Go Greener Tips

Posts Tagged ‘holiday’

If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life, but do not want to abandon your home comforts, a holiday cottage break might be just the ticket.

Holidays in these specially maintained holiday cottages have become particularly popular in recent years. With the recession leaving couples and families less cash to purchase on their getaways, lots of have turned to less expensive breaks closer to home.

Whilst you do not have the excitement of jetting off to foreign climes, you can save yourself a bunch of the stress, time and inconvenience that comes with a average overseas package holiday. There is a great number of holiday cottages so you can easily get one wherever it is that you are searching to travel to. There are also similar offers not only in your country but also abroad. So the distance you travel is down to you.

Whatever holiday cottage you choose, wherever in the world it may be and for however lengthy you choose to stay, it is your base. It is a surrogate home for you to come and go as you please; so there is no need to forfeit the comforts you’ve become accustomed to back in your own home.

Whilst these kinds of getaway are not inexpensive per se, they tend to be very good value for money. By removing airport taxes, flight costs and everything else that contributes to the cost of a foreign holiday, you get a little more bang for your buck. That means a better standard of lodging and a more tranquil setting for you to enjoy your time off from the rate race.

For families there are alternatives to the traditional country cottage escape. If your kids must be entertained, there is a number of holiday cottages located within family-orientated holiday parks. Here you’ll get activities to keep them occupied throughout the day, giving you the space to relax and enjoy your own refreshing break.

So whatever your budget is, you shouldn’t be short of great quality options. You should obviously attempt to do as much research about a location and the company you’re using beforehand, just to make sure that it is able to meet your individual requirements. Read the reviews of people who have stayed there previously and see if there’s anything that perhaps you must be weary of.

Find a location, get a holiday company, and then choose your holiday cottage. All you must do then is pack up your stuff and get away for a few days. There is no stress, no airport disasters, no final minute passport panics. Enjoy a holiday cottage break and discover a little segment of the country you’ve never been to before.

Lots of people prefer spending their holidays outside the city limits. No doubt for those people holiday cottage rental would be an interesting option. There are different ways to search for holiday cottages but the most convenient one is the Internet. Avail yourself of Google or any other search engine to find country cottages and you will get a number of options to select from.

Gloria Camposon of Daily Green Tips

Thanksgiving is around the corner for some of us. If you celebrate it you know how non-environmentally friendly it can be. If your are looking for ways to green it up this year, here are some quick green tips to make your Thanksgiving as eco-friendly as possible.

1. Turkey Compromise. The most obvious eco-solution is to not buy a turkey and just have a complete vegan meal, especially if you’ve recently filled you head up on all the recent news on the environmental impact of eating meat, but your family has decided to go against the idea. You want you and your family to be happy so you make a compromise (no, not a soy shaped into a turkey). To compromise you can do several things:

a. You can buy and cook the turkey give it to your family and not eat it yourself. Eat a delicious organic salad, with cherries and nuts and homemade dressing, but unless you are already vegan or vegetarian, do you really have the will power to smell the turkey and not eat it?

b. Buy an organic Free-Range Turkey. An organic free range turkey is suppose to be turkey that is not in cages and is allowed to move about the yard. Some informative sites to turn to to make sure you are getting exactly what you are looking for are Really Natural and Free Range Turkeys.

c. Yes, organic free-range turkeys can be expensive so if it doesn’t fit in your budget this year consider another alternative. Buy a regular turkey and the rest of your food organic. Local Farmers market is a good place to look for organic fruits and veggies, but if there isn’t one near your area buy organic from your local grocery store.

2. Organic. Buy everything you can buy organic, milk, meat, veggies, fruits, etc. This includes any boxed or canned items you may purchase. Remember to go online and search for Organic coupons. This will help cut down the cost of your Thanksgiving feast

3. Packaging. When you go to the store buy things that have the least amount of packaging and try to buy packaging that is environmentally friendly.

4. Don’t cook so much. Yes, “it is better to have more than not enough” but is it really necessary to count 3 servings per person? Isn’t that a bit much? Think about all the left overs you had last year and then cut down on that amount of servings if you are going to have the same amount of people over this year. . Between the turkey, the many side dishes and the desserts there is plenty of food to stuff everyone and more. If you accidentally do make too much food or someone cancels, give the leftovers away to family and friends, Don’t let them mold up in the fridge.

5. Dinnerware and silverware. It’s okay to use your good dishes or even your regular dishes for Thanksgiving. It is a celebration after all, but if the thought of washing so many dishes is terrifying look into biodegradable or bamboo disposable dishes.

6. Beautiful weather outside. A lot of bodies in one house can make the place warm so if its cool outside open up some windows to help the place cool down, instead of turning on the AC.

