Intelligent Travel - The Blog About Authentic & Sustainable Travel

May 13, 2008

Beloved Traveler senior researcher Meg is in the midst of planning her honeymoon—she's thinking warm, English- or Spanish-speaking (her fiancé is Salvadorian), and on a budget. She thought Costa Rica would be nice, but found that hotels were either super-luxe (and out of her budget), or very rustic. "I'd like to have hot water," she confesses. "And I want to see the sloths in the trees, but not be in the trees with the sloths." It is her honeymoon, after all.

So the Traveler research team was put to the test, and we think we might have found something that works. Travel company NatureVacations has created a 100% carbon-neutral Costa Rica vacation. That means every pound of carbon emissions their customer ....

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The Ottawa Citizen

Going Places
April 26, 2008

Women only
On the fly
For the first time ever, Montana's historic Firehole Ranch is hosting a women's week next summer for female fly fishing enthusiasts. Located on 640 acres just outside the boundary of Yellowstone Park, the ranch is endorsed by Orvis, a U.S.-based fishing tackle business, and specializes in trout fishing. For the week of Aug. 2-6, women will get on-the-water instruction in fly fishing techniques, with, for example, clinics on improved nymphing techniques. They can then fish in any number of nearby rivers -- even try out nearby mountain lakes on horseback. The cost of the week is $2,850 U.S. per person, double occupancy ($3,350 per person, single) and does not include travel, tips, taxes and the cost of a fishing licence. The ranch, opened in 1947, has a ....

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Intelligent Travel - The Blog About Authentic & Sustainable Travel

IT's Earth Day Every Day
April 22, 2008

You didn't think we'd let Earth Day slip by without making a mention, did you? Here at National Geographic Traveler, and at Intelligent Travel, we like to subscribe to the Earth Day, Every Day line of thinking. Sustainable and authentic travel is our beat, our locally-sourced bread and organic butter, if you will. So instead of celebrating the single day, here'sS a sampling of some of our favorite posts that celebrate and support the planet from different parts of the globe.

WWOOF! No, it's not a stuttering dog, it's the program that let's you receive free room and board on farms in exchange for helping with the harvest. Getting close to nature, knowing where your food comes from ....

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TreeHugger

BY: Eliza Barclay
April 10, 2008
TRAVEL & NATURE (eco-travel)

Carbon Neutral Vacations in Costa Rica

The guilt-free, eco-friendly tropical vacation has finally arrived. NatureVacations, a travel agency that operates in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama, hopes to vanquish all of your treehuggerly shame about flying to Costa Rica to soak up some rays by claiming to offset "every ounce" of carbon you produce en route and during your stay with a new seven-day package.

Travelers will stay at the Finca Rosa Blanca and Lapa Rios- the only two hotels in Costa Rica to be awarded five “green leaves” from the Certification fo ....

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April 2008
By:  Carolyn Graham

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SMARTER TRAVEL

Costa Rica's carbon neutral airline
By: Christine Sarkis, SmarterTravel.com Staff

March 6, 2008-- Leave it to tiny Costa Rica to up the eco-quotient ahead of the curve.  Costa Rican carrier Nature Air has proclaimed itself the world's first carbon neutral airline. One-hundred percent of its carbon emissions is offset through the reforestation and protection of tropical forests in the country's Osa Peninsula. The airline started its carbon-neutral program in 2004, and has also improved its flight plans to be more fuel efficient.

Now, you might think it's a stretch for any airline to claim complete carbon neutrality, since planes—all planes—really do belch the stuff. But Nature Air is in a much better position than most to own the niche. For on ....

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March/April 2008
Trips That Keep on Giving:  New trends in ecotourism help protect the enviornment and support local communities
By:  Diane Daniel

Costa Rica airline NatureAir has taken things one leg further.  Granted, the airline, with about 75 flights a day from its fleet of 20-passenger propeller planes, isn't a major player.  But it has managed to ....

