Whole Travel Blog

Brian Brawley and his Green RV

A recent article in the New York Times travel section caught my attention. It’s about a family has been progressively downsizing their lives over the last few years. They started in a 1600 square foot home, moved into a smaller apartment, and now live in an RV (fueled by vegetable oil, of course) while they travel the country. They don’t have room for much, so they aren’t the world’s largest consumers, but they do see a lot of the country and are spreading the word about sustainability as they travel. It’s an out-of-the-box way to promote green awareness, that’s for sure, but we’re excited to see them on the road and inspiring people to live greener lives. You can read the entire article here.

A new trend has emerged in Germany: converting old farms into “Heuhotels” or hay hotels, where guests literally spend the night on a bed of hay.

This trend isn’t just new, it’s also cheap and eco-friendly since guests bring their own sleeping bags and towels.

For a list of “Heuhotels,” visit www.heuhotels.de or check out this New York Times article about it.

While Hawaii is better known for its sprawling beaches and live volcanoes than its eco-friendly habits, authors Gary and Peggy Diedrichs have trekked all over the great islands to put together a comprehensive guidebook to everything sustainable and green in Hawaii. Called The Green Traveler Guides Hawaii and recently reviewed by  SF Gate, it suggests sustainable alternatives to everything from organic eateries to eco-friendly surfboard wax.

Want to lighten your carbon footprint even more? Check into one of  Whole Travel’s hotels which have received a Whole Ranking®, such as Aloha Place or the Hale Hookipa Inn.

Condé Nast just released its September issue with a special spotlight on the power of travel. It features Matt Damon on the cover and the story of how his 2006 trip to Zambia inspired him to create the H2O Africa Foundation which partners with a variety of other foundations to focus on clean water. With hundreds of children dying each day due to dirty water, Damon emphasized the importance of clean water, saying that it  “put people on the first rung of the development ladder.”

With its slogan “Travel Right, Do Good,” the issue highlights social responsibility through travel with such articles as “How to Be An Ethical Traveler,” “How to Do the Right Thing,” “The Green Traveler’s Handbook” as well as several profiles and forums.

Find the complete coverage here.

Ever since architect Adam Kalkin debuted his Push-Button House, I’ve been intrigued by sustainable architecture. Kalkin’s Push-Button house is a dwelling made from an old shipping container. With the push of a button, the sides of the container unfold, and the container transforms from a metal box to a sleek and sophisticated living space. The Push-Button House debuted at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2005 and eventually spawned a Push-Button Cafe c/o Kalkin and Illy Coffee (great for caffeine addicts like myself).

Now California construction company Logical Homes will be expanding on Kalkin’s idea by making houses constructed from old containers available to the public. Ecofriend writes:

Logical Homes in California is gearing up to offer nine models of container homes for construction around Southern California. They are estimated to be about $100 cheaper than the average cost of per-square concrete construction in that area. Ranging from 640 to 3,250 square feet, these corrugated metal shipping containers are enhanced with large windows and custom paint. Energy-efficient appliances and bamboo flooring add to the eco-equation inside, while recycled denim insulation helps keep heating and cooling demands to a minimum.

Conveniently, these types of homes are also hurricane proof and fireproof, and much less susceptible to flood or water damage. It would be great to see a hotel develop a property using this model. It’s not just eco-friendly, it’s economically feasible too! And Kalkin and Logical Homes have me convinced that sustainability does not have to come at the expense of good design or comfort.

A Logical Homes prototype

This past weekend, San Francisco hosted an outdoor music festival in Golden Gate Park, Outside Lands, that proved to not only be jam-packed with such notable acts as Beck, Radiohead, Ben Harper, and Jack Johnson, but also, to be eco-friendly. Artists jammed on a solar-powered stage, music lovers feasted on organic, sustainably farmed foods, and various eco-education opportunities abounded. Ecomomentum discusses the event here. Check out the festival’s “Eco Lands” website for more detailed information.