7. Decorations. Reuse your old decorations from last year in new way or just make some new ones. Use items from your back yard and fall fabric colors if you have any to make a nice centerpiece. As always the Internet is a great resource for creative ideas. Any bought decorations should also be environmentally friendly, that includes flowers, plants and so on.

8. 100-Mile. Participate in the 100-Mile Thanksgiving challenge from Treehugger. If you haven’t heard of it yet click on the link here.

9. Plant a tree. Winter season is a good time to plant trees and shrubs so take this time to plant a tree and keep the green growing.

10. Carbon credits. If you must fly or drive to visit family this Thanksgiving consider purchasing carbon credits to make up for it.

11. Donate your turkey fat. No, not the fat you put on from eating the turkey, but the actual fat from the cooked Turkey. Can you believe a Tucson-based company recycles Turkey fat into Biofuel? Check to see if a company in your community does too.

12. Say Thanks..

Another St Patrick’s Day is just around the corner and Irish pubs all over the world will soon be jam-packed with millions of beer lovers in their green suits, eager to make a toast to the patron saint of Ireland. And if you find yourself traveling somewhere across the globe during this fest, don’t forget to grab a green hat and start looking for a cool pub to celebrate this March 17.

But if you’re traveling with an eco conscience, considering the environmental issues involved in any trip, is beer a good choice for you? Can you really call it eco? Sure you can. Let’s take a look at some green beer options to celebrate a green St Patrick’s, both in color and spirit.

You probably already knew that beer is mostly water, but it’s also produced from several agricultural products, such as barley, wheat, and other cereal grains. And like most crops ,it can be grown in a natural and healthy way, as an organic product. Organic Beer is the result of a brewery and fermentation process which doesn’t involve synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. For beer to be considered organic, hops (the agents that give the beverage its flavor) must also be grown organically, without the use of fungicides. All these unhealthy chemicals are responsible for polluting our water and can cause soil degradation. Lots of beer lovers also maintain that barley and hops grown in healthier soil are tastier. So, with an organic beer in your hand, you’ll not only be making a positive environmental contribution by supporting organic agriculture, you’ll be enjoying your drink more.

Asking for local beers or finding homebrew shops is always a wise option when traveling. You’ll be preventing carbon emissions caused by transporting foreign beer, and you’ll probably be drinking an eco friendly beverage while your at it, as there’ll be no need for the preservatives normally used when bottles are shipped long distances. This will also help local producers, as fair trade beer boosts small farmer efforts. Local products may even entail a wider range of flavors.

If you’re willing to research deeper, you may look for sustainable initiatives by breweries. Some companies are really making efforts in recycling, carbon-dioxide recovery, or water conservation. You may find breweries powered by solar energy, or presenting a waste water treatment system, where brewing water is also used for cleaning the facilities. Other companies even compost their leftover brewing yeast or any vegetable waste, or turn the organic matter into biogas.

Pubs can also help take care of the environment by serving beer in glasses instead of plastic cups, or handing out reusable growlers. Some pubs use cellars instead of air conditioning to achieve the ideal beer temperature, spending less money on electricity. And let’s not forget that there are always eco friendly options for bottles and packages, such as paper-free bottles or boxes made from recycled materials.

Now that you are an organic beer fan, you might check out The North American Organic Brewers Festival (NAOBF), celebrating its fifth edition in June, in Portland, Oregon. Featuring organic beers from North America and Europe, the event poured over 75 different organic beers last year, and drew a crowd of about 15,000 attendees.

Each year, the green beer offer is increasing everywhere, so enjoy your eco pint on 2009 St Patrick’s, and then come back to tell us how it tasted.

from:

http://www.ecotrotters.com/eco-articles-Eco-Drinking–/64656a6b3565416859434d3d-article.html

Another St Patrick’s Day is just around the corner and Irish pubs all over the world will soon be jam-packed with millions of beer lovers in their green suits, eager to make a toast to the patron saint of Ireland. And if you find yourself traveling somewhere across the globe during this fest, don’t forget to grab a green hat and start looking for a cool pub to celebrate this March 17.

But if you’re traveling with an eco conscience, considering the environmental issues involved in any trip, is beer a good choice for you? Can you really call it eco? Sure you can. Let’s take a look at some green beer options to celebrate a green St Patrick’s, both in color and spirit.

You probably already knew that beer is mostly water, but it’s also produced from several agricultural products, such as barley, wheat, and other cereal grains. And like most crops ,it can be grown in a natural and healthy way, as an organic product. Organic Beer is the result of a brewery and fermentation process which doesn’t involve synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. For beer to be considered organic, hops (the agents that give the beverage its flavor) must also be grown organically, without the use of fungicides. All these unhealthy chemicals are responsible for polluting our water and can cause soil degradation. Lots of beer lovers also maintain that barley and hops grown in healthier soil are tastier. So, with an organic beer in your hand, you’ll not only be making a positive environmental contribution by supporting organic agriculture, you’ll be enjoying your drink more.

