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The Ancol Ergo Guillotine Clipper is a quick and effective way to trim long claws. The nail can be placed into the guillotine and simply snipped. The clippers have an ergonomic, non-slip grip handle. Your pet's claws should only be cut when they are calm. To avoid cutting the quick, only trim the very end of the nail. Ensure you hold your pet's paw firmly so the claw does not move or twist as you are using the guillotine clippers.


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Inclusion an Essential First Step in Preventing Violent Extremism
This was a broad conclusion of a group of regional specialists speaking in a panel discussion at IPI on September 27th on investing in peace and preventing violent extremism in West Africa and the Sahel. The forum was a follow-up to a meeting on the same subject in June in Dakar.
The panelists agreed as a given that militarized responses were the wrong entry point for forestalling resorts to violence but stressed that even proper preventative measures could be ineffective if steps weren't taken beforehand to incorporate the views of local individuals, with a particular emphasis on women and youth.
IPI Senior Adviser Youssef Mahmoud, moderator of the discussion, said that research into the vexing question of why so many individuals and groups find "liberation in violence" showed that "economic, social and political inclusion is the most important factor in preventing violent extremism."
Djeinaba Touré, president of the association Je M'Engage in Mauritania, said that "social cohesiveness is the first source of resilience. It's true that prevention is important, but prevention is just a step."
She said that it was important too to gain the participation of people on an individual basis. "For a long time, we talked about networks, then we went from networks to talking about groups, from groups we talked about cells, and today we're talking about individuals. That means this will be the solution at the heart of the problem."
Aslam Souli, Vice President of Tunisia's National Youth Initiative Against Terrorism, said that his group had discovered that the best way to engage youth on the ground was through "community dialogues" on the issues that really mattered to them, which tended to be things like lack of local services, bad governance, inequality, and corruption. "Believe me," he said, "the issue of violent extremism comes at number 10 or 11. Violent extremism is only a symptom."
Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), affirmed the view that "security measures alone cannot resolve the underlying problems of violent extremism" and that "alternative approaches focused on community engagement are equally essential to achieving lasting results."
Listing some of the ways that extremists and Jihadi groups seek to lure recruits, particularly young ones, he cited promises of money and partners, provision of social services, opportunities for personal development, appeals to religion, and pledges to protect their families and possessions.
Ahmed Labnouj of Interpeace, Libya said that Libya presented a particularly perilous landscape for investing in peace and taking preventative steps because of the institutional breakdown of the country. "We develop processes, we talk about working within institutions, but in Libya institutions no longer exist,"he said. "So we must ask what communities are doing to deal with violent extremism, and we also have to focus on leadership within the communities."
And even well-meaning efforts to work at the community level were making another mistake, he said. "In our research, we focus on what's wrong in the communities, but we pay little attention to what's actually working. That's a huge deficit. We tend to define the problems from our outside perspective as observers and analysts, but the question is, 'How do the local communities actually see it?'"
To build community leadership that can have real impact, he said there was a need to engage more women. "We have seen in Libya how women often transcend a lot of divisions between communities, and they're often the common denominator," he said.
Mr. Souli took that thought a step further, saying that the best defense against the threat of young people being attracted to extremist violence was "well-equipped families," particularly mothers.
"While working in Tunisia, for example, when you talk with returnees from conflict zones like Syria and ask them if they regret killing people, they don't say they regret it, but when you ask them how they feel about what they did to their mothers, leaving at night and leaving them crying, they become very anxious. This is something we should work on and focus on – the role of mothers in preventing violent extremism."
Jean-Daniel Bieler, the Swiss Foreign Affairs Department's Special Adviser for Central Africa, said that in keeping with the UN Secretary-General's plan of action for the prevention of violent extremism, his office emphasized "the will to accept plural societies, the diversity of identities and the recognition of the value of tolerance. All the stakeholders have to advance together, governments, citizens, civil society organizations, religious people, and armed groups, if they decide to be part of the dialogue and are ready to give up violence," he said.
"Inclusion," he concluded, "is key."
Co-hosting the forum with IPI were the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel and the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the UN. Opening remarks were made by Olivier Zehnder, Deputy Permanent Representative of Switzerland, and Fodé Seck, Permanent Representative of Senegal.
Read the report>>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Foster's lager is an internationally distributed Australian brand of lager beer. Foster's is owned by a South African brewing group called SABMiller and is currently brewed under license in numerous countries, including the UK. Foster's is available in more than 150 countries and is the largest-selling Australian beer brand in the world. Foster's is well known for their 25.4 oz cans, which resemble motor oil cans and Americans nicknamed them "Foster's Oil Cans" and the name stuck.


