by Bradley — published on February 3rd, 2007
The Slow Food Movement was founded in Italy in 1989 to counteract the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world. The movement is founded upon the concept of “eco-gastronomy,” a recognition of the strong connections between plate and planet.
“We believe that the food we eat should taste good; that it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health; and that food producers should receive fair compensation for their work.”
Read the rest of this entry »
by Bradley — published on February 3rd, 2007
From the “Slow Food Movement,” to farmers markets and “Buy Local” campaigns, more organizations are promoting “economic localization” as a key to sustainable communities. According to Bay Localize:
“Economic localization brings production of goods and services closer to their point of consumption, reducing the need to rely on long supply chains and distant markets. . . Local production strengthens the local economy, creates worthwhile jobs, and increases local self-reliance.
Read the rest of this entry »
by Bradley — published on January 26th, 2007
The California Tourism and Travel Commission has a $20 million budget to market California to the world. The state funds are matched by assessments on member-businesses. The commission funds marketing efforts and works with local businesses through regional visitors bureaus.
Read the rest of this entry »
by Bradley — published on January 24th, 2007
British Prime Minister Tony Blair gave a boost to “carbon offsets” with his January 2007 announcement that he would offset the environmental impact of his personal air travel.
There are a growing number of organizations and businesses–in the U.S. and abroad–that provide carbon offsets designed to mitigate the environmental impact of travel, some of which are listed below. In addition, there are some links to additional information about these programs.
Read the rest of this entry »
by Bradley — published on January 7th, 2007
In Omnivore’s Dilemna: a Natural History of Four Meals (2006), reporter Michael Pollan follows “the food chains that sustain us, all the way from the earth to the plate.” The book represents investigative, and participatory, journalism at its best, as Pollan tries to understand what he terms the “American paradox–that is, a notably unhealthy people obsessed byt the idea of eating healthy.”
Read the rest of this entry »
by Bradley — published on January 3rd, 2007
The new Congress will take up agriculture policy when it begins the debate over the reauthorization of the farm bill, which will guide U.S. policy for the next five years. A number of organizations will lobby for a bill that supports family farmers and sustainable agriculture rather, than industrial agriculture and ADM.
Read the rest of this entry »
by Bradley — published on December 29th, 2006
The United Nations World Tourism Organization adopted the ten point Global Code of Ethics for Tourism (PDF) at the organization’s General Assembly meeting in Santiago, Chile, October 1999. According to Francesco Frangialli, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization:
“The Global Code of Ethics for Tourism sets a frame of reference for the responsible and sustainable development of world tourism. . . With international tourism forecast to nearly triple in volume over the next 20 years, members of the World Tourism Organization believe that the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism is needed to help minimize the negative impacts of tourism on the environment and on cultural heritage while maximizing the benefits for residents of tourism destinations.
Read the rest of this entry »
by Bradley — published on July 15th, 2006
The Rainforest Alliance has published a Guide for Sustainable Tourism Best Practices. The guide, aimed at small and medium-sized businesses, includes a series of principles and concrete recommendations that can be implemented by companies, communities and individuals whose livelihood depends on land-use.
Read the rest of this entry »
by Bradley — published on July 15th, 2006
Sustainable Tourism International has teamed up with George Washington University’s International Institute of Tourism Studies to offer an online hospitality management curriculum that integrates the principles of ecotourism and responsible travel. The program includes:
- Sustainable Management for Tourism Destinations,
- EcoToursim Management,
- EcoLodge Development,
- Corporate Social Responsibility for Tour Operators, and
- Community-based Tourism Development.
For more information, contact STI, info@sustainabletravel.com.
by Bradley — published on April 16th, 2006
While Interior Secretary for President Clinton, Bruce Babbitt lead restorations efforts from the Florida Everglades to dam removal on the Neuse River in North Carolina and the reintroduction of the gray wolf to Montana and Idaho. In his 2005 book, Cities in the Wilderness: a New Vision of Land Use in America, he argues the Bureaus of Land Management and Reclamation, and the Army Corps of Engineers drive federal land use decision. Given this cast of character, it’s not surprising that land use priorities are grazing and mining, dam construction, and water projects that have wreaked environmental havoc.
Read the rest of this entry »