Meet Hawaii’s greenest farmers market

by Eva Holland on

Searching for local produce with a minimal eco-footprint? Look no further than the Hale’iwa Farmers’ Market, which claims — convincingly — to be Hawaii’s greenest.

Hale’iwa Town is located on Oahu‘s legendary North Shore, in the heart of the big-wave surf scene. Its market is open every Sunday from 9pm to 1am, and aims to be Hawaii’s first totally green, zero-waste market.When I visited, more than 40 vendors had laid out their finest fresh produce, crafts and prepared foods. Most came from the North Shore, though a few items came in from elsewhere on Oahu or neighboring islands. I cruised along the rows of stands and bought a mango and pineapple smoothie that had been blended using the market’s solar power. The smoothie and the avocado sandwich I went for next were both served to me in corn-based disposable containers — unlike their plastic cousins, my containers were biodegradable.

In the midst of the vendors I found the Zero Waste Station, where the market’s trash was sorted. Food scraps go to a local pig farmer, the disposable dishes get composted, glass and cans are recycled, and a last — hopefully unnecessary — bin takes any remaining garbage.

Hale’iwa’s market may not be on wheels, but its commitment to minimal waste puts it on the cutting edge of American farmers’ markets. If you can tear yourself away from the surf (and the surfers), it makes a great Sunday breakfast or lunch stop on Oahu’s North Shore.

Check out the gallery below for some shots from the market. Fresh produce fanatic? Gadling has more farmers’ markets recommendations for you.

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[Disclosure: My visit to the Hale’iwa Farmers’ Market was part of a trip sponsored by the Oahu Convention and Visitors’ Bureau. Nonetheless, my opinions about the epic rightness of blending mango and pineapple together are my own.]

Whale cut from net in Sea of Cortez

by Elizabeth Seward on

While rescuers search for the seven missing people who were aboard a boat that capsized in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez over the weekend, these waters are filled with more than tragedy. I stumbled upon this video of a whale being cut from a hunting net and set free and I couldn’t help but share. Members of the Great Whale Conservatory happened upon this trapped humpback whale in the Sea of Cortez. The whale-lovers cut the net off of the whale on the spot. Although it took some time, they came out of the experience with a happy and healthy whale as well as some excellent footage.

I visited the Sea of Cortez myself in March of 2009. I spent the day lounging with Sea Lions and watching dolphins follow our boat. I thought the sea was beautiful, serene and unmistakable. Watching this video of this whale rescue has completely made my day.

Yellowstone to host “summer camp for grown-ups” in September

by Kraig Becker on
Autumn is always a special time in Yellowstone National Park as the trees begin to display their brilliant fall colors before they shed their leaves altogether. The cooler temperatures put the wildlife on the move once again and the crisp air makes it a perfect time to explore the mountain trails. It doesn’t hurt that the crowds drop off dramatically as well, providing a true sense of solitude throughout the park.

In September, the Yellowstone Association Institute will host one of their more popular events, the Roosevelt Rendezvous, which is a part of their Lodging and Learning programs. These special programs allow visitors to spend their days touring Yellowstone with an experienced guide, who often provide access to lesser known, off the beaten path, areas. Those guides also share unique perspectives and insights into the natural history and ecosystem of the park that the average visitor wouldn’t get on their own.

The Roosevelt Rendezvous is affectionately seen as “summer camp for adults,” offering a dash of adventure during the day, mixed with great food and lodging at night. The four day program includes wildlife viewing and visits to Yellowstone’s famous thermal and geological features, led by the YAI’s trained naturalist guides. Day hikes of varying levels of difficulty allow travelers to get an up close and personal look at the park’s natural wonders, while mini-workshops in photography will help them capture the perfect picture along the way.

At the end of the day, visitors will return to the Roosevelt Lodge, where they’ll have an opportunity to share their adventures with the other travelers over a fine meal. The Roosevelt is one of the most popular lodges in any of the national parks, and it is typically closed in September, but it will remains open for the exclusive use of YAI during this program. Located near the Lamar Valley region, the Roosevelt is in close proximity to one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife in all of North America.

Reservations for the Roosevelt Rendezvous are available on September 9th, 13th, and 17th for $729 double occupancy. That price includes all accommodations, in-park transportation, meals, guides, and daily activities.

Carbon footprint study results we can do something with

by Chris Owen on

Brighter Planet, the environmental group that recently teamed up with MasterCard to offer corporate customers carbon footprint reports, is always looking for a better way to track and impact carbon footprint accounting. After studying more than 9 billion airline passenger departures, Brighter Planet found huge energy efficiency variables on different flights on the same routes.

Brighter Planet’s carbon footprint study determined that “energy efficiency per passenger mile varies tenfold across the entire industry,” CEO Patti Prairie told BusinessTravelNews.com. The firm is proposing an advanced means for corporations to calculate the carbon footprint of air travel that includes much more information than their current standard.

Factoring aircraft fuel economy, passenger load factors, seat density, freight share and flight distances for more than 130 million flights between 2000 and 2010, Brighter Planet came up with some startling results.

Some flights are more energy efficient than others flying the same route.
“We found significant savings opportunities-the companies could reduce carbon emissions across the routes we analyzed by up to 40 percent if they switched from the least efficient to most efficient flights,” according to the report.

Often, switching to a lower carbon flight costs the same or less too. Right now, the trick is knowing which flight is best and offers the lower carbon choice. Soon, that will be easier to do.

Brighter Planet’s Careplane software plugin calculates carbon output from flight search results generated on travel sites Kayak, Orbitz and Hipmumk accessed using Google Chrome or Firefox with the Careplane add-on installed. Careplane inserts carbon footprints as we search offering the information for our consideration when making a buying decision.

Careplane.org sums it up nicely: “Choosing a greener flight doesn’t just reduce your footprint. As more people start factoring sustainability into travel decisions, it creates a powerful market signal that consumers take airline efficiency seriously.”

Flickr photo by heidielliott

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EpicQuest puts cycling tours on sale

by Kraig Becker on

With the 2011 Tour de France now underway, adventure travel company EpicQuest has announced that they have put their cycling tours to Sun Valley and Europe on sale. Travelers looking for an active escape this summer or fall will save as much as 50% on some of the more popular offerings.

With tours designed to appeal to the hardcore rider and the leisure cyclist alike, EpicQuest has created unique and exciting options for active travelers. European destinations include Switzerland, Italy, and of course France. Each of these options include daily rides through beautiful countrysides, mixed with gourmet meals, wine tastings, and luxury accommodations.

One of the more popular EQ offerings is their road tour of Tuscany. The seven day ride perfectly combines art, culture, food and physical activity in the best ways possible. Riders will explore Italy’s Chianti region, rolling through the spectacular hill country, while stopping at local wineries. The tour includes all food and beverages, seven nights stay at the villa Montecastelli, and even a private cooking class.

Alternatively, mountain bikers looking for a more adrenaline fueled ride will want to consider the EpicQuest tour to Sun Valley, Idaho where they’ll find a 160-acre Bike Ranch that combines BMX style riding with cross country trails. Located in the Sawtooth Mountains, visitors will stay at the Idaho Smokey Mountain Lodge while they can learn to master the basic skills of riding, while enjoying natural hot springs, an outdoor sauna, and other amenities. This tour comes in three and six day itineraries and is an excellent choice for anyone looking to hone their skills.

EpicQuest has a number of other great cycling tours as well, so if you’re feeling inspired by the events taking place in France at the moment, perhaps you’ll want to hop on a bike and experience your own cycling adventure.