In his Introduction, David Gentleman explains the nature of this delightful tribute to London. Unlike David Gentleman's London, his beautifully drawn coffee-table book of 1985, this modest (though substantial) paperback is the 'diary of a year: a sketchbook full of new pictures, new impressions of a familiar city, made after I set myself the task of looking again at my surroundings, capturing how London has changed and how it has stayed the same'. The result is an affectionate record of the city in all its 'variety, individuality and character', its river and canals, its unspoiled parks and Georgian squares, its crowded markets, its neighbourhoods, its striking architectural contrasts, its extraordinarily diverse people.


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Crispian St Peters
Crispian St Peters 1998
At Last! The Official Crispian St Peters Web Site has finally been created after more than thirty years of self imposed silence. I have, at last, persuaded Crispian St Peters to allow me to set up this personal web site dedicated entirely to him, his music and his songs. You will remember, 'You Were On My Mind', 'The Pied Piper', and 'Changes'. Now you can learn about the man behind these sixties hits and the many other songs he has written and performed. These songs cover every aspect of music including country and western, pop music, gospel music, comedy and monologues not to mention poetry.
This extremely modest man didn't have an official fan club, even at the height of his fame, in the sixties and seventies, so it is something of a triumph to finally be allowed to tell the world of his many records, hits and achievements. I hope you will enjoy this tribute to one of the greatest singers, songwriters and musicians of this, or any, age.
Please note that several unscrupulous con-men are attempting to cash in on Crispian's talent by pretending to be him. Apparently one is currently singing(?) on the Praia da Rocha on the Algarve in Portugal. Be warned! Crispian is too ill to travel abroad and anyone representing themselves as him are nothing more than fakes and fraudsters!
The Official Crispian St Peters Web Site was designed, built, and is maintained by, Bill Turney and is dedicated entirely to the international singing sensation Crispian St Peters.
Biography Press Clippings Press Articles Interview Discography Did You Know? Charts Groups Songs Photo Albums Pizza Autograph Odd Items Latest FAQ's Co-Stars Record Sleeves Sheet Music Links Australia Contacts Thanks
If you have any comments, suggestions, articles or information about this great singer please feel free to contact The Official Crispian St Peters Web Site. Full details of how to get in touch are given on the 'Contact Us' page. If you like the site, please leave a message in my guestbook.
Add this page to your favourites - Press Control + D
View My Guestbook
Sign My Guestbook
The Official Crispian St Peters Web Site
© WG Turney 1999-2004.


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MS Polaris was a Russian-owned, Danish-built passenger ship in service with the Murmansk Shipping Company and based in Murmansk. It was built in 1968, and until 2000, it served as a ferry between cities in Greenland, mainly passenger transfers along the Greenland coastline. In 2000 the was bought by Scandinavian Cruise Line and was refurbished in Denmark by Master Mariner AB, Sweden. She was named M/S Shearwaterto and changed to Bahamian flag. She was sold to Norway 2001. It moved to Russia in 2005

It holds 80 passengers and is equipped with a lounge with bar, as well as a library, covered deck, outside deck and a gift shop. It was renovated at Tallinn, Estonia in 2005 and offered cruises in the Barents Sea and transfers from Murmansk to St. Petersburg, Archangelsk, the Solovets Islands and was also the only ship that stops at Vaygach Island.

It was surveyed in Murmansk on 27 February 2010 and found to be in good condition.

