Jun

13

Calaveras Big Trees, Fiji Cannibals and La Dolce Vita

Posted by Larry Habegger

The other day I accompanied my daughter’s 6th grade class on a field trip to Calaveras County where we wandered among the big trees (giant sequoias) and camped in the forest by a meadow in one of California’s pristine state parks. I expected awe and inspiration, and a lot of kid fun, and I got that. But I also got some things I didn’t expect.

That’s usually the way with travel. You have some notions about what you’ll experience and at some point the path diverges and you end up someplace you hadn’t planned. A side trip in Calaveras County took me to the Fiji islands, the California 6th graders gave way to a Fijian Sunday school, and I was left awed by the redwoods and the sea. Continue reading »

Leave a Comment | Filed Under Adventure Travel, California, California, Camping, Eco Friendly Travel, Family Travel, Fiji, Fiji, Gold Country, Hike/Backpack, North America, Northern California, South Pacific, State Parks, Travel, United States

Jun

4

The Blue Lagoon’s Green Pedigree

Posted by Darya Mead

The effects of climate change are everywhere. I just visited my beloved Coney Island only to find famous Nathan’s (among many other businesses and communities) still not back on their feet post Hurricane Sandy. Monster tornadoes in Oklahoma have swept through entire towns. The twister that hit near Oklahoma City May 31 was the widest ever recorded. Clearly we need to do what we can to make our lives more sustainable.

Solar power is perceived by some as a drop in the bucket, but it can really make a difference, particularly in remote places where sun is plentiful and power is expensive to import.

Turtle Island, set in the Yasawa Islands in the Republic of Fiji, and scene of the 1980 Blue Lagoon movie starring Brooke Shields, is an all-inclusive private island, a high-end resort with a long history of sustainability. This spring, the installation of 968 solar panels rendered the island nearly 100 percent self-sufficient, using the sun’s energy to power not only the resort but the surrounding community. The new solar project will save an estimated 85,000 liters of diesel fuel per year, or an estimated 220 tons of carbon emissions, significantly reducing the island’s carbon footprint and thus becoming one of the world’s most prestigious and socially conscious getaways for the pampered set. Continue reading »

1 Comment | Filed Under Culture, Eco Friendly Travel, Fiji, Luxury Travel, Romance, South Pacific, Spa/ Resort