Ideas for greener tourism in Myanmar [Relevant to other countries too] (Apr18)
There are over 3,000 temples in Bagan… Aureum Palace Hotel in Bagan claimed that 99% of clients want their sheets changed daily “99% of people like to have their bed linen changed at hotels at least once a day”. Really? I wondered how this assertion could be validated. But, I haven’t been able to respond […]
The olive oil industry survives the cruise ships in Montenegro… (May17)
They are humungous. The cruise ships in Kotor were like vast beasts completely dwarfing the beautiful historic buildings that have been quietly sitting on the shores of the Adriatic for millennia. And, they spit out their tourist cargo onto smaller boats to visit the scenic islands, bell towers and cobbled streets. I was there for […]
Behind the Scenes in Paradise (Feb17)
I’m hoping that my eco-footprint, on our luxury holiday staying at the Six Senses Hotel, Zil Payson, in the Seychelles – is considerably less than other guests! How so? It comes mainly from my aversion to air conditioning. Our residence was one of 30 beautiful villas nestled in the hills and rocks of Felicite Island. We […]
Was our luxury holiday good or bad for the environment? (Feb17)
A friend of mine argues that the impact of long-distance flying to exotic locations outweighs any possible environmental benefit to the places you might visit…. I’m not so sure. We’ve just come back from the Seychelles. It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. Apart from the world class beaches – […]
Venice is sinking (Mar16)
It felt apocalyptic. Exceptional flood levels. Sandbags. Elevated planks to walk along. St Mark’s Square underwater and a deluge. But I discovered that this was not very unusual. And, it’s not a new phenomenon either. In 1966 there was a huge storm which meant that the Piazza San Marco had a flood over five feet […]
Why aren’t restaurants more sustainable? (Oct11)
Bluefin tuna is one of the most endangered species on the planet but it’s still being served in London restaurants. Monkfish is not very sustainable either – if it’s on the menu, ask the restaurant about their sustainable fish policies The Hive Beach Cafe in Burton Bradstock is one of the first […]
Walking into Slovenia (Jul11)
We walked over the mountains from Italy into Slovenia. At the top the view was blue – we could see mountain ridges into the distance. No-one else was there. We didn’t come across any other walkers all day. The first person we saw was an elderly farmer scything grass in a meadow. The other striking […]
Geo Mission – Environmental Sponsorship (Mar11)
I first met Pen Hadow when we were fellow judges for Morgan Stanley’s Great Britons 2004. Since then Pen has been on a few more polar expeditions and more recently he’s set up Geo Mission – a company promoting environmental sponsorship. I gave an interview for their magazine about why companies should be ‘doing more good, rather than less […]
Down in the woods (Apr10)
Children at Mallinsons Woodland Workshop Shower made from living willow Guy Mallinson My sons spent a couple days of their holidays in the woods. They were trying out Guy Mallinson’s Woodland Workshops. The setting is magical, particularly as Spring was in the air. I was particularly intrigued at the new shower block, […]
How Green is Scarlet – Eco-hotel in Cornwall (Jan10)
My first impression of the building was horrendous. It was sitting on the cliff top surrounded by bungalows and modern seaside houses. Looking at the website for the Scarlet Hotel near Bedruthan Steps in Cornwall, I had thought that it stood on its own in a beautiful bay. The picture of the distinctive red hot […]
Hong Kong was dirty (Dec09)
Photo I took of the smog in Hong Kong – it should have been a sunny day! Air conditioning in Hong Kong is having a huge impact on climate change Kowloon Christmas tat in street market We flew through a brownish smog as we descended into Hong Kong airport. During my four days in […]
Greening hotels (Apr09)
I stay in hotels all the time. And I quite often give feedback. Most hotels are incredibly wasteful. Common practices include: -Leaving lights on in bedrooms when they’re unoccupied -Double beds with lots of pillows for only one person (resulting in lots of unnecessary laundry) -Individually wrapped soaps, shampoos and other products -Over-heating or cooling […]