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Ask the pilot
One airline is taking climate change very seriously. Will others follow suit? Plus: What to do with all that on-board trash?
By Patrick Smith

Feb. 29, 2008 | Last week we looked at the fact and fallacy of aircraft emissions and their effect on the environment. In summary, commercial planes account for only about 5 percent of the world's total greenhouse gas pollutants, and are a lot more fuel-efficient than people give them credit for. However, the rapid growth of civil aviation will drastically increase the industry's contributions of climate-changing emissions; by the middle of the century, assuming carbon emissions from other sources are curtailed, aviation could be the single biggest contributor to climate change.

First, the obvious question: The efficiency o ....

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Dollar-Friendly Ecotourism in Costa Rica:  From reggae to salsa without breaking the bank
February 21, 2008

The dollar is down and if you get any greener you'll go from eco-chick to complete hippie. So how exactly are you going to justify a tropical vacation?  You don't have to! There are plenty of destinations you can still afford; and some are greener than Al Gore. For budget friendly beaches, check out eco-friendly Costa Rica. Condé Nast Traveler boasts that your greenbacks will buy 37% more now than in 2002.

Taste of the Caribbean in Limón or enjoy Latin American culture in San José, but after a few days on the beach, it's time to enjoy an Eden of biodiversity. It's why you really came isn't it?

While the cities are easily accessible by plane, Costa Rican rainfore ....

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TravelForSmallBiz.com

Eco-Friendly Airline Opens in Costa Rica
By: Don Mazzella
Feburary 20, 2008

NatureAir is the world’s first "carbon neutral" airline, serving Costa Rica. The airline offers an environmentally friendly vacation department. NatureVacations guides and educates travelers about eco-friendly, sustainable lodges in Costa Rica.

They are one-of-a-kind in Costa Rica, with experts fluent in English, Spanish and native tongues, offering first-hand experience.  They offer a sky tour above Costa Rica’s natural wonders, starting travelers' adventures in the Arenal Volcano and hot springs. Other options include a visit to Drake Bay to dive with Sharks and Dolphins, the Corcovado National Park, and Bocas Del Toro in Panama, where you can dance to Reggae and canoe to a floating resort...in an ecologically sustaina ....

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Pack up The Kids and Hop on a Carbon Neutral Airline - Costa Rica’s NatureAir offers discounted tickets for children
Posted By: Bea Broda Connolly
Feb 19, 08 | 11:55 am

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (February 19) — How about a “green” family vacation in the rainforest surrounded by breathtaking flora and fauna, warm sandy beaches, and of course the Majestic Arenal Volcano?

NatureAir the world’s first carbon neutral airline is making it easier for families to bring their children to Costa Rica . NatureAir would like to announce that all children ages 2-11 years old can fly with NatureAir at 25% off the ticketed price.

“We are proud to say that NatureAir is the only airline in Costa Rica to offer this wonderful discount for children. As ....

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CLIMATE CONNECTIONS: SOLUTIONS
Costa Rica Aims to Be a Carbon-Neutral Nation
By John Burnett

Morning Edition, February 18, 2008 · One of the smallest countries in the world has a big goal. Costa Rica says it wants to be the first developing country to become carbon neutral — that is, to have zero output of carbon dioxide by 2021. But huge challenges lie ahead.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19141333&sc=emaf
....

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Intelligent Travel - The Blog About Authentic & Sustainable Travel
A Look at the Best Travel Stuff in 2007

NatureAir: The Zero Emissions Airline
January 1, 2008

NatureAir dubs itself as the world's first and only zero emissions airline. Carbon neutral since 2004, the Costa Rican airline combats deforestation by paying local landowners to preserve threatened portions of the jungle. In the past four years, the company says they've offset 20,000 tons of carbon dioxide by saving about 500 acres in the country's lush Osa Peninsula.

This year they flew more than 150,000 passengers on their seven dual-engine, fuel-efficient de Havilland Twin Otters. With more than 70 flig ....

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Airline Confidential - Blog
“IF GOD HAD MEANT MAN TO FLY HE’D HAVE GIVEN US TICKETS.”

