The World's Best Beaches - Bloomberg

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The World's Best Beaches, 

from Australia to the Seychelles: 

Sand and Surf for All Tastes - Bloomberg

Wi-Fi is King!

Survey reveals hotel guests want Wi-Fi over everything else

By Nancy Trejos, USA TODAY

Updated 4/10/2012 1:38 PM

What is your favorite hotel amenity?

Survey says: Free Wi-Fi.

OK, no surprise there, but according to a new Hotels.com survey, hotel guests would overwhelmingly take Wi-Fi over high-end coffee makers, an iPod dock, video game systems and workout equipment/DVDs. Over high-end coffee makers? That surprised me, but clearly I'm addicted to caffeine.

Many of the 415 guests polled reported that the availability of Wi-Fi factored into their decision on which hotel to book. More than one-third—38%--said free Wi-Fi was a must when staying at a hotel, 35% said it is the single amenity they want to see more of in hotels, and 31% said they want it to become a standard amenity at hotels this year.

"Given the explosion of mobile use in the past few years, it is no surprise that travelers are requiring free and fast Wi-Fi," said Taylor L. Cole, director of public relations and social media for Hotels.com. "Many guests never travel without their tablets, smartphones and laptops. It's as intuitive as packing a toothbrush. Guests use these items in their rooms to plan activities for the next day."

Cole also said she's noticed an uptick in mobile booking the day of a stay. "It is only natural that they'd want to stay connected while in their hotel rooms," she said.

The survey revealed some more interesting tidbits:

• 23% of guests said their favorite modern in-room amenity was the use of iPads. • 45% reported that their favorite new amenities are happy hours, wine tastings or any other activities involving free food and drinks.
• 31% of travelers want complimentary bottled water in their hotel rooms (34% of female travelers and 24% of male travelers).
• Some guests admitted to stealing linens/towels (14%) or magazine/books (12%) from hotel rooms. But the majority— more than 66% — have never stolen an item from their hotel room.
• Travelers felt extra luxuries like turndown service and bath menus were "not worth the hype." (44% of female respondents and 30% of male respondents)
• The bathroom phone is the least-used hotel amenity, with 37% of total respondents saying they never touch it.
• When asked about amenities at luxury hotels, women prefer designer toiletries (23%) and men prefer the fitness center and spa (27%).
• When asked if they could stay celebrity-style, the top option for both men (35%) and women (38%) was to have their kitchen pre-stocked with their favorite food and beverages. A close second was the ability to have a private pool and hot tub in the room (37% of women and 34% of men.) These options beat out an arcade, fresh flowers everywhere, private staff or a movie screening room.

For a detailed look at the survey, go to Hotels.com.

***

EcoVillage Video

This video shows the advantages of having an Eco Friendly Village.

It was created by youngsters who partecipate to Eco Youth Lifestyle 

EcoLogical!

Good Design!

Ecodesign

Design for Environment (DfE) or Ecodesign uses life cycle thinking to develop and assess different design options.

Design for the environment

To develop truly sustainable products, you must be able to assess which design solution is environmentally preferable. Often the environmental load is related to simple indicators such as material mass, energy use, and transport volume. Once you have identified your 'hotspots' you can subsequently develop product specific guidelines and evaluate different alternatives.

• Ecodesign guidelines can be used in the creative and conceptual phases of the design process.
• In the problem analysis phase and design phase life cycle assessment (LCA) may be used to obtain more detailed insight.

• Ecodesign guidelines

10 guidelines for ecodesign

• Do not design products, but life cycles

Think about all material inputs and energy use of a product during its whole life cycle. From cradle to grave, or even better from cradle to cradle! A simple way to document your findings is the MET matrix (Materials, Energy, Toxicity). Just write down some of the most important facts in a matrix.

• Natural materials are not always better

Of course, the production of 1 kg of wood causes less emissions than the production of 1 kg of plastic. But have you thought about the paint to preserve the wood, the energy needed to dry, the sawing losses? Environmentally sound materials do not exist, but environmentally friendly products and services do. Life cycle thinking helps a designer to develop these.

• Energy consumption: often underestimated

Many designers focus their attention on material selection. This is not always justified. People normally underestimate the environmental impacts of energy as you cannot hold electricity or gas in your hands.

• Increase product life time

You can influence the product life time in several ways. Make it more durable from a technical point of view, or by making it upgradeable (allowing to place the latest chip in a computer or washing machine).
More importantly, try to design the product in such a way people will feel attached to it. Many products are not thrown away because they are broken, but because owners got bored with them.

• Do not design products, but services

People do not always want a product. They want a solution for a certain problem. A service rather than a product can be the right solution.

