Earth Hour on March 28

by Brenda Yun on

Get ready to celebrate Earth Hour 2009 next week on March 28. Wherever you are in the world, you are encouraged to participate in this effort to raise awareness of climate change by turning off your lights for an hour at 8:30 p.m. local time.

Earth Hour has been encouraged by the United Nations (as seen here in the video), and is sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund, an organization that continues to seek solutions to solve our planet’s critical environmental challenges. Looking over Abha’s report on the same event last year, Earth Hour has grown substantially in just a year. According to the Earth Hour website,”1,760 cities, towns and municipalities in 80 countries have already committed to VOTE EARTH for Earth Hour 2009, as part of the worlds first global election between Earth and global warming.”

I just heard the song “We are the World” on the radio, so I’m feeling pretty inspired, aren’t you?

Gadling + BootsnAll – Picks of the Week (3.20.09)

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Another week of March is just about in the books, which means it’s time for Gadling’s Friday roundup of travel content from our friends at BootsnAll. What had us taking a second look this week? Read on below to check it out…

  • Long-term Volunteering – there are plenty of opportunities to donate your time while traveling. In fact spending a trip abroad donating your time is an increasingly popular option for many travelers. Laura-Claire Corson reminds us that a longer-term volunteer programs are yet another option. She’s got plenty of tips on how to finding and organizing a long-term volunteer opportunity.
  • Magnificent Monuments – do you remember the first time you laid eyes on your favorite monument? I remember gazing up at the Sagrada Familia and being totally awed by its design and scale. Deanna Hyland took a look at 10 “Magnificent Monuments” in her post earlier this week. There’s a few obvious choices like the Washington Monument (duh) and a few relatively unknown choices like the Hampi in India. Click through to see what else made the top 10.
  • Asian Faux Pas – this week Nellie Huang runs through a list of 7 of the Most Bizarre Asian Cultural Habits. Among the top choices were Japanese noodle slurping and spitting in China. Hey Nellie how about we add eating Durian to the list? Those things are pungent!
  • Rome 101 – sooner or later most travelers are going to find themselves in Rome. But with a wealth of great monuments (the Colosseum, the Vatican and the Forum all come to mind) it can be hard to know where to start and how to manage your time. Never fear, BootsnAll’s Italy blog has a some survival tips for first-time visitors. If you’re heading to the Boot any time soon it’s worth a look.
  • Hawaii Explodes! – our nation’s 50th state is bursting with volcanoes, both figuratively and literally. You simply cannot go to the Hawaiian islands and not be reminded of that fact – just look up and an active/extinct volcano is probably within eyesight. BootsnAll’s Hawaii blog has a rundown of some Hawaii’s most well-known volcanoes and offers a few thoughts on how to best experience these massive wonders of nature.

That’s it for this week! Stay tuned next Friday for more Gadling and BootsnAll Picks of the Week.

Inn by the Sea to cut rates, benefit Habitat for Humanity

by Tom Johansmeyer on
Inn by the Sea, an eco-luxury property in Cape Elizabeth, ME, is dropping prices 50 percent Sunday through Thursday this spring. The goodwill go guests is wrapped in a larger act of conscience – guests taking advantage of this rate will write a $35 check to Habitat for Humanity.

The “Hospitality for Humanity” program is sponsored by the Maine Innkeepers Association (MEIA), which raises cash to help put deserving Maine families in homes. It runs from May 1 – 22, 2009.

For 50 percent off plus a $35 donation, this is a hell of a deal. Inn by the Sea boasts four diamonds, and a recently completed renovation added several amenities, including a full-service spa, fireplace bar and a restaurant with ocean views.

So, you’re saving some cash, supporting a good cause and living it up at a great destination.

World Water Day 2009: Events around the globe on March 22

by Brenda Yun on

How cool is this photo, entitled “water fireworks” by Gadling photo contributor jonrawlinson? If you look at the enlarged photo, the light creates star-shaped, firework-like reflections on the water. Beautiful.

World Water Day was conceived over ten years ago by a United Nations committee as an international day of observance for the critical role water plays in our lives. Whether we live in an urban or rural environment, we cannot live without and must find a way to both conserve and utilize it wisely.

From global events like the “Activism and Water Rights Webinar” to a World Water Day hike in Morro Bay, there are things happening all over the world to raise awareness of water conservation. Check out all of the events happening on or around March 22 HERE, or find your own way to consider how to celebrate, appreciate, and learn about water.

I recently helped a student write a poem about water conservation for a statewide poetry contest held by Hawaii’s Board of Water Supply. The theme this year: “Ola I Ka Wai” (Water Gives Life). It appears efforts are happening within schools all over the globe to educate kids on what can be done to save this precious resource.

If you think of a cool activity to celebrate this special day, you can publicize an event on the offical WWD website HERE.

42 million bags mishandled, more than 1 million lost for good

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Airlines around the world now have their incompetence measured! The same companies that get irritated when you try to carry on everything you own mishandled (i.e., lost) 42 million pieces of luggage in 2007, according to the Air Transport Users Council (AUC). This is an unbelievable increase from the 2006 level of 34 million and 30 million in 2005. Making matters worse, 1.2 million were “irretrievably lost” in 2007.

Not only are the raw numbers increasing, the rate of stupidity is accelerating. The amount of mishandled luggage grew 13.3 percent from 2005 to 2006. From 2006 to 2007, it sped up to 25.3 percent. Clearly, the airlines are getting better at being worse.

But, why should we dwell on the past when we can fear for the future instead? AUC worries that the number of bags mishandled could reach 70 million a year by 2019, based on forecasts of a 100 percent increase in the number of passengers flying annually over the coming decade.

With all this mayhem, there’s one thing you can count on: not being reimbursed fairly for your lost bags. The AUC says that passengers were not compensated appropriately “on too many occasions” because they did not have receipts for the items inside. Let this be a lesson to you. When you buy that new shirt, put the receipt in your suitcase – likewise for your hat, gloves, shoes and cell phone. This is clearly the only place where you’ll need them.

Oh, wait! Don’t put the receipts in your suitcase! Your suitcase will probably get lost! Stash them in your favorite carry-on instead.