References

External links
Det Norske Veritas
Russian Maritime Register
Great Canadian Travel Company
MS Polaris

1968 ships
Passenger ships of Russia

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Coal Exit in Germany
| Fotolia © Andreas F
Dec 2017 - Dec 2019
Download the "Coal Reader"
Lignite and hard coal is still Germany's most important energy source for power generation. Yet, Germany's climate policy goals can only be achieved if coal-firing decreases and is phased out completely in the long-term. To date, the "when and how" of this coal exit remains unclear. As a basis for the decision-making processes in the next legislative period, Ecologic Institute is working together with the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) and the Wuppertal Institute (WI) to develop a reader that clearly summarises the scientific facts and controversies surrounding the coal exit.
The reader addresses the following questions: What contribution must the energy industry deliver for Germany to achieve its climate mitigation targets? What is technically and economically feasible? Which economic, environmental and social effects are to be expected and how can we deal with them?
Ecologic Institute takes the lead in the analysis of policy instruments that could be used to decrease coal-firing. The aim of the analysis is to provide a comprehensive and systematic presentation of the available policy instruments and to assess their effectiveness. In addition, Ecologic Institute is responsible for the reader's design.
In November 2016, the Federal Government adopted concrete sector targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2030 within its Climate Action Plan 2050. For energy industry target is to roughly half emissions to 183 Mt. CO2 equivalents by 2030 compared to 2014. However, greenhouse gas emissions are more or less stable for eight years now. This also applies to the electricity sector, as coal-fired electricity remains at a consistently high level, despite the increasing share of renewable energies.
In order to achieve the emission targets of the Federal Government, a substantial reduction in coal-fired power generation is necessary. To kick-start the process, the Climate Action Plan 2015 foresees a Commission on "Growth, Structural Change and Regional Development" which is due to present its results at the end of 2018.
Beáta Welk Vargová
Event:Discussion
In this press briefing, the "Coal Reader" is presented. It has been developed by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), Wuppertal Institute, and Ecologic Institute. The "Coal Reader" presents options and implications of a phase-out of coal-fired power generation in Germany. It provides facts, explains the pros and cons, and shows the respective scientific background.
Germany's Coal Exit – Press Briefing
Publication:Book
In January 2019, Germany made a big step towards a coal phase-out: A stakeholder commission established by the federal government agreed on a schedule for plant retirement and on measures to support coal regions. For experts and journalists seeking to understand the context of the phase-out decision, scientists from the German Institute for Economic Research, Ecologic Institute, and the Wuppertal Institute have developed a comprehensive reader detailing what is at stake. The publication explains why the phase-out is needed and how it can become a success.
Phasing out Coal in the German Energy Sector
Interdependencies, Challenges and Potential Solutions
Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), Germany
Projektträger Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich (PtJ), Germany
German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), Germany
Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy (Wuppertal Institute), Germany
Ecologic Institute, Germany
Katharina Umpfenbach
Andreas Prahl
Mona Freundt
Lena Aebli
coal, lignite, hard
Download the "Coal Reader": Phasing out Coal in the German Energy Sector [pdf, 3.9 MB, English]
PublicationBookPhasing out Coal in the German Energy Sector
In January 2019, Germany made a big step towards a coal phase-out: A stakeholder commission established by the federal government agreed on a schedule for plant retirement and on measures to support coal regions. For experts and journalists seeking to understand the... Read more
German Institute for Economic Research, Wuppertal Institute, Ecologic Institute (eds.) 2019: Phasing out Coal in the German Energy Sector. Interdependencies, Challenges and Potential Solutions.
EventDiscussionGermany's Coal Exit – Press Briefing
| Quelle: DIW Berlin
In this press briefing, the "Coal Reader" is presented. It has been developed by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), Wuppertal Institute, and Ecologic Institute. The "Coal Reader" presents options and implications of a phase-out of coal-fired power... Read more
Discussion:Germany's Coal Exit – Press Briefing
EventDiscussionChina's Coalwende: Discussion with Greenpeace China Campaigner Li Shuo
Is China hooked on coal? Data are showing a possible end to China's coal boom of latter years. Li Shuo, Climate & Energy Campaigner for Greenpeace China explained the background for this encouraging development, and exchanged views with the Climate & Energy... Read more
Discussion:China's Coalwende: Discussion with Greenpeace China Campaigner Li Shuo