• Use a minimum of material

Often you can reduce the amount of material by critically looking at dimensions, required strength and production techniques. It can even be beneficial to use materials that have a high environmental load per kilogram, if you can save weight. This is particularly true in transport, where less weight means less fuel consumption.

• Use recycled materials

Do not only make your product recyclable, but use recycled materials as much as possible.If there is a demand for recycled materials the supply will follow certainly.

• Make your product recyclable

Only products that are disassembled easily and have a high enough yield will be chosen for recycling.
You can increase the chance that the product is recycled, by optimizing its design.

• Ask stupid questions

Very often decisions are based on common practice: "We have always done it this way and it has always worked well". You can make huge improvements in the environmental performance of products, with consequential cost savings, by simply asking the very obvious "Why?".

• Become an O2 member!

The guidelines above can easily help you to reduce the environmental burdens of a product by 30 to 50%. Real progress however can only be made if you are truly imaginative and think the unthinkable. A group of designers planning to do just that, have gathered in O2: an international network for sustainable design.

The ecodesign directive

Since 2007/2008, many mass-produced energy-using products (EuP) in the EU must conform to the EuP Ecodesign directive. The Directive establishes a framework for setting ecodesign requirements for all energy related products in the residential, tertiary, and industrial sectors. For each product group, an implementing measure is being developed to define the product requirements. If your product is affected by the Ecodesign Directive it will have to fullfil two alternative sets of requirements.

1. An energy efficiency criterion: products may not use more than a certain amount of energy in the use phase.
2. An ecodesign dossier: suppliers must be able to document the ecodesign efforts made to reduce the overall impact of the product throughout its life cycle. The implementing measure may give a list of key environmental performance indicators (KePIs) that need to be addressed.
    

Our Consultancy Team can help you translate implementing measures into practical measures and tools for designers. We will start by making a quick assessment on how well your products comply and what you need to improve. Next we can translate that into key environmental performance indicator (KePI) guidelines or other simple tools for your design team.

10 guidelines for ecodesign

• Do not design products, but life cycles

Think about all material inputs and energy use of a product during its whole life cycle. From cradle to grave, or even better from cradle to cradle! A simple way to document your findings is the MET matrix (Materials, Energy, Toxicity). Just write down some of the most important facts in a matrix.

• Natural materials are not always better

Of course, the production of 1 kg of wood causes less emissions than the production of 1 kg of plastic. But have you thought about the paint to preserve the wood, the energy needed to dry, the sawing losses? Environmentally sound materials do not exist, but environmentally friendly products and services do. Life cycle thinking helps a designer to develop these.

• Energy consumption: often underestimated

Many designers focus their attention on material selection. This is not always justified. People normally underestimate the environmental impacts of energy as you cannot hold electricity or gas in your hands.

• Increase product life time

You can influence the product life time in several ways. Make it more durable from a technical point of view, or by making it upgradeable (allowing to place the latest chip in a computer or washing machine).
More importantly, try to design the product in such a way people will feel attached to it. Many products are not thrown away because they are broken, but because owners got bored with them.

• Do not design products, but services

People do not always want a product. They want a solution for a certain problem. A service rather than a product can be the right solution.

• Use a minimum of material

Often you can reduce the amount of material by critically looking at dimensions, required strength and production techniques. It can even be beneficial to use materials that have a high environmental load per kilogram, if you can save weight. This is particularly true in transport, where less weight means less fuel consumption.

• Use recycled materials

Do not only make your product recyclable, but use recycled materials as much as possible.If there is a demand for recycled materials the supply will follow certainly.

• Make your product recyclable

Only products that are disassembled easily and have a high enough yield will be chosen for recycling.
You can increase the chance that the product is recycled, by optimizing its design.

• Ask stupid questions

Very often decisions are based on common practice: "We have always done it this way and it has always worked well". You can make huge improvements in the environmental performance of products, with consequential cost savings, by simply asking the very obvious "Why?".

• Become an O2 member!

The guidelines above can easily help you to reduce the environmental burdens of a product by 30 to 50%. Real progress however can only be made if you are truly imaginative and think the unthinkable. A group of designers planning to do just that, have gathered in O2: an international network for sustainable design.

Every Problem Has a Solution! ... Sustainable Future!

Eco tourism not a passing fad!

Eco tourism not a passing fad - The West Australian: 

Top five things to look for when booking an eco-stay:


• The hotel/resort should have its own onsite organic garden or crops
• It should use solar power
• The hotel/resort should recycle grey water
• It should separate packaging and waste into designated recycling bins
• Guest bathroom and cleaning products should be made from natural ingredients and be environmentally friendly.



'via Blog this'

What is EcoTourism?

What is Ecotourism?

Conservation

Offering market-linked long-term solutions, 
ecotourism provides effective economic 
incentives for conserving and enhancing bio-cultural 
diversity and helps protect the natural and cultural 
heritage of our beautiful planet.

