Who Cares? I'm on Vacation...

What happens when we stay at a hotel? What I mean is, do most of us use the same, more, or less electricity? Do we generate more garbage? If yes, how much more would you guess?

Well, if your hunch tells you we use more and waste more when on a trip, then yes, you're right. But exactly how much more, see here.

And if given a choice between staying at a more environmentally friendly - or let's simply say "less wasteful" - hotel, would you choose it over a lesser one? You'll be surprised at how many people wouldn't.

Coral Reefs - A Thing of the Past?

According to a study commissioned by Australia's government of Queensland, 95% of the living coral along the Great Barrier Reef will be gone by 2050 due to warming ocean temperatures (projected +1.5 degrees Celsius)! That's less than 50 years from today.

How can this be? Well, coral reefs are particularly sensitive to changes in water temperature. They consist of tiny animals that live in colonies constructed of hard calcium carbonate and have a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship with algae called zooxanthellae. Coral reefs may able to weather a few warmer years and bounce back from the effects of "bleaching," what happens when the corals lose much of their symbiotic algae. But "an increase in frequency of coral bleaching may be one of the first tangible environmental effects of global warming," says Dr. Arnold Dekker of Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization. In other words, too many bleaching events and the affected coral reefs don't bounce back.

In 1998 when tropical sea temperatures where at record highs, 16% of the world's coral reefs were severely threatened if not irreparably harmed. And in 2002, even warmer sea temperatures bleached some 60-95% of individual reefs along the Great Barrier Reef.

So what can be done? Well, the stark reality is that climate change is underway, like the coming rains of autumn. Evidence all over the planet points towards a warming trend. However, we should definitely continue to research and better understand this complicated and vital ecosystem of the sea. According to some researchers, there is new technology being developed that may even allow us to moderate some of the ill effects of climate change on corals.

Learning, appreciating and enjoying the colors, diversity and variety of coral reefs isn't and shouldn't be limited to scientists. In fact, it is the income generated by the beach going public to these parts of the world that indirectly funds much of the research and protection afforded by local governments to the coral reef populations they border.

So go and visit the coral reef destination of your dreams! And do so through resorts and hotelsthat put a premium on protecting these wonders of the sea. Not all beach accommodations are the same. Be sure to understand how your resort or hotel interacts with these delicate ecosystems and the local communities that depend on them for tourist income and a healthy marine habitat year after year.

Custom or Corporate?

What do you see when you imagine your ideal beach accommodations? Are they small and quaint, where the owners are there to greet you and the number of rooms can be counted with one hand? Or do you dream of a larger complex, spacious lobby, uniformed staff and floors of rooms?

Now, lets take that one step further. You have your dream place in mind - so what about its ecological footprint? In other words, how much of the local habitat do your fantasy digs require to operate. How detrimental might they be to the very place, the very paradise you have paid so much to experience.

Is Custom or Corporate better?

The answer may seem obvious. More rooms require more resources therefore smaller, i.e. custom, is better. But not so quick. What about a corporate resort powered by renewable energy and operating a rain harvesting and recycling program. Suddenly, the ecological impact per room is reduced substantially were these practices not implemented.

Big is not by definition exclusionary of sustainable. Yet there is an advantage to the small. The customizable.

Owner operated properties are not hindered by their size. Implementing and even funding a recycling program may be as simple as slapping down the proprietors' credit card at a local hardware store for collection containers.

The same program at a larger property, well, may require much more: a budget plan, several phone calls and finally a check authorization by the corporate office. This may be the case for a recycling program, imagine what it might be for installing solar panels or an organic garden.

While custom may not be the only option for effective eco hotels, it is certainly more adaptable to change and responsive to the needs and wants of the earth conscious traveler.

In the meantime -what can be done to persuade the Corporate Chains to take the time and spend the money to implement eco practices? Ideas?

To Eco or Not To Eco

What is an Eco Hotel and why does it matter?

Eco accommodations are a growing niche industry within the mega world of toursim.

If we don't start to take notice of the importance of eco travel and it's powerful effect on resource conservation, then hotel owners and managers won't either.

View my most recent article on Examiner.com for a deeper look at this important issue in travel.

What have been your experiences with eco travel or eco hotels? How would you recommend mainstream hotels address the increasing importance of energy conservation or waste management?