You Couldn't Make It Up No.17
By Richard Avers
January 2, 2008

The aptly named NatureAir has dubbed itself the 'world's first and only zero emissions airline'. According to them they've been carbon neutral since 2004 (most people hadn't even heard of carbon nutural back then!). In the past four years the Costa Rican airline has offset 20,000 tons of carbon dioxide by saving about 500 acres in the country's lush jungle by paying local landowners to preserve threatened portions of the jungle from deforestation. ....

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Central America Travel
In the Spotlight | More Topics |
Decemer 12, 2007
 
From Kirsten Hubbard
Costa Rica has been a trailblazer in environmental conservation for years, even when it comes to the gravely serious issue of climate change. Now, Costa Rica airline NatureAir is making headlines as the world's first carbon neutral airline.
 
In the Spotlight
Flight Without (Carbon) Footprints

NatureAir Goes Carbon Neutral!
It's no secret airplane travel is one of the worst carbon emitters, and thus one of the la ....

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NatureAir: the Carbon Neutral Costa Rica Airline
By: Kirsten Hubbard

December 11, 2007

Costa Rica airline NatureAir is a twofold champion of the Central America skies. Besides providing Costa Rica travelers with low-cost, efficient flight service between popular Costa Rica destinations, the airline is an environmental trailblazer: NatureAir is the world’s only carbon neutral airline.

An overview of NatureAir:
NatureAir’s fleet of seven planes flies more than 130,000 passengers yearly between seventeen top Costa Rica destinations like San Jose and Tamarindo, as well as Bocas del Toro in Panama.
NatureAir fares are inexpensive, especially when you factor in vacation hours wasted traveling overland. For example, a NatureAir flight from San Jose to Tortuguer ....

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The addition of new members and partners brings total WHA membership to 50. Of the new members, 20 are from the travel industry, including lodging providers, tour operators, cruise lines and ....

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November 17, 2007

The complete list of Responsible Tourism Award winners:  From the New Forest to Thailand - all winners in the 2007 Responsible Tourism Awards

BEST DESTINATION sponsored by GAP Adventures
Winner: New Forest National Park (see Walk in the enchanted forest)
Highly commended: Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka (00 94 773 251 088, www.responsibletourismsrilanka.org), which has developed small-scale community-based tourism to help the region recover from the tsunami. Costa Rica (www.visitcostarica.com), which has built on its reputation as Central America’s eco-tourism capital to develop a more wide-ranging strategy throughout its industry.

BEST LARGE HOTEL (more than 50 rooms), sponsored by Hyatt Hotels and Resorts
Winner: ....

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Nature Air Chooses Radixx Solutions to Power Internet-Based Reservations Systems
World’s First and Only Zero Emissions Airline Selects Radixx Air Enterprise Edition
November 5, 2007

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Radixx International, Inc., provider of next generation airline reservation and distribution management systems, today announced that Nature Air, the premier Central America airline for adventure travel, luxury vacations, and eco tours, has chosen Radixx Air Enterprise Edition reservation and distribution management system.

Based in Costa Rica, Nature Air is the only carbon neutral airline in the world, offering more than 74 daily flights to 17 destinations. Nature Air is committed to ensuring minimal environmental impact and sought a cutting edge technology sol ....

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JetsettersBlog

Costa Rica Airline is Making History
October 13, 2007

SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA— An airline in Costa Rica gives going “green” a new meaning. NatureAir is the world’s first and only carbon neutral airline. Studies show that NatureAir outputs as much carbon dioxide into the air in one year, compared to what one commercial jet outputs in 10 days from New York to London!

In June 2007, NatureAir was recognized by the International Community of Ecotourism for being the first and only airline to voluntarily compensating 100 % of its carbon emissions, thru its conservation of tropical forests. Because of this the airline is able to protect endangered biodiversity zones encompassing over 65 acres of tropical forests. NatureAir has also been able to reduce emissions by replacing light bulbs, limitin ....