Dombrowski's book is very interesting and covers a lot of good material in the philosophy of sport. He is clearly well-versed in Ancient Greek philosophy and the philosophy of sport. So there is a lot to be gained by reading this book.
Truth be told, however, I was a bit disappointed. I think, based on the title and the book descriptions, I expected to find much more in the way of Ancient Greek philosophy. There is a lot, so this might be an unfair criticism, but the focus is really on contemporary philosophers of sport and their theories. The Ancient Greeks are called forth to cast insight, background, and further elaboration, but they are not the focus. Nevertheless, I did learn a lot about the relevancy of the Ancient Greek ideas, particularly of Plato, to some of the issues that arise in the philosophy of sport.
Dombrowski's discussion of Weiss, Huizinga, and Feezell is helpful and thorough. These are not mere recapitulations. He provides clear insight in to the theories of these thinkers and their impact on the philosophy of sport. He criticizes where he disagrees, though I would have preferred even more critical analysis (that said, this would have lengthened the book beyond the easily digestible size it is). The last chapter on process philosophy was less interesting to me and seemed somewhat misplaced in the context of the other chapters.
Overall, I definitely recommend this. It is not long, is clearly written, and it provides a good discussion of some of the major issues in the philosophy of sport.


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Atletico Madrid ambition behind Griezmann's Ballon d'Or desire
France forward Antoine Griezmann wants to etch his name into Atletico Madrid's history by becoming the club's first Ballon d'Or recipient.
Matt Dorman
14 October, 2018 16:36 IST
Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann. - Getty Images
Antoine Griezmann is fixated on winning the Ballon d'Or because he believes it would fulfil his "dream" of ranking among Atletico Madrid's all-time greats.
World Cup winner Griezmann is part of a star-studded 30-man shortlist vying for the coveted individual prize.
The 27-year-old has made no secret of his hope to improve on the third-place finish he managed in 2016 and believes he has done enough to break the decade-long duopoly of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Griezmann, who starred on the way to Europa League glory last season, views the France Football honour as a sure-fire way to cement his Atleti legacy.
READ | Mbappe 'has everything' to win Ballon d'Or, says Matuidi
"To win the Ballon d'Or at Atletico Madrid would allow me to go down in the club's history," Griezmann told Marca.
"Being a historic player for this club would be a dream and make me proud. That's what I want, what I'm looking for. I am a very ambitious man and I always want more."
Griezmann is bidding to become Atleti's first recipient of the Ballon d'Or in the award's 62-year history.
The influential forward in his fifth season with Diego Simeone's side, having signed from Real Sociedad in 2014.
India vs New Zealand: Sanju Samson set to replace Shikhar Dhawan


The Kotaku post seems clear in its attempt at humor (inadvertently mocking Christianity in the process). Nothing new for the Internet. However, I think that there is depth and truth to this video. Let's discuss!
Exegesis – critical explanation or interpretation of a text or portion of a text, esp. of the Bible.
Eisegesis – an interpretation, esp. of Scripture, that expresses the interpreter's own ideas, bias, or the like, rather than the meaning of the text.
The preacher/ pastor is preaching based upon his own bias versus actually using scripture to back his claims. Watching this video reminds me of the Christian hysteria over Harry Potter being Satanically inspired. This essentially becomes a conversation over fantasy versus reality. In the case of Harry Potter, examination of the author's worldview proved that the author had no underlying motives (she wasn't a Wiccan in disguise) and was instead writing a work of fantasy based fiction.
2. Good points are made on gaming leading to desensitizing kids/ adults. Although, the type of desensitization the pastor uses as an example is a bit extreme.
3. What you take in (your intake) does affect you mentally/ spiritually.
Our intake, whatever form of media, needs to be carefully considered. I know personally that what I listen to (music wise) can effect my mood for the day.
What are your thoughts on the pastor, fantasy vs. reality, Pokémon, and intake?


The Association of American Publishers recently proposed to implement a public access database called CHORUS on behalf of funding agencies. Given their vocal opposition to the US government's public access mandates on federally funded research, Michael Eisen is very sceptical of their ability to enable improved access. Furthermore, there is no need for commercial publishers to build a new system when the government already has systems like PubMedCentral to facilitate public access.