Communities

By increasing local capacitybuilding and employment 
opportunities, ecotourism is an effective vehicle for 
empowering local communities around the 
world to fight against poverty and to achieve 
sustainable development.

	Interpretation With an emphasis on enriching personal  experiences and environmental  awareness through interpretation,  ecotourism promotes greater understanding  and appreciation for nature, local society, and culture.

The Definition

Ecotourism is defined as "responsible travel to natural 
areas that conserves the environment and improves 
the well-being of local people." (TIES, 1990)

Principles of Ecotourism

Ecotourism is about uniting conservation, communities, 
and sustainable travel. This means that those who 
implement and participate in ecotourism activities 
should follow the following ecotourism principles:

• Minimize impact.
• Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect.
• Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts.
• Provide direct financial benefits for conservation.
• Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people.
• Raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climate.

ECO-TOURISM

TEN COMMANDMENTS ON ECO-TOURISM 

 

• Respect the frailty of the earth. Realize that unless all are willing to help in its preservation, unique and beautiful destinations may not be here for future generations to enjoy.  

  

• Leave only footprints. Take only photographs. No graffiti! No litter! Do not take away souvenirs from historical sites and natural areas.  

  

• To make your travels more meaningful, educate yourself about the geography, customs, manners and cultures of the region you visit. Take time to listen to the people. Encourage local conservation efforts.  

  

• Respect the privacy and dignity of others. Inquire before photographing people.

  

• Do not buy products made from endangered plants or animals, such as ivory, tortoise shell, animal skins, and feathers. Read now before You Go, your Country Customs list of products which cannot be imported.

  

• Always follow designated trails. Do not disturb animals, plants or their natural habitats.

  

• Learn about and support conservation-oriented programs and organizations working to preserve the environment.

  

• Whenever possible, walk or use environmentally-sound methods of transportation. Encourage drivers of public vehicles to stop engines when parked.

  

• Patronize those (hotels, airlines, resorts, cruise lines, tour operators and suppliers) who advance energy and environmental conservation; water and air quality; recycling; safe management of waste and toxic materials; noise abatement, community involvement; and which provide experienced, well-trained staff dedicated to strong principles of conservation.

  

• Encourage organizations to subscribe to environmental guidelines. To urge organizations to adopt their own environmental codes to cover special sites and ecosystems.


****************************************************************

Travel is a natural right of all people and is a crucial ingredient of world peace and understanding. With that right comes responsibilities. Therefore, we should encourage the growth of peaceful tourism and environmentally responsible travel.

Environmental Guidelines for EcoTourism

A clean, healthy environment is essential to future growth - it is core of the Travel & Tourism product.

These guidelines are recommended  to EcoTourism companies and to governments and they should be taken into account in policy formation:

• EcoTourism companies should state their commitment to environmentally compatible development.
 

• Targets for improvements should be established and monitored.
 

• Environmental commitment should be company-wide.
 

• Education and research into improved environmental programs should be encouraged.
 

• EcoTourism companies should seek to implement sound environmental principles through self-regulation, recognizing that national and international regulation may be inevitable that preparation is vital. 

 

Environmental improvement programs should be systematic and comprehensive.
They should aim to:

• Identify and continue to reduce environmental impact, paying particular attention to new projects.
 

• Pay due regard to environmental concern in design, planning, construction and implementation.
 

• Be sensitive to conservation of environmentally protected or threatened areas, species and scenic aesthetics, achieving natural landscape enhancement where possible.
 

• Practice energy conservation.
 

• Reduce and recycle waste.
 

• Practice fresh-water management and control sewage disposal.
 

• Control and diminish air emissions and pollutants.
 

• Monitor, control and reduce noise levels. Control and reduce environmentally unfriendly products, such as asbestos, CFCs, pesticides and toxic, corrosive, infectious, explosive or flammable materials.
 

• Respect and support historic or religious objects and sites.
 

• Exercise due regard for the interests of local populations, including their history, traditions and culture and future development.
 

• Consider environmental issues as a key factor in the overall development of EcoTourism destinations.
 

What is an Ecovillage?:

'via Blog this'

WHAT IS AN ECOVILLAGE?

EcoVillages are urban or rural communities of people, who strive to integrate a supportive social environment with a low-impact way of life. To achieve this, they integrate various aspects of ecological design, permaculture, ecological building, green production, alternative energy, community building practices, and much more.

Findhorn, Scotland	HuehueCoyotl, Mexico	Thlolego, South Africa

Background

The motivation for ecovillages is the choice and commitment to reverse the gradual disintegration of supportive social/cultural structures and the upsurge of destructive environmental practices on our planet.

