a great experience, but traveling with a pet means thinking your pet’s environmental impacts, too. Before you head for the woods, make sure you’re prepared for green travel with your dog.

photo by Laertes

Plan ahead. Camping is one of the most environmentally-friend ways to [...]

As you might have noticed, the weather recently has been nothing short of strange (or scary - take your pick). And with increasing temperatures in even far-north regions of the world, ski resort owners are among those hit hardest by global warming.
Sunday’s Washington Post had a short but solid article on ski resorts feeling the [...]