Asking for local beers or finding homebrew shops is always a wise option when traveling. You’ll be preventing carbon emissions caused by transporting foreign beer, and you’ll probably be drinking an eco friendly beverage while your at it, as there’ll be no need for the preservatives normally used when bottles are shipped long distances. This will also help local producers, as fair trade beer boosts small farmer efforts. Local products may even entail a wider range of flavors.

If you’re willing to research deeper, you may look for sustainable initiatives by breweries. Some companies are really making efforts in recycling, carbon-dioxide recovery, or water conservation. You may find breweries powered by solar energy, or presenting a waste water treatment system, where brewing water is also used for cleaning the facilities. Other companies even compost their leftover brewing yeast or any vegetable waste, or turn the organic matter into biogas.

Pubs can also help take care of the environment by serving beer in glasses instead of plastic cups, or handing out reusable growlers. Some pubs use cellars instead of air conditioning to achieve the ideal beer temperature, spending less money on electricity. And let’s not forget that there are always eco friendly options for bottles and packages, such as paper-free bottles or boxes made from recycled materials.

Now that you are an organic beer fan, you might check out The North American Organic Brewers Festival (NAOBF), celebrating its fifth edition in June, in Portland, Oregon. Featuring organic beers from North America and Europe, the event poured over 75 different organic beers last year, and drew a crowd of about 15,000 attendees.

Each year, the green beer offer is increasing everywhere, so enjoy your eco pint on 2009 St Patrick’s, and then come back to tell us how it tasted.

from:

http://www.ecotrotters.com/eco-articles-Eco-Drinking–/64656a6b3565416859434d3d-article.html

Posted by Green Life Staff

St. Patty’s Day is the perfect time for everyone to drag out their most vibrant green togs and joyfully pinch and kiss their way through the day. And on this day, which honors the death of Ireland’s patron saint, Patricius Daorbae, who was reputed to have driven the snakes from Ireland, abstinence from Irish alcoholic beverage is almost considered sacrilege amongst the holiday’s most devoted keepers. Truth told, since the Irish celebrate the event for a full five days, one day of imbibing is tame by comparison.

As is the way of modern times, the celebration that began as a religious observance of the death of one of Ireland’s most beloved patron saints has become commercialized beyond recognition. Today we honor the venerated saint by marching gigantic helium filled leprechauns down the street, lighting up electrified shamrocks and pouring gallons of green die on anything that doesn’t move. Irish bloggers, musicians, public servants and business persons proudly command center stage in some of the most raucous parade demonstrations seen.

We’d like to suggest a few activities that green revelers might like to incorporate into their celebrations. A few simple alterations to the modern tradition and one can trade in their hard-soled clogs for much gentler Ghillies and diminish their carbon footprint.

Main dishes: Corned beef and cabbage paired with carrots, potatoes and onions is considered by many to be a must-have for every St. Paddy’s day table, but it is more correctly an adulteration of the more traditional Irish boiled dinner. Instead, try a true Irish tradition: Irish stew, Coddle, or for the vegetarians out there, Colcannon. Tuck in to a hearty portion of Bangers and boxty for lunch.

Breakfast and dessert: You needn’t limit your celebration to the main meal of the day. Instead, observe every meal as an opportunity to immerse yourself in the Irish culture. Break your fast with warm Irish soda bread or, better yet, buttermilk scones. And don’t forget the biscuits (cookies) to cleanse the palate after those hearty meals!

Clothes: Rather than contribute to conspicuous consumption, consider dying one of your less favorite (natural fabric) items from your closet an appropriate hue of green for the day. Green vegetable dyes can be extracted by boiling, pulverizing then straining dark, leafy greens (such as kale orchard). You’ll need a pretty intense pigment, so start with a couple of bunches of greens. Put your togs into the hot liquid and let soak (at least a few hours and preferably overnight). Air-dry and enjoy!

Alcohol free drinks: One needn’t partake of alcohol to enjoy St. Paddy’s day. Ireland offers a wide range of alcohol-free beverages that pair well with the traditional foods of the day. First of all there’s tea. Fine Irish tea is a fitting match for your breakfast meal or after your lunch or dinner. If anyone is put off by a well-steeped pot of tea, offer a bit of cream and sugar to soften its tannic bite. Ice-cold apple cider echoes traditional Irish cider, which is fermented and offers one heck of a morning-after kick! Tea flavored with honey, lemon and cinnamon mimics the popular “hot toddy” and can help slow the house down at the end of a long day. And there’s always soda (sparkling water), tonic (bitter sparkling water) and still water.

