Earth, Wind & Power Blogazine

Back Issues Available of EWP & RTM

 

Did you know that our partner Road & Travel Magazine has been publishing since 1989? Among the hundreds of issues and thousands of articles published many have been dedicated strictly to environmental topics. There, in RTM's back issue section, articles have been archived back as far as 2001. Please feel free to search our back issue archives to find additional resources and articles on earth-friendly topics.

Did you know that Road & Travel Magazine was the first publication to give an award for the most environmental friendly car of the year? In 1997, RTM produced and hosted an auto awards show in Detroit which honored the GM - EV1 as the vehicle that was 'Most Likely to Change the World.'

The Earth-Friendly Award continued for several years but sadly there were so few competitors back then that we discontinued the award until more automakers joined the party. By 2009, most car companies had introduced various forms of eco-friendly vehicles from hybrid to diesel to now electric. As a result of their progress, we launched the Earth, Wind & Power Awards, which are dedicated to clean car technology. Stay tuned as we continue to expand the EWP Awards down the road.

Also visit the RTM Blog!

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How to Offset Your Emissions on a Cruise

With an increased interest in all things "green," including travel, people are scrambling to erase their carbon footprints. One small ship cruise operator, AdventureSmith Explorations, is leading the revolution by offering guests the opportunity to neutralize their carbon emissions on their next trip.

To neutralize calculates the amount of carbon emitted by each small ship cruise itinerary it offers then divides that by the number of guests cruising each year. In turn, when a cruise is purchased, AdventureSmith Explorations contributes a portion of the cruise fare to Sustainable Travel International’s MyClimate carbon offset program to support climate friendly projects around the world; projects such as methane collection and electricity generation in South Africa, solar collectors instead of diesel boilers in Costa Rica, and weatherizing low income housing in the United States.

Next time you are planning a cruise, look into smaller cruise lines that allow you to get up close and personal with your destinations and reduce your carbon footprint.

More about offsetting your cruise emissions.

Ecoventura Galapagos Expeditions: Greenest Cruises

The Galapagos is known for its booming ecotourism, but ironically, that tourism has added to the challenges and problems faced by those looking to restore and protect the island's native species and ecological balance.

But Ecoventura, an environmentally responsible expedition cruise line is not a part of that problem.  The winner of Conde Nast Traveler’s (CNT) 15th Annual World Savers Award in the category of Cruise Lines, Ecoventura has an ongoing mission to be the pacesetter for responsible tourism in the Galapagos Islands.

 

Ecoventura’s focus on improving conditions in the Galapagos yielded the company the highest score in the category of Cruise Line from the panel of judges. The company was noted as outstanding in four distinct areas:

 

•  Education: For granting scholarships to Ecuadorian students interested in environmental and marine conservation.

•  Poverty: For funding a micro-enterprise for fishermen’s wives helping convert a boat into a restaurant & boutique.

•  Preservation: For operating the first hybrid power yacht in the Galapagos with solar panels & wind turbines that reduced carbon emissions by 10%.

•  Health: For paying the salaries of physical therapists and sign-language teachers at a school in Galapagos.

 

For more ecotourism news, visit RTM's Earth Tones section.

 

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Sailing: Stylish, Versatile & Eco-Conscious on the Water

Considering dropping some cash on a cruise, sportsboat or jetski? These are all fun, relaxing ways to enjoy the outdoors, but these activities are often environmentally hypocritical because of their degradation upon the very area you wish to enjoy. Sailing is much more complementary to nature. It's also versatile - you could call it a sport, adventure or vacation. While fear of the unknown may cause some resistance from family & friends, keep in mind that with the help of crews your sailing experience can be as interactive or luxurious as you like. Sailing allows you to travel the water as a ecotourist, because it involves harnessing the energy from the wind and water.

The perfect example is Tahoe Sailing Charters, which depart daily from Lake Tahoe’s North Shore, utilizing a small diesel engine which uses clean burning bio-diesel fuel. They only operate the engine about 10% of the time, when wind power is contrary to pre-planned destinations and schedules.  To harness their power from the wind as much as possible, they schedule their sailing cruises efficiently.

In Florida, Offshore Sailing offers campus-style sailing school in three destination resorts, so families can learn this eco-friendly way to spend time together on the water.

 

As an added bonus, ladies can use this as an opportunity to go vintage sailor-outfit shopping! Because sailor-themed clothes have been a quiet trend for so long, there's tons of vintage sailor-themed accessories and clothes out there, like sailor button-jeans, anchor necklaces, and of course, the sailor girl dress.

For more eco-adventure travel ideas, visit RTM's Earth Tones.

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