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Whether race season is over or you're looking for a summer-weight riding jersey, the Mille Short Sleeve jersey from Assos is the ideal choice. This lightweight, comfortable jersey provides optimal breathability and moisture wicking while adding in a roomy, comfortable fit. Patterned in Assos' Regular Fit, the Mille GT is less race-y than some of their offerings, making this a great choice for Sunday spins or post-work workouts. Constructed from the lightweight, breathable Stripe textile, Assos intended the Mille GT for high-output use during the warmer months, providing UV protection to be the daily workhorse.


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A Wearable System That Could Track You Until You Die
The first biometric device to include fertility information, Bellabeat's Leaf aims to contextualize women's health from birth to death.
By Julie Taraska 3 minute Read
When it comes to the human body, the sexes are not equal. Sure, men and women share a lot of parts, such as hearts and legs and lungs and breasts. But physiologically, their bodies respond differently to the same stimuli.
Chalk part of it up to a woman's monthly cycle. Ovulation, menstruation, and contraceptive intake create a rollercoaster of hormone fluctuations that, depending on the day, can affect everything from temperature to respiratory rate. So if a woman wears a fitness device that tracks those measurements as if they were taken in a vacuum, without factoring in the larger physical picture, she's getting skewed data that is useless at best and potentially harmful at worst.
That realization inspired Bellabeat's Leaf. A wearable device and attendant health system, it is the first to combine a woman's biometrics with data about her reproductive cycle.
"We felt the quantified-self movement was overlooking women," says Urska Srsen, Bellabeat co-founder and chief creative officer, dismissing some of the other female-targeted wearables such as the Fitbit and Misfit Shine. "And no one was working on the software, which is the crucial part. So we created a platform that could holistically measure women's health, both emotionally and physically."
The quantified-self movement was overlooking women, aside for making wristbands in pink.
The platform's first piece is Leaf, a wisp of medical-grade stainless steel and sustainable wood that measures daily activity, quality of sleep, and breathing rate. The jewelry can be worn as a clip, on a necklace, or on a leather bracelet; it also comes in a limited-edition gold-plated version. "We wanted to make something women would be happy to wear even if they didn't need to," explains Srsen. Leaf has a six-month battery life and wirelessly syncs with a smartphone.
But the second part, Leaf's proprietary app, pairs this information with reproductive data that the user enters manually. The app's algorithm contextualizes the results, creating actionable points, such as breathing exercises, and sleep recommendations, which take that female user's full health state at that very moment into consideration.
Leaf is Bellabeat's first step in a far more ambitious goal: to create a platform (and attendant devices) that will help women track their well-being at all stages of life. "We're trying to create a system that includes all possible metrics that can influence a woman's health," says Srsen. The company plans on adding weight- and temperature-tracking to its app next, offering a variation from the usual biometrics tailored around strength and performance.
The evolution makes sense, considering Bellabeat's debut product: a fetal monitor and app that allowed mothers-to-be to hear, track, and share their babies' heartbeat. "When we started to do research on fetal monitors, we found all these clunky, cold devices that looked technical and that you'd need a license to run. They were not adjusted to the more sensitive periods of a woman's life, such as when she is trying to conceive," says Srsen of the experience. "It was also hard to understand the kind of data they were producing, and why it was relevant to the mother's or baby's health."
Those lessons directly fed into the design and interface of Leaf, from the use of sustainable materials to the way the app presents the digested data. They also drove Bellabeat to develop its platform into, "something that let women understand their health in general, not just during pregnancy," says Srsen.
"We're not trying to make everyone jog every day," she says of the company's motivation. "We just want women to lead healthier lives and get from the product what they truly want or need at that moment."
Leaf is currently on preorder for $119, with the first batch shipping this month.
Julie Taraska is a New York-based writer, e-retail editrix, and (somewhat) reformed punk who has worked for everyone from Wallpaper* to Gilt Groupe. Reach her on Twitter at @julietaraska.
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COFFEE, CHOCOLATE AND THE THEATRE OF MARIONETTES When did coffee reach Europe? And chocolate? Who would drink them and during which occasions? And what has Venice to do with these products?
The itinerary will move through several districts of the city, discovering what became an elegant occasion to socialise, tasting exotic drinks among seduction, games and intellectual pleasure.
We will visit an artisan coffee shop where artisans roast the beans, a laboratory where marionettes are hand-made, to end up with the atmosphere of the society in the 18th century in Venice, visiting the Querini Stampalia palace and the celebrated Florian cafe in st Mark's square.
Torrefazione Cannaregio™ has been roasting coffee in its shop using artisanal methods since 1930. Nowadays it's the only coffee shop in the historic center of Venice in which the roasting process is performed every day. By over 80 years the coffee shop continues to roast coffee with the same passion, between jute bags and steaming cups. All types of coffee, roasted using artisan methods, come from directly the best coffee-growing areas in the world.


