Author: Joe Ascanio
Website: http://www.terracurve.com/2011/07/01/sustainable-travel-gets…

Famed director Francis Ford Coppola is working with ecotourism groups to further his resorts’ commitment to sustainable travel.

His two award-winning, Coppola Resorts properties in Belize – Blancaneaux Lodge and Turtle Inn –  have each joined the Sustainable Tourism Program led by the Rainforest Alliance as well as Sustainable Travel International’s global Sustainable Tourism Eco-Certification Program (STEP).

“The Coppolas see their role as that of a conservator,” said Serena Lightner, vice president of Coppola Resorts. “We’re grateful for the opportunities to work with the Rainforest Alliance and Sustainable Travel International. Each of these organizations is a world-renowned sustainable tourism specialist. We look forward to working with each organization to further our commitment to ecotourism and carry out the Coppolas’ dedication to Belize’s pristine environment.”

Inspired by experience

The unique, award-winning Coppola Resorts draw upon…

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Author: Alex Narracott
Website: http://www.terracurve.com/2011/06/23/local-tourism-and-conse…

Conservation’s Dirty Secrets, Oliver Steeds recent documentary for Channel 4 Dispatches, certainly provoked reaction and, whatever else you may say about the production, it definitely provides food for thought. If you have not seen it yet, I suggest you do. You can watch it here.

We were shown how, while global conservation charities have been very successful at getting us emotionally attached to the world’s ‘prettier’ animals and raising funds, their actual conservation theories and methods leave plenty to be desired. Fast forward to the end, and the huge potential for “go local” tourism to be an engine of conservation is made very clear.

Give local communities a real value and ownership in protecting their ecosystem, and of course they will. Alienate them and treat them as part of the problem, and you just end up with more problems. Nothing new in this theory, but perhaps finally it is starting to sink in. Now if only “go local” travel can get off…

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Author: Joe Ascanio
Website: http://www.terracurve.com/2011/06/23/boeing-and-american-air…

Boeing is in the “greener skies” news again for its latest announcement – a new partnership with American Airlines to reduce fuel consumption, carbon emissions and community noise.

The pair’s new “ecoDemonstrator Program” will test the market-readiness of emerging, eco-conscious technologies aboard a NextGen Boeing 737-800 airliner – a single-aisle craft.

The American Airlines 737-800 as well as a twin-aisle airplane (to be announced at a later date) are serving as the flight test component for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Continuous Lower Energy Emissions Noise (CLEEN) program – along with other technologies developed by Boeing and other industry partners.

Specific technologies to be on board the 737-800 are:

• Adaptable trailing edge technology – a technology being developed under the FAA CLEEN Program that reduces noise and emissions during all phases of flight including take-off, cruise and landing.
• Variable area fan nozzle that…

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Author: Joe Ascanio
Website: http://www.terracurve.com/2011/06/20/southwest-airlines-goes…

Southwest Airlines is celebrating 40 years of service by teaming up with a youth conservation group; promoting volunteer projects and a passion for conservation.

Paired with the nonprofit Student Conservation Association (SCA), the airline is launching their “Conservation In Action Tour: 40 Projects for 40 Years”  - a joint effort with SCA to take their commitment to volunteerism and their passion for conservation on the road.

As part of the “Tour”, SCA students aged 15-25 will take part in hands-on conservation projects in national parks, marine sanctuaries, cultural landmarks, and community green spaces throughout the country while traveling coast to coast in a custom-designed Southwest Airlines biodiesel RV.

Visiting visit 25 cities across the country, the students will join over 700 Southwest Employees and community members to take part in volunteer conservation projects.

The tour kicks off today in the airline’s hometown of Dallas, Texas.

“This is…

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Author: Joe Ascanio
Website: http://www.terracurve.com/2011/06/17/boeing-shows-off-with-b…

In a show of ingenuity, the Boeing 747-8 commercial airplane will be making a sustainably-fueled transatlantic journey – from Washington D.C. to Paris – to headline the Paris Air Show next week.

This historic feat will mark the first-ever transatlantic crossing of a commercial jetliner using renewable, biologically derived fuel.

“This historic flight is a boost to aviation’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and improve efficiency in all phases of our industry,” said 747-8 Vice President and General Manager Elizabeth Lund. “And the 747-8 Freighter fits in well with these efforts by bringing huge improvements in fuel efficiency, lower carbon emissions and less noise.”