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Grow Trees

with a propeller

Tiny NatureAir, based in San Jose, Costa Rica, has managed to go completely carbon neutral. Alex Khajavi purchased the carrier in 2000 and now has seven efficient De HAviland Twin Otter Turboprops flying to 17 ecotourism destinations in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama. By taxiing on one engine and minimizing idling, NatureAir has contained its carbon footprint even as passenger miles have soared. But there's still carbon output to offset--6,320 tons last year--which the airline does by investing in privately held rain forest on Osa Peninsula, hotbed of biological diversity. Farmers there have an incentive to keep trees standing, helping keep crucial corridor between Piedras Blancas and Corcovado National Parks safe from loggers. ....

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Aviation in times of global warming

The threat of global warming has led to global panic, and even the aviation industry, with all its glories, has not been exempted from public flogging. Reema Sisodia takes a closer look at the impact of air travel on the environment.

The global aviation industry seems to be threatened by a roadblock in the form of an environmental crisis, even as the sector back home was just beginning to get its act together. The on-again-off-again menace of an impending global warming has reared its head yet again and this time it is making air travel its chosen target.

Although a few associations and other entities that might have interests in this particular segment have demonstrated partial (or complete) dissent from the majority opinion, the level of emissions caused by air travel is still a matte ....

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JetsettersBlog

Go Green on Your Next Luxury Vacation
September 25, 2007

SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA— Guests looking for a place to kick back, relax and also help the environment can now admire the beauty of Costa Rica without feeling guilty. NatureAir the world’s first and only carbon neutral airline has teamed up with several of Central America’s eco-lodges to give guests a green vacation.

Your vacation will start at Xandari Resort & Spa in San Jose, a tropical paradise nestled on a 40-acre plantation overlooking the Central Valley of Costa Rica. Xandari is committed to restoring this remarkable land to its original beauty by giving guests the opportunity to plant a tree during their stay. Your journey continues to Punta Islita along the Pacific cost. Guests will be privately transferred to the Natu ....

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Nature Air: Carbon Neutral in Costa Rica
by Jessica

Next time you puddle jump to an ecolodge in Costa Rica, consider hopping aboard a NatureAir flight. You’ll be flying high, and supporting the first and only carbon neutral airline in the world. Recently honored by the International Community for Ecotourism, NatureAir voluntarily compensates 100 percent of its carbon emissions through the conservation of tropical, Costa Rican rain forests.

The airline, which became carbon neutral before the craze—three years ago—is currently keeping 130 hectares of tropical forest in the Osa Peninsula protected from clear cutting and ranching to provide communities with competitive income.

Says the airline marketing rep, Alexi Huntley, “We decided to go carbon neutral because we wanted to help the environm ....

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Nature Air - A “Green” Airline Helping to Save Tropical Forests has been Internationally Honored
Aug 29, 07 |

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica—NatureAir, the world’s only carbon neutral airline, is being recognized on the international level. In June 2007, the International Community for Ecotourism honored NatureAir for being the first and only airline to voluntarily compensate 100% of its carbon emissions, through its conservation of tropical forests. Climate change experts consider this as an offset through “avoided deforestation.”

The International Community for Ecotourism works to unite communities, conservation and sustainable travel. This is exactly what NatureAir is doing to help save our environment. Currently the company is helping conserve more than 65 acres of tropical forest in the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. The land is ....

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Family Travel Deals - July

Free Flights for Kids within Costa Rica
By:  Teresa Plowright
July 2, 2007 

Here's a deal for families, on the world's only "carbon neutral" airline. Until September 1 2007, NatureAir will fly kids for free -- up to two kids, flying with two paying adults, to any destination to which NatureAir flies in Costa Rica. (Two adult round trip tickets need to be purchased.)

For example: families could fly from San Jose (Costa Rica's capital city) to Drake Bay in just 40 minutes. There, families can visit Corcovado National Park, or play on beaches that are home to four different types of sea turtles.

Costa Rica is known as a great destination for eco-tou ....

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