For millenia, people have lived in communities close to nature, and with supportive social structures. Many of these communities, or "ecovillages", exist to this day and are struggling for survival.

Ecovillages are now being created intentionally, so people can once more live in communities that are connected to the Earth in a way that ensures the well-being of all life-forms into the indefinite future.

Ecovillages are one solution to the major problems of our time - the planet is experiencing the limits to growth, and our lives are often lacking meaningful content. According to increasing numbers of scientists, we have to learn to live sustainably if we are to survive as a species. The United nations launched its Global Environment Outlook 2000 report, based on reports from UN agencies, 850 individuals and over 30 environmental institutes, concluding that "the present course is unsustainable and postponing action is no longer an option."

Ecovillages, by endeavoring for lifestyles which are "successfully continuable into the indefinite future", are living models of sustainability, and examples of how action can be taken immediately. They represent an effective, accessible way to combat the degradation of our social, ecological and spiritual environments. They show us how we can move toward sustainability in the 21st century (Agenda 21).

In 1998, ecovillages were first officially named among the United Nations' top 100 listing of Best Practices, as excellent models of sustainable living.

*******************************************

DIMENSIONS OF AN ECOVILLAGE

Social/Community

The social dimension of an ecovillage

Ecovillages are communities in which people feel supported by and responsible to those around them. They provide a deep sense of belonging to a group. They are small enough that everyone feels safe, empowered, seen and heard. People are then able to participate in making decisions that effect their own lives and that of the community on a transparent basis.

Permaculture project at an ecovillage in Bolivia. In South America, the sense of community as seen in this picture is as an example to any intentional ecovillage in the world.

Community means:

• Recognizing and relating to others
• Sharing common resources and providing mutual aid
• Emphasizing holistic and preventive health practices
• Providing meaningful work and sustenance to all members
• Integrating marginal groups
• Promoting unending education
• Encouraging unity through respect for differences
• Fostering cultural expression

"Among intentional communities, the more socially motivated ones are reacting to the alienation of the individual due to institutionalization of traditional support functions, the breakdown of the family, and the marginalization of the weaker members of society. They tend to emphasize re-establishing "community" and are closely associated to the co-housing movement. The latter is closer to the mainstream and represents the easiest first step for many."
Ross Jackson

---

Ecological

The ecological dimension of an ecovillage

Ecovillages allow people to experience their personal connection to the living earth. People enjoy daily interaction with the soil, water, wind, plants and animals. They provide for their daily needs - food, clothing, shelter - while respecting the cycles of nature.

Ecology means:

• Growing food as much as possible within the community bio-region
• supporting organic food production there
• Creating homes out of locally adapted materials
• Using village-based integrated renewable energy systems
• Protecting biodiversity
• Fostering ecological business principles
• Assessing the life cycle of all products used in the ecovillage from a social and spiritual as well as an ecological point of view
• Preserving clean soil, water and air through proper energy and waste management
• Protecting nature and safeguarding wilderness areas

---

Culture/Spirituality

The Cultural/Spiritual dimension of an ecovillage

Most ecovillages do not place an emphasis on particular spiritual practices as such, but in their own ways ecovillages respect and support - the Earth and all living beings on it; cultural and artistic enrichment and expression; and spiritual diversity.

Cultural and spiritual vitality means:

• Shared creativity, artistic expression, cultural activities, rituals and celebrations
• Sense of community unityand mutual support
• Respect and support for spirituality manifesting in many ways
• Shared vision and agreements that express commitments, cultural heritage and the uniqueness of each community
• Flexibility and successful responsiveness to difficulties that arise
• Understanding of the interconnectedness and interdependence of all the elements of life on Earth and the community's place in and relation to the whole
• Creation of a peaceful, loving, sustainable world

---

Economic

The Economic Dimension

As local groups and communities create their own local scrip currencies and exchange systems, they learn about economist’s deepest secret: money and information are equivalent --- and neither is scarce!

--- Hazel Henderson

The Ecovillage economy is quite robust and full of vitality compared to other local economies.

Economic Vitality means:

• Keeping the money in the community,
• Circulating it through as many hands as possible,
• Earning it, spending it, and investing it in member-owned retail and service businesses,
• Saving it in home-grown financial institutions.

Video of Land and development around Lanjut EcoVillages Sites

Google+ Page of Lanjut EcoVillages * Malaysia

Google+ Page of Lanjut EcoVillages * Malaysia

Go to:

Google+ Lanjut EcoVillages Page 

to check out

more Photos + Videos of the Project Site at Lanjut, Kuala Rompin!

Lanjut Beach EcoVillage * Final Proposal

Final Layout Plan of Beach EcoVillage

Beach Chalets

Pond Chalets

Original Layout Plan