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HomeNewsAnita Purves Nature Center celebrates 40 years
Anita Purves Nature Center celebrates 40 years
The Anita Purves Nature Center welcomed the public Monday to its 40th birthday party. The nature center also cut the ribbon on its solar power monitoring station, so people can learn about how the sun provides power to the building.
The afternoon also featured an owl presentation, refreshments, a scavenger hunt and information about all the nature center programs and offerings.
Everyone was excited and interested in the new solar power station launched at the nature center. "We are happy to have solar power return to Anita Purves Nature Center," said Judy Miller, Environmental Program Manager.
The nature center had a solar water system several years ago, but it didn't survive subsequent additions and remodeling. "What's really exciting is that the solar monitoring station will help teach kids and adults how solar power works and how the nature center is reducing its carbon footprint," Miller added.
While the nature center marks a milestone birthday, nature center staff are already looking to the future. "The nature center has changed in appearance over the years, but our mission is unchanged. We want to facilitate and enhance people's experience with nature. And, we want to make nature accessible to everyone," Miller said.


According to World Tourism Organization (WTO), tourism is accountable for about 5% of global CO2 emissions and contributes to 4.6% of global warming. WTO further states that air travel is responsible for 40% of the total carbon emissions, the hotel industry accounts to approximately 20% of emissions as a result of air-conditioning, heating and maintenance of facilities, and recreations such as museums, theme parks, events and shopping contribute to around 3.5% of emissions.
There is no way that the WTO data on carbon emissions can ever decrease if we are never mindful of the activities we undertake, including travel and leisure, which refrain us from living a sustainable life.
This is in Bhutan and it is an example of tour we ought to experience and promote. Image Credit: BHUTAN GREEN TRAVEL.
We travel for many reasons: To learn, collect memories, shop, recreate, hibernate or maintain a status symbol. As long as the outcome is morally upright, any reason is valuable.
One of the most sustainable forms of shopping is found in Vietnam's floating market. Image Credit: VIETWAY TRAVEL.
Traveling either defines or shapes one's character judging on the kind of impact one contributes toward social, economic, cultural and environmental progress which are the pillars of sustainability.
Thus, traveling green is not just an epitome of a well-protected ecosystem, but also a responsibility towards the said pillars of sustainability.
This is Dhole's Den found in Karnataka, India. It is an eco-friendly lodge named after the Asiatic wild dog. The lodge is entirely powered by wind turbines and solar cells. Its waste water is treated in reed beds and used to cultivate their vegetable gardens while food waste is turned into bio-gas. Image and content credit: ASIA FOR GOOD.
Despite zealous efforts of few responsible individuals and agencies, sustainable traveling is not yet a keyword. As such, the crisis on global warming is magnifying.
True enough, the end does not justify the means. We must have goals to substantiate our reasons for traveling. There has to be a greater purpose so as to make one's life worthy.
PLAN your itineraries ahead of time prior to the trip and stick to it. It will save you a lot of time and resources when you are able to maximize your tours as planned.
RESEARCH about the places of interest you intend to visit. It is necessary for you know the dos and don'ts of the places and strictly follow it. Behaving well is an indication of a mature individual deserving of high respect.
STOP leaving your trashes behind. If you are trekking, strictly follow the marked trails, signage or reminders to protect the flora and fauna. Your trashes may accidentally feed the wildlife. It will not only damage the local inhabitants but it will also ultimately affect us if the sources of our daily food come from the oceans and forests.
PATRONIZE only attractions that DO NOT exploit the wildlife such as: performing seals, dolphins, elephants, etc. Outside the show, you never how these animals are treated. They are created by GOD to live in its natural habitat for the purpose of a balanced ecosystem. Otherwise, there will always be catastrophes when we fail to recognize that a balanced nature is crucial. This is one of the reasons why natural calamities in parts of the world keep on happening.
