Have you ever dreamed of going on an African safari? Just imagine exploring the terrain and wonderful creatures like elephants, zebras and giraffes. Get chills just thinking about it? Well, Boundless Journeys can satisfy your safari craving!

The Boundless Journeys travel guides offer diverse wilderness adventures, all while respecting the environment. Sensitive to the effects of travel, they strive to contribute positively to the world community through preservation of traditions, cultures and natural habitats.

By traveling in small groups, partnering with local people and supporting indigenous co-ops, Boundless Journeys maintains a civil relationship with the planet. Another great factor is tour guides are skilled naturalists with at least eight years of knowledge and experience, so you’ll get the best excursion possible.

Choose from visiting Botswana, Tanzania, Namibi and/or Zambia for a memorable journey. Some include riding on the traditional safari truck, where others you can explore on foot, canoe or boat.

If you’re worried about lodging, don’t, because Boundless Journeys offers a variety of choices from luxurious rooms to mobile camps. You can form your ideal safari to your liking.

For more information, visit their website and maybe you can make your safari dream come true!

Photo Credit: Boundless Journeys

Recently, blogger Jane Bills, traveled to New Orleans where she was lucky to experience the culture, the food, the environment, the green housing and have her own personal “green tour” of the city that endures several environmental challenges. Check out this piece by Bills and see how she captures “The Big Easy” in her own words.

The sunset over the Mississippi River as we landed. Hate to ruin the moment, but we soon learned that the agricultural runoff draining from 31 states to the north has created ecological dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico.

But First, The Food

Before we get into the environmental challenges this city endures, let’s enjoy the amazing tradition of food it has cultivated. There was one restaurant I just had to fit in to my visit: Cochon. All I knew is that 1) everyone who goes to New Orleans talks about it, and 2) it has pig parts. The waitress made two recommendations and they were the best things we ate (believe me, we ordered much more than this after an all-day flight and an abandoned airport salad).

Cochon’s wood-fired oysters with butter and hot sauce. We were going to order these again for dessert but the kitchen closed on us with no warning. Buzzkill alert!

Cochon’s smoked pork ribs in a tangy sauce with a kick of vinegar and “watermelon pickle”; and yes, the meat fell right off the bone. The finger-licking flavors reminded me of my long-coveted Cajun wings at NYC’s Great Jones Café. If I lived here, I would probably. live. here.

I dare you to pronounce the name on the street sign, especially after the “Swinekiller” cocktails we had.

Speaking of cocktails, I dragged a few of the conference ladies to Cure in Uptown on the advice of a friend who said it was one of the best places for drinks in the South. Here, the signature Sazerac, with Thomas H. Handy cask strength rye whiskey, Vieux Pontarlier absinthe (wait, what?), Demerara sugar, and lemon peel. Yep, I’m pretty sure this was the reason I was unusually chatty at dinner that night.

On the sweet side, a mandatory tourist stop is Café du Monde for coffee and beignets (fried dough covered in powdered sugar) and any of the fancy restaurants has a version of Bananas Foster (this one is at Arnaud’s—ooh, lookie here, I found the recipe!). I’m not a dessert person, but I could have easily gone for seconds (I blame the absinthe).

New Orleans and the Oil Refineries

We were honored to preface dinner at Arnaud’s with a visit from Mayor Mitch Landrieu, who had a handful of Southern-charm stories to keep the ladies laughing, but he also didn’t escape without a proper grilling over the stranglehold the oil companies have on this city. That’s when I knew I liked this group. There is deference and respect paid to busy people who have taken valuable time to speak with them, but they also seize the opportunity to speak directly about the contradictions they see, and they have a low tolerance for political spin.

The next day, we took a bus to the Barataria Preserve in Jean Lafitte National Historic Park, south of New Orleans, and outside of the levee perimeter. This gave a sense of the rapidly receding marshland, as did a boat tour on the bayou that afternoon, where we saw signs that warned of “no dredging” due to the presence of underwater oil pipelines. According to Mayor Landrieu and the Louisiana Oil & Gas Association, the state is the leading domestic producer of crude oil and the second highest producer of natural gas, accounting for 30 percent of the domestic oil supply. Tie that output to jobs and it’s hard to break the bond between oil companies and Louisiana politicians.

Is Gulf Seafood Really Safe?

