London, England — Jetting off on holiday and being green is not a combination we would usually see as a match made in heaven. Now more than ever, we are being told why we should look for more eco-friendly ways of living, including how we travel. Recent years have seen the rise of carbon offsetting, which has given us a get-out clause for our guilt when flying across the globe. But with inventive ways to go green constantly being introduced, the summer holidays are the perfect time to take advantage of the greenest ways to travel, says Green Energy United Kingdom.

Unsurprisingly, airlines and motor vehicles burn fossil fuels the fastest, but many manufacturers are tailoring their designs to use alternative energy sources in order to become more environmentally sound. Green Energy is not asking you to ditch your exotic holiday and pitch a tent in the garden this summer, instead look for smart ways to off-set the less green modes of transport you are taking.

Douglas Stewart, CEO of Green Energy United Kingdom says: “The most earth-friendly ways to travel have always been by foot or by bike, but this is not always the most practical or even realistic way of getting around, especially when you want to flee the country for somewhere less rainy! Instead why not consider carbon offsetting against your holiday flight? There are plenty of websites that specialize in green travel, so make sure you have a good shop around to see what is going to benefit the planet more. Also consider public transport, not only is it better for the environment, but it will also put extra pennies in your pocket for ice creams and sticks of rock at the beach.

“Don’t forget even the small changes will help make a big difference, therefore put on your wellies and hit the garden with the kids and plant some trees. Or alternatively, switch your electricity provider to a  green tariff, which will help balance the not so green ways you are travelling this summer.”

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Fairfax, U.S.A. — From vegetable gardens and green houses to a water purification plant, the Barcelo Maya Beach Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico, is committed to the ecological preservation of its vibrant landscape. With that pledge, the AAA Four Diamond, all-inclusive resort is also dedicated to inspiring guests to embrace environmental sustainability practices by sharing its methods and operating standards.

White sand beaches, deep green foliage, bright flowers and crystal clear waters are hallmarks of the Riviera Maya that Barcelo Maya Beach Resort is dedicated to sustaining and but growing for current and future guests to experience.

“We are deeply committed to our reputation as an eco-friendly vacation destination and our responsibility to preserving the stunning scenery of Riviera Maya,” said Claudio Zboznovits, vice president of Barcelo Hotels & Resorts sales and marketing in the U.S.

During sea turtle season, May – October, the resort protects nesting sites with a wire fence and post signage to inform guests about the sea turtles.  Once the eggs hatch, guests are encouraged to participate in the release of newborn turtles on the beach. Guided by Maya’s onsite environmental team, participants can assist the native loggerhead and green sea turtles make the journey from sand to sea.

The resort’s green practices expand far beyond what guests see during their stay.  Treating water in filtration plants to be reused for irrigation, sorting trash, using energy-saving light bulbs and installing automatic light control in public areas are just a few elements of the resort’s overall sustainability efforts. The complex even has a 3,200-square-foot vegetable garden, “La Huerta del Chef,” where vegetables, herbs and 10 different types of chili peppers are grown. Additionally, a reverse-osmosis plant purifies drinking water, and an on-site nursery produces 60 percent of the plants used in local reforestation. Vacationers can also visit an on-site ecological information hut to learn about the care of mangrove swamps, reefs and, of course, sea turtles.

Ideally located on Mexico’s eastern coast between the sizzle of Cancun and the intriguing Tulum ruins, Barcelo Maya Beach Resort welcomes visitors with 24 diverse dining options, 21 lively bars and lounges, 10 gigantic swimming pools, three entertainment theaters, two kid-friendly water parks, a 20,000-square-foot spa, and world class convention center.

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New York, U.S.A. — Toyota and the National Audubon Society awarded over $1 million in TogetherGreen Innovation Grants funding to 41 innovative environmental projects nationwide.

This year’s winning projects involve more than 150 conservation, environmental justice and community organizations working collaboratively on habitat, water and energy conservation. Many of the projects focus on engaging audiences that have traditionally been underrepresented in the conservation movement, from landowners to religious communities to inner-city students.