SELECT the small operators if you need to engage local tour operators. You do not only give them the chance to boost their business but also they have lesser impact on the environment because they will only utilize minimal energy and resources. It is also ideal if you choose operators who are advocates of preserving the natural resources, hire local guides, promote local culture and enterprise, and are members of The International Ecotourism Society. This means that they contribute to sustaining the livelihood of the local community. The same also applies when booking accommodation.
SHOP locally made products or buy directly from indigenous artisans. These products are handmade out of native resources so it's certainly free from harmful preservatives or chemicals. You are not only helping them preserve their livelihood but also their priceless culture. By preserving their livelihood, it will prevent them from leaving their native lands to join the saturated city life which does not give them any guarantee of decent living.
BUY anything EXCEPT those made of endangered plants or animals. You will become an accessory to crime against the preservation of endangered creatures. BE COMPASSIONATE AND RESPONSIBLE. After all, your safety is dependent on how you treat people, the animals and the environment. Karma never sleeps.
BRING your own reusable bag for shopped goods or items which you usually carry with you daily for the duration of the tour. We should know that plastics have high percentage of various toxic chemicals. It is non-biodegradable and if not carefully disposed, it severely harms the environment including the surroundings to which we live. As much as possible, buy foods which are not packed in plastic containers. The chemicals of the plastic transmit to the food and it compromises your health.
BOOK your accommodation in a guesthouse. It has lesser carbon emissions through its cost-conscious efforts. Guesthouses or budget inns rarely do room cleanings. It cuts down on chemical cleansing agents, electricity for cleaning and water for washing the linens and towels or even for clothes if laundry service is availed. After all, you are out the whole time on tours so it is not practical to pay so much for expensive accommodations. But if you are really a big fan of pampering hotels, choose the ones that have sustainability initiatives such as engaging in recycling, energy and water conservation programs. It is always gratifying if you are contributing to the preservation of natural resources.
BOOK airlines that have carbon offset programs. If possible, book non-stop flights for lengthy trips. There are airlines that use alternative cleaner fuels and renewable energy. Supporting their noble initiatives can help transform other airlines into implementing such programs as well.
TAKE trains or buses in all your itineraries. Not only do you learn in greater detail but also these modes of transportation have lesser harmful impacts to the environment. To maximize your adventures and keep up to a healthier momentum, walking is best for itineraries within a distance. For driving distance, renting a hybrid or electric vehicle is not only cost-efficient but also environmentally friendly. As a frequent traveler, I am most fulfilled when I explore on my own without any guided tour dictating on the time and place I should be. Let this be your kind of experience too.
TRAVELING is the best form of learning. The purpose of your travel should not be limited to leisure alone. It is also a perfect opportunity to learn intensely about the culture, dialect/language, delicacies and crafts, and interact beneficially with the local people. Enabling this kind of mastery empowers an individual and can deal articulately with people from all walks of life.
Easy Jet is one of the world's top 5 greenest carrier for responsibly managing its carbon emissions and monitoring its carbon neutral growth. It is also a low-cost airline. Image Credit: LONELY PLANET.
When you leave a good impression to the places you visit, you demonstrate the kind of person you are and environment you come from.
Earning respect from fame and fortune is very superficial and unstable. But earning respect from being a RESPONSIBLE STEWARD towards the pillars of sustainability is timeless and priceless.
What goes around comes around. Give genuine respect and it will come back to you.
Weaving garments in the Province of Abra, Philippines. Traveling is most rewarding if you learn about the culture and its handmade products. Image Credit: LAKWATSERONG TSINELAS.
Learn to travel greener and share it with others. You will reap immense benefits.
When an inspiration is passed on to another and consistently to many others, we are protecting Mother Earth and ultimately, our lives.
Embrace sustainable traveling. Enjoy the rewards of being a green traveler!