So what does oil have to do with food? A lot, actually. Many synthetic preservatives, food dyes, flavorings, and pesticides are petroleum-derived. And the problems created by the oil industry in New Orleans are not just limited to one unfortunate disaster like the British Petroleum (BP) spill last year. As Anne Rolfes of the Lousiana Bucket Brigade told us, “The oil industry has an accident problem. I plan to repeat this sentence again and again until it becomes public knowledge.” She went on to say that there are nine oil industry accidents per week in Louisiana and thousands per year. When a conference member asked the panel if they eat the local seafood, Anne and her colleagues sheepishly admitted that they do not, and that, just the week before, a shipment of shrimp had arrived contaminated with oil—a result not necessarily from the BP spill but perhaps from the numerous other accidents that have followed it.

This is probably not something that Chef John Besh (left) and his guest at our dinner, shrimp fisherman Lance Nacio, want me to report, and surely they have their own data to refute it. (I’m guessing it has to do with whether you have a trusted supplier or not.) However, just one day before this trip, the New York Times reported that this year’s white shrimp harvest is all but nonexistent, with some reports saying it’s declined as much as 80 percent. It’s not yet certain that oil contamination is the culprit, but many have their suspicions.

At Besh’s flagship restaurant August, Nacio sat at our table and intrigued everyone with his friendly demeanor and honest assessment of both the seafood and oil industries. When Nacio couldn’t fish because of the oil spill, he worked for BP collecting and burning off the surface oil. He passed around photos of shrimp boats dwarfed by massive plumes of fire and smoke on the water. Nacio is now working diligently to get his sustainable shrimp business, Anna Marie Seafood, back on track, and that includes speaking out at events like this. Chef Besh told our group that he works with people like Nacio not to “eat local,” but because it’s the right thing to do, “to teach ourselves to be sustainable and not wait for federal help.”

Maybe it’s the discipline he honed as a U.S. marine, but Besh’s belief in self-reliance was in evidence again when, in the days after Hurricane Katrina, he cooked rice and beans in a front yard to feed people, and then partnered with emergency reconstruction specialists to create ready-to-eat meals for distribution in the U.S. and abroad. The immovable commitment that people like he and Mayor Landrieu have to this city—that they never even considered living anywhere but New Orleans—is certainly inspiring. In that spirit, Besh sponsors the Chef’s Move! scholarship, which awards a year’s tuition at NYC’s French Culinary Institute to a minority recipient from the New Orleans area. The catch? They have to come back and cook in New Orleans afterward.

The Rebuilding of the Ninth Ward After Hurricane Katrina

Of course, one cannot come to New Orleans and not see the daily reminders of Hurricane Katrina, whether it’s the looming Superdome that provided shelter to so many residents, or some houses in the Ninth Ward that are still—six years after the disaster—boarded up and spray painted with rescue codes for emergency responders.

In 2005, for reasons that are still debated, a levee gave way directly adjacent to the Lower Ninth Ward and more than 4,000 homes were flooded and destroyed. In all, more than 1,800 people lost their lives.

Brad Pitt, who has an affinity both for New Orleans and for architecture, wanted to help. He started the Make It Right foundation to build sustainable and affordable housing in the Ninth Ward that he hopes will become a prototype for other communities. Pitt asked thirteen architects to design various housing models (free of charge) that returning residents could choose from. They had to be environmentally friendly, energy-efficient, and storm-resistant, because no one disputes that the area will flood again. With heavy subsidies from Pitt’s foundation, each house costs $150,000 to build. At this time, about 70 of the planned 200 homes have been built or approved.

Design elements include solar panels, energy-saving appliances, non-toxic materials, and details like the ability to convert rainwater into irrigation for the garden.

The sidewalk is made with a pervious type of concrete meant to absorb water and each house stands at least five feet off the ground.

The “Floating House” is designed to rise and fall with a water surge of up to 14 feet.

With the closest grocery store more than seven miles away (it takes three times longer to get to a store than from any other New Orleans neighborhood), Make It Right also installed community gardens, open to all residents. (Periodically, goats are released to trim the grass.) It was recently reported that plans are in motion to build a grocery store here by 2013.

Looking from the Ninth Ward toward downtown New Orleans

One thing is for sure: a lot of people are working very hard to restore and rebuild this historical place, and it was inspiring to meet with them and understand their passion. Leaving here, you can’t help but want them all to succeed.