Alcoholic beverages: Ireland offers a host of traditional beer and whiskey to tempt the most discerning palate. Try your Guinness Stout the traditional way – at room temperature. Or enjoy a tempting Irish Coffee with a cube of sugar, a jigger of fine peat whiskey, an ounce of heavy cream and six ounces of strong black coffee. Stir gently while enjoying the company of friends and sip in front of a roaring fire.

Cooking: If kids, family, friends or significant others want to try their hand at something new in the kitchen, invite them to help prepare your traditional Irish fare. The recipes are not exacting, and with “Riverdance” playing in the background, things will be done in no time.

Baking: Shamrock-shaped cookies and Irish soda bread are a great way to get the kids involved in your St. Patrick’s Day celebration.

Environmental: Bring a little beauty and luck to the world by spreading some clover seed or planting sorrel, which has the distinct look of the leprechaun’s lucky 4-leaf clover.

Music: Pick up or download a selection of Irish reels and ballads to entertain your guests at your feast. Inexpensive CDs are available at discount stores and online from resellers. And don’t miss out on the rich selection of music available on the internet. Or, reduce waste by visiting a local used music store and keep those old tapes and CDs from making their way to the landfill.

Dance: Once the reels get underway it’s almost impossible not to want to get up and move, and kids are great at going with the flow. Don’t worry about whether you know the steps … on this day you’re Irish. The steps will find their way to your feet unbidden. This is the day to toss your reservations into the fire and flow with the pulse of the people, so grab your kids, form a circle and dance!

When it comes to going on holiday, no-one wants to compromise on comfort. Having worked for months to even afford to go away in the first place, many people will have only one consideration when it comes to setting off – “how quickly can I get there?”

Often this consideration results in getting on a plane and flying somewhere hot. Can you really be bothered with environmental matters when sometimes you’ll only get between ten days and a fortnight off all year? With so little time off, priorities may become skewed, or at least compromised in some way. Obviously sunning oneself by a pool can be a very attractive proposition when you’ve been hunched over a desk for the preceding eight months.  Getting there as quickly as possible is also to be desired.

As our world develops technologically, it is getting smaller by the day. Obviously flying is the quickest way to get to another place.  That it is not an ecologically desirable way is not in dispute, but some airlines are looking at ways to either decrease or offset the impact that the aviation industry is having on the planet. Some remain nakedly unconcerned about their own impact, but negative exposure is leading to these airlines suffering in terms of sales, and will hopefully, eventually lead to them mending their ways.  But the fact remains that flying anywhere, as well as not being cheap, will hurt the environment more than any other method of travel.

Does this mean that you must always holiday close to home if you want to save money and the planet?  Of course it doesn’t.  You can travel long distances at reasonable speeds and in genuine comfort, while saving a little bit of money into the bargain. Coach journeys, if you have a few days extra, are a great way to travel and you’ll see more of the world from ground level than from a plane.  As international rail links improve, the intrepid traveller can go by train from the North of Scotland to parts of Asia, although admittedly you will need to leave yourself a bit of time for that!

When it comes to going on holiday, no-one wants to compromise on comfort. Having worked for months to even afford to go away in the first place, many people will have only one consideration when it comes to setting off – “how quickly can I get there?”

Often this consideration results in getting on a plane and flying somewhere hot. Can you really be bothered with environmental matters when sometimes you’ll only get between ten days and a fortnight off all year? With so little time off, priorities may become skewed, or at least compromised in some way. Obviously sunning oneself by a pool can be a very attractive proposition when you’ve been hunched over a desk for the preceding eight months.  Getting there as quickly as possible is also to be desired.

As our world develops technologically, it is getting smaller by the day. Obviously flying is the quickest way to get to another place.  That it is not an ecologically desirable way is not in dispute, but some airlines are looking at ways to either decrease or offset the impact that the aviation industry is having on the planet. Some remain nakedly unconcerned about their own impact, but negative exposure is leading to these airlines suffering in terms of sales, and will hopefully, eventually lead to them mending their ways.  But the fact remains that flying anywhere, as well as not being cheap, will hurt the environment more than any other method of travel.

Does this mean that you must always holiday close to home if you want to save money and the planet?  Of course it doesn’t.  You can travel long distances at reasonable speeds and in genuine comfort, while saving a little bit of money into the bargain. Coach journeys, if you have a few days extra, are a great way to travel and you’ll see more of the world from ground level than from a plane.  As international rail links improve, the intrepid traveller can go by train from the North of Scotland to parts of Asia, although admittedly you will need to leave yourself a bit of time for that!