“Groups that won Innovation Grants this year have ingenuity and creativity on full display. And that’s what it takes to tackle the environmental challenges we face today,” said Audubon President and CEO David Yarnold. “I’m proud to partner with these innovators in creative approaches to achieve healthier communities and big conservation results.”

Sample projects that will receive 2012 funding include:

Habitat: In Connecticut, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Student Conservation Association will create Audubon WildLife Guards, a Coastal Stewardship and Youth Conservation Training Program in Bridgeport, Conn. The program will provide green job training, mentoring and employment opportunities for high school students who will work to protect threatened beach nesting birds on Pleasure Beach, the largest intact barrier beach in the state.

Water: In Kansas, Friends of the Kaw, Inc., along with the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Topeka Audubon Society and Jayhawk Audubon Society will launch the “Save Soldier Creek” campaign to minimize stormwater runoff  in the rural Soldier Creek watershed – reducing pollution and improving water quality and bird habitat).

Energy: In Arizona, Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center and Arizona Interfaith Power & Light will broaden its Footprints of Faith campaign to African American and Latino churches in Phoenix and Tucson promoting steps congregations can take to reduce their carbon footprints.

Engaging diverse audiences in conservation: In North Carolina, Wild South and its partners North Carolina Audubon Society, High Country Audubon Society, National Forests of NC and the Western North Carolina Alliance will reach out to military servicemen and women and nearby Asheville residents to involve them in controlling non-native invasive plants, monitoring bird populations, and educating the public on environmental issues. The goal of the project is to preserve the wilderness character and rare species habitat of the Linville Gorge Wilderness, one of the most rugged and scenic areas in the East.

“Toyota and Audubon really share in the belief that environmental change starts at the grassroots level,” said Patricia Salas Pineda, group vice president of national philanthropy and the Toyota USA Foundation. “We’re so proud to support this year’s Innovation Grants, which embody TogetherGreen’s commitment to conservation, innovation and diversity.”

Image Courtesy of   just.Luc

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Washington, U.S.A. — The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) submitted a letter in response to the July 10 hearing by the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power on the challenges and opportunities of alternative fuels and vehicles. In the letter, AFPM President Charles T. Drevna states:

“Free markets, not mandates, should and can drive sensible integration of alternative fuels into the consumer marketplace. AFPM members have been significantly affected by the increasing amounts of alternative fuels mandated under federal law. The challenges the federal Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) are posing highlight the problems with government mandates and highlight the need for a different approach to alternative fuel development and commercialization.”

“One challenge is the increasing amounts of biofuels refiners must blend into the fuel supply. The current size and scope of the ethanol mandate is costly, unworkable, and could make refiners less competitive in a growing global marketplace. The breadth of these challenges show that the RFS needs to be repealed, or at the very least, significantly reformed.”

AFPM also mentioned exploration of natural gas: “In addition to the problems with the RFS, AFPM has concerns with proposals to create massive subsidies and mandates for further use of natural gas as a transportation fuel. A recent IHS CERA report found that low natural-gas prices make natural gas powered vehicles economical in the transportation sector without federal incentives, and that any upfront investment costs could be recovered in three years.

Moreover, natural gas is an important feedstock for petrochemical manufacturing, power generation, and many other products such as fertilizer. Distorting the market through mandates and subsidies will have unintended consequence, much like the RFS. Markets, not mandates and subsidies, should determine the highest and best use of our natural resources.”

AFPM, the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (formerly known as NPRA, the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association) is a trade association representing high-tech American manufacturers of virtually the entire U.S. supply of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, other fuels and home heating oil, as well as the petrochemicals used as building blocks for thousands of vital products in daily life.

AFPM members claim to make modern life possible and keep America moving and growing as they meet the needs of our nation and local communities, strengthen economic and national security, and support 2 million American jobs.

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