Restaurant recommendations:
August
Bayona
Cochon
Commander’s Palace
Coquette
Domilise Sandwich Shop (po’ boys)
Drago’s
Emeril’s
Herbsaint
Mother’s
Restaurant Stella
Sylvain
Willie Mae’s (fried chicken)

-Jane Bills, Let There Be Bite

Jane Bills is the owner of Let There Be Bite, a comprehensive food website that hand-picks the best ingredients in stores and online; shows you how to prepare them; and has zero tolerance for preservatives, pesticides, or GMO. Because life is too short for bad food!

All photos credited to Jane Bills.

Photo Credit: Flickr/Casqui (Luis Tamayo)

Boston isn’t just known for its history and colleges, but it is also known for its endeavor to instill the use of bikes throughout the entire city. Since the launch of the New Balance Hubway bike share program, more bikes can be seen riding throughout the Hub.

So, what exactly is this unique bike system? First launched on July 28, 2011 with 61 stations and 600 bicycles, the system provides people with accessible and green transportation. You can rent a bike near your home, the office or a friends place and bike to your next destination.

Three pricing options are provided; Annual, 3-Day or the 24-Hour membership for three seasons a year, as the program is not offered during the winter. In addition, bike rides less than 30 minutes are always free! 

According to the City of Boston’s Environmental & Energy Services E-Newsletter, the bike share program now has over 3,000 members and over 80,000 trips have been taken. The Boston Public Health Commission is also partnering with New Balance Hubway and offering a $5 subsidized annual membership for qualifying Boston residents. It doesn’t stop there; you also get a free helmet! 

Not only is this a great way to promote bicycling and a way to keep the environment clean and green, but it is a fun way to get from here to there, if you’re a Boston resident or tourist! For more information check out the website or stay up to date through Twitter or Facebook.

Photo Credit: Maya Tulum

Are you looking to get away from the cold weather or just need time off from work? Then, maybe you should check into an empowering (and eco focused) fitness retreat to soothe your mind, body and soul. Not only can you travel to Mexico, but you can find a way to “embrace your power!” 

Presented by Empowerment Fitness, you can enjoy a weeklong wellness retreat at the Maya Tulum Resort and Spa, voted one of the top destination resort spas in the world. You have the opportunity to not only relax, but create strength, release stress and build personal empowerment.

Rain Tees founder, author and yoga instructor Beth Doane will co-host the retreat with Molly Kujawski, owner of Empowerment Fitness and certified personal trainer specializing in strength training. 

The resort and spa is located an hour and a half south of Cancun, Mexico on the white sandy beaches of the Caribbean and includes:

• Three meals a day of fresh, organic, local vegetarian cuisine with some fresh fish and non-alcoholic drinks. Alcohol is available for purchase and those with dietary requirements are accommodated.
• All of your health, wellness and fitness classes, and group activities.
• Your accommodations for 7 nights and 8 days in a beautiful bungalow.
• All resort tips and gratuities.
• A Retreat T-Shirt. 

Wondering what classes are offered? Here is a sampling: Power Yoga; PiYo(Pilates and Yoga); Detox, Health and Nutrition Lectures; Beach Bootcamp; Meditation; Kndalini Yoga; Kickboxing; and Gentle Flow Yoga. 

You can also explore Tulum, which is surrounded by an ancient Mayan jungle and home to some of the most well preserved Mayan ruins ever discovered. Walk around and discover underwater caves, salsa, shop, boat or simply relax by the beach all day. Doesn’t get much better than that! 

The weeklong retreat is from Nov. 10 through Nov. 17, 2012.  For more information click here to see how you can enjoy the sun, sand and relaxation all while getting healthy and staying in shape!

Photo Credit: Liberty Tire Recycling

Are you looking for a company that recycles tires of all shapes and sizes from more than 60,000 locations nationwide and that maintains a door-to-door reclamation service? Well, then you need to check out Liberty Tire Recycling. 

It’s one of the top tire recycling companies in North America, as it collects and recycles about a third of the nation’s scrap tires. This helps save more than 110 million tires and transforms them into raw materials for sustainable products such as crumb rubber and rubber mulch.

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., thanks to Liberty Tire, more than 250 million pounds of crumb rubber is produce annually and used for welcome mats, portable speed bumps and weightlifting plates. 

