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Environment

Environment, Travel

Tapping into the Water …

… and eliminating 250,000 plastic bottles a year

Sustainable Tourism at Four Seasons Maldives Series, 3 of 7

I am ‘shouting out’ about resorts where I can see they are truly focussed on leaving the world better than they found it. 

There’s one thing for sure, it’s warm in the Maldives and you need to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.  Today we are really aware of single use plastics, but typically, in the past, water in resorts and hotels has been delivered to guests in this manner.  It’s good to see that changing around the world, but in some travel destinations it’s a much bigger challenge.

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July 6, 2023
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Environment, Travel

Using The Sun …

… and saving the earth from 2,900 tons of CO2

Sustainable Tourism at Four Seasons Maldives Series, 2 of 7

I am ‘shouting out’ about resorts where I can see they are truly focussed on leaving the world better than they found it. 

Maldives resort islands generally have their own powerhouses, generating electricity from diesel. However one thing the Maldives has is plenty of sunshine, at least more days than the UK for sure.  Faisal took us for an exclusive view of how they are using the sun – bear in mind Landaa Giraavaru is only 600 metres in length east to west, and 200 meters at its maximum width – I think you will agree its impressive.

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July 3, 2023
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Environment, Travel

A Unique Approach to Carbon Credits

Sustainable Tourism at Four Seasons Maldives Series, 1 of 7

Traditionally tourism focused on increasing revenues and attracting more tourists! The effects on the environment, water and energy consumption, pollution, wildlife and their habitats just weren’t considered. That’s still the case in many areas of the world but increasingly travellers are demanding sustainable practices and choosing holiday destinations accordingly.  I have to say that wasn’t top of our list when we booked our first holiday at Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru, in the Maldives but the level of sustainability best practices in place there astounded us.  I am ‘shouting out’ about resorts where I can see they are truly focussed on leaving the world better than they found it. 

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June 26, 2023
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Environment

Lets Celebrate the Return of the Whales, but Not Forget Our Past

Why the Grytviken ‘spirit tables’ sculpture is important – a visitors perspective!

Future generations cannot learn from history if we eradicate the visible signs and monuments – that’s my belief. Nothing was more pertinent and obvious to me in South Georgia. The juxtaposition of the beauty and extensive wildlife on its beaches and surrounding ocean, compared to the remains of the Grytviken whaling station, where we nearly wiped out entire whale species, is a case in point. This place has much visible evidence of human devastation on our wildlife. Combining the ‘then and now’ is tricky, but it seems ‘art’ might provide a solution – a way of expressing history, AND showing hope.

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April 24, 2023
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Environment, Travel

How this all started!

Gold Harbour, South Georgia Island

It’s very difficult to describe life changing experiences. Standing on Gold Harbour beach at 5.30am witnessing the sheer volume of life and realising the absolute fragility of the planet, exacerbated by man…… was like no other moment in my life.

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February 26, 2023
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Environment, Travel

One of the coolest ways to offset the negative impact of your travel …

Not sure about you, but I am really not keen on clicking that ‘offset your carbon footprint’ button when booking my flights. Don’t get me wrong, I want to offset my carbon, but I want to know what my donation is actually being spent on … whether it is benefiting the wildlife and the people where I am visiting. Some donations I make aren’t always to a ‘carbon offset’ project as such, but simply have a positive environmental impact. The following idea is definitely one that is great for the environment AND you will benefit too.

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January 23, 2023
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Environment

What is this ‘speck’ of an island in the Indian Ocean doing with one of these???

Landaa Giraavaru, Maldives Four Seasons Resort is an island of mainly sand, in the northeast of Baa Atoll – It is really just a speck in the ocean, approximately 600 meters in length east to west, 200 meters in width, oh and something to think about, its maximum height is 2 metres. If you read up about this idyllic place’s history on Wikipedia it’s surrounded by mainly desert islands and has barely been inhabited over its lifetime due to low availability of fresh water. We took a ‘back of house’ tour this February and it was full of surprises. Little did we know what a ‘role model in hospitality sustainability’ our tour would uncover. But its not been all plain sailing for them…

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December 15, 2022
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Environment

How the ‘Waste Bin’ Inspires Sustainability of Exhibition Stands!

Ever been to a trade show or trade fair? Perhaps the British Motor Show, or if you are an IT professional then CeBIT (the largest information technology trade show in the world)? Look around at all of the custom stands, all the materials recently put up to house the exhibitors and promote their brand, soon to be torn down and discarded the minute the show doors close. Well here is a story of one Graphic Design company, Design-Factory GmbH that had a vision, 15 years or so ago, inspired by the waste bin.

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December 11, 2022
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Environment

itmustbeNOW – On Why the Time is Now!

When you are only a metre above sea level, a.k.a. the Maldives, global warming and the resulting melting ice caps kinda get your attention. Landaa Giraavaru, Maldives Four Seasons Resort has to be one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited, a place I feel where you will never be disappointed. Being there felt like the world had stopped and I ‘stepped off it’ for a glorious 14 days – hubby has never seen me so chilled! BUT what is equally stunning about this resort is all they do to implement sustainable, carbon-free solutions to ensure the island has a ‘fairy’ footprint, AND they are transparent about it. Here is what they are part of….

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November 16, 2022
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Environment

Try These 3 Changes, Do Your Bit to Save the Planet

Watch episode 6 of Frozen Planet II and I challenge you not to want to take immediate action to reduce your contribution to warming our planet. The loss of ice at both poles, is already devastating species – I added my tears to those of the scientist returning to where the Adele penguin colonies used to be on the West of Antartica, and are no longer. And was heart broken to see their babies dying due to the rain that now falls on their colonies, instead of the crisp cold their downy coats can cope with.  

But what can each individual do? Here are 3 things to start with.

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November 8, 2022
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