The airplane’s four GE GEnx-2B engines will be powered by a blend of 15% camelina-based biofuel mixed with 85 percent traditional kerosene fuel (Jet-A). The flight is scheduled to arrive at Le Bourget Airport Monday at about 5 p.m. Paris local time (15:00 GMT) after its 4,989-mile (8,029 km, 4,335…

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Author: Joe Ascanio
Website: http://www.terracurve.com/2011/06/15/bungle-in-the-jungle-bi…

Back in 1993, indigenous native and farmer communities in the Amazon opened a landmark case against oil giant Chevron for allegedly discharging billions of gallons of toxic waste into the streams and rivers of the Amazon between the years of 1964 and 1992.

According to most experts, Chevron’s nearly 3-decade-long substandard practices created the worst oil-related disaster on the planet, resulting in the utter decimation of various indigenous groups and caused an outbreak of cancer and other oil-related health problems affecting thousands of people.

The original case was filed in New York, where a federal judge shifted the jurisdiction to Ecuador at Chevron’s request; coincidentally, the oil company has just recently filed 14 affidavits praising the fairness of Ecuador’s judicial system.

Regardless of their efforts, however, the Ecuadorian court found Chevron to be liable in the original case and imposed damages of up to $18 billion – of which it still has not…

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Author: Joe Ascanio
Website: http://www.terracurve.com/2011/06/14/new-stream-tourism-proj…

The United Nation World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) along with the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MoCT) have together launched a new energy efficiency project in Indonesia.

The project, “Sustainable Tourism through Energy Efficiency with Adaptation and Mitigation Measures in Pangandaran” (STREAM), aims to serve as a model of innovative climate change mitigation and adaptation measures in tourism destinations throughout Indonesia and Southeast Asia.

Specifically, measures will be implemented in Pangandaran – a popular tourism destination in Java, Indonesia – by adopting an energy efficiency approach and strengthening local structures for the long-term success of the destination.

Measures will include:

• Seminars and workshops to increase knowledge and capacity of local tourism stakeholders
• Energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies in hotels and public buildings
• Low-carbon tourism planning tools
• Adaptation measures such as the rehabilitation of…

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Author: Joe Ascanio
Website: http://www.terracurve.com/2011/06/13/%E2%80%9Cthere%E2%80%99…

There perhaps has has not been a marketing scheme this creatively brilliant and visually stunning since The Dark Knight’s “I Believe in Harvey Dent” faux-campaign went viral back in 2008.

Winning a Silver “Effie” at the 3rd Annual North America Effie Awards in New York City, the “Montana: There’s Nothing Here” campaign was second to the tongue-in-cheek “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign by Old Spice.

Montana is the first destination to be awarded a Silver or Gold Effie in the Travel, Tourism and Destination category since Jamaica won Silver in 2000. Although this year’s three Effie recipients in the category weren’t competing against one another, MercuryCSC’s campaign for Montana received higher merits than Travelocity and its Roaming Gnome campaign.

Flipping pre-conceived ideas

According to some hefty consumer research, many would-be travelers seemed to be under the impression that the natural-beauty-bountiful state of Montana simply…

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Author: Joe Ascanio
Website: http://www.terracurve.com/2011/06/10/after-the-world-cup-a-s…

One year since the World Cup brought millions to its doorstep, a strong tourism brand for Cape Town is proving to be vital for its economic sustainability and future well-being.

Thanks in large part to our current global financial crisis, travelers have been forced to change the way they travel. With a significant adverse effect on the tourism industry across the world, travel demand has diminished, visitor spends have steadied, and costs have increased.

Globally, the travel industry is struggling to battle declines in turnover as the effects of the global recession linger on. As a major contributor to GDP, the international visitor industry directly employs nearly 300,000 people in Cape Town alone.

The tail end of the financial crisis has hit South Africa and its tourism industry particularly hard. A crisis initially diverted in the run-up to and during last year’s World Cup, slow economic growth in the tourism sector again threatens Cape Town’s future.

Finding…

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Author: Joe Ascanio
Website: http://www.terracurve.com/2011/06/09/ecopalooza-jazz-and-win…

As if we needed any more reason to think Portland was an amazing place to be.

The 2nd annual, 100% solar-powered Ecopalooza Wine & Jazz Event kicks off on Saturday, July 23rd 2011 in Portland’s Pioneer Square.

Sponsored by Amtrak, The Green Economy, Providence Portland Medical Center, and Gunderson, Ecopalooza aims to raise awareness about clean energy while raising funds for the installation of a solar panel array to a local high school.

The event is also slated to set a Guinness World Records™ for the largest all day 100% solar-powered concert.

Founded in 2009, the non-profit Ecopalooza Project organization works to promote the use of clean energy in the Portland Community through creative thought while working locally to further a  more sustainable living for future generations.

Celebrating innovation

Ecopalooza will feature world-renowned jazz performers including Grammy Award winner Shannon Sanders, Grammy-nominated Patrick Lamb and jazz sensation Devin…

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