Another innovative product that results from recycling tires is rubber mulch. It has the same appearance as wood or stone mulch, but is nontoxic, non-staining and minimizes airborne dust and particles. Also, it is only applied once and won’t fade for up to 12 years, reduces bug infestation and won’t decompose or compress. Can’t get better than that! 

By reclaiming tires, Liberty Tire helps produce industrial feedstock, tire derived fuel and rubberized asphalt. Who would think one little item could produce so much? 

For more information visit http://www.libertytire.com/ and be sure to educate yourself on the uses of recycled tires!

Photo Credit: GE Energy

An OEM partnership agreement with Inovateus Solar for solar carport charging stations reached while at Greenbuild International Conference & Expo. 

GE Energy Industrial Solutions (NYSE: GE) announced Wednesday, Oct. 5, that it has reached a partnership agreement to work with Inovateus Solar, a U.S. solar-power distribution and integration company, to build new solar carports with electric vehicle (EV) chargers.

The announcement of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) agreement was made at a press conference at the annual Greenbuild Conference & Expo, the world’s largest annual trade show dedicated to green building. 

“We’re very pleased to be able to forge this exciting partnership with Inovateus,” said Luis Ramírez, CEO of GE Energy Industrial Solutions. “The renewable energy sources in our portfolio of products and solutions will enable us to continue innovating and leading the future of electrification.” 

GE Energy Industrial Solutions collaborated with Inovateus this year to build a 100-kilowatt-hour solar carport, one of the largest structures of its kind in North America, at its Plainville, Conn., facility. 

The solar carport can generate enough energy to offset the power needed to charge up to 13 electric vehicles per day, using the six installed Level 2 GE DuraStation^TM EV charging stations, as well as all the overhead lighting in the parking lot. 

Now, GE is partnering with Inovateus to bring the same turnkey solar carport solution, scalable to a variety of needs, to a multitude of facilities, including universities, municipalities, office buildings and sports complexes. Inovateus will include GE EverGold^TM Solar combiner boxes, GE DuraStation and WattStation^TM electric vehicle charging stations and traditional GE electrical distribution panels and switches as part of its solar offerings. 

Additionally, GE Energy Industrial Solutions continues to expand its offering in the solar category with the recent introduction of a new line of solar safety switches, also known as photovoltaic (PV) disconnects. 

“This agreement is a fantastic opportunity that will help us bring to market and develop new systems for generating renewable energy,” said T.J. Kanczuzewski, president of Inovateus. “We are very excited to be working alongside GE Energy Industrial Solutions to offer customers the latest innovations in solar carport technology.” 

GE is a participating member of the EMerge Alliance, an open industry association leading the rapid adoption of safe direct-current (DC) power distribution in commercial buildings through the development of EMerge Alliance standards.

Greenbuild is the world’s largest green-building conference and represents all sectors of the green-building movement. GE Energy is among the participants for three days of extensive educational programming, workshops, product displays and networking events featuring the latest technological innovations and new products. 

For more information, visit GE Energy solar power and GE Energy solar products, as well as their Twitter and Facebook.

Photo Credit: GE Energy

Launched at Greenbuild 2008, the EMerge Alliance is an open industry association with more than 70 member organizations promoting the hybrid use of alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) power in buildings through the development of EMerge Alliance standards.

The Alliance develops open standards that integrate power, infrastructure, devices, and controls in common DC Microgrid platforms to reduce energy loss associated with powering the many digital DC powered devices found in today’s buildings. Facilitating the hybrid use of AC and DC power throughout buildings means unprecedented design and space flexibility, greater energy efficiency and improved sustainability for building owners and managers. 

This year, the Alliance will be demonstrating the complete hybrid building concept for the first time at booth 4739S, in a display that will include a wide range of DC power applications that are available today, tomorrow and in the near future. 

The display will feature a DC ceiling cloud demo and a DC- powered workstation concept for the future, as well as a data center application that will provide a side-by-side look at the difference between using AC and DC to power an Intel server. A preliminary study by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) found that a Duke Energy data center used 15 percent less energy with a DC power system. 

Since the Alliance’s vision also includes the integration of on-site DC generation sources, such as solar photovoltaic’s and other alternative energy sources, the booth will also highlight how DC power can be incorporated outside of the building with on-site solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations. 

