Eco-Tourism

Ecotourism