Attendees will be able to see a holistic vision of energy saving opportunities from DC microgrids in a hybrid building power approach. 

A total of 16 EMerge Alliance members will be exhibiting in Toronto, including: 

• Acuity Brands, Inc. – 1819N
• Armstrong Ceiling Systems -1030N
• BACnet International – 6922S
• Cooper Lighting – 6640S, 4843S
• Crestron Electronics, Inc. – 1639N
• EnOcean Alliance, Inc. – 6336S
• GE Lighting – 4928S
• Herman Miller Corporation – 4334S
• Hubbell Building  Automation – 6731S
• JLC-Tech LLC – 941N
• Johnson Controls – 425N
• Leviton Manufacturing Company – 6910S
• OSRAM SYLVANIA – 1511N
• Philips Lighting – 634N
• Turner Construction – 1725N
• Verve Living Systems – 3346S 

OSRAM SYLVANIA will also have an EMerge Alliance standards demonstration on display at booth 1511N. 

For more information, please visit http://www.emergealliance.org/ or visit them at Greenbuild in booth 4739S.

Photo credit: Laura Franzini

Check out these helpful tips to make your summer vacation more eco-friendly, from Environmental Protection!

The summer travel season is here and whether you are traveling by train, plane or automobile, your vacation is likely to increase your carbon footprint. Fortunately, this doesn’t have to dampen your summer fun.

Gary Gero, president of the Climate Action Reserve, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that registers and issues carbon offsets, offers five easy and affordable ways to reduce the impact of your summer travel on the planet.

1. One if by air: Calculating the carbon footprint of your trip is the first step to reducing its impact on the environment. If you are traveling by air, you need to factor in the plane and engine type, cargo load, passenger weight and fuel usage. The good news is that many major airlines will do this for you and also offer to offset your flight’s emissions as an add-on to the ticket price. If your airline doesn’t have a carbon-offset program, there are easy online calculators to do it yourself, like TRX Travel Analytics. 

2. Two if by land: If you’re opting for a road trip instead, you not only need to factor the trip’s total mileage but also your vehicle’s year, make and model when calculating emissions. TerraPass offers an easy-to-use vehicle emissions calculator on its website . Then you can balance out your trip’s emissions by purchasing carbon offsets. For a list of reputable offset retailers, visit http://www.climateactionreserve.org/how/crt-marketplace/.

3. Low-carbon sightseeing: In order to minimize your carbon footprint, consider sightseeing by bicycle, public transportation or on foot. And when driving between sites, smart driving practices – like driving at the speed limit and turning down the air conditioner – can increase your car’s fuel efficiency and lower emissions.

4. Greening your hotel stay: Another way to reduce your carbon footprint while on vacation is to choose a hotel that offers its guests green options designed to save energy and reduce emissions. Such options include reusing towels, fewer housekeeping services, soap and shampoo dispensers, guest-room recycling baskets and reduced food-related waste.

5. Keep it local: Vacations and road trips can mean more meals out. Look for seasonal, local options on restaurant menus. Transporting food over long distances requires large quantities of fossil fuels and generates significant carbon emissions. Eating locally grown foods has the added benefit of supporting the local economy and helping family farmers stay in business.

To view the original article, click here.

-TravelMole.com

To see the original post, click here.

Looking for a fun, eco-friendly way to escape the city this summer? How does delving into the wilderness of Montana while preserving the landscape sound?

Participating in a Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation (BMWF) volunteer project will allow you to explore the backcountry of the BMWF complex, meet new people, learn new trail and backcountry skills, as well as provide the needed work to help keep the trails in the complex open and the campsites clean.

The projects offered include trail restoration, clearing phone lines, protecting native species by eradicating invasive weeds and insects, and installing structures along trails to minimize the impact of hikers. Though most of the projects are focused on trail maintenance, the BMWF offers several campsite restoration projects as well.

For many of the projects, no prior experience is necessary, and the BMWF just asks that you come motivated to work, prepared to have fun and ready to make the project a success. The projects range in length from daylong weekend projects to weeklong backpacking trips. All the projects vary in difficulty, from easier, which are usually day trips with light trail maintenance or restoration work, to strenuous, with rough terrain, high elevation gain and demanding work.

So if you’re looking for a backpacking adventure this summer, check out the BMWF Wilderness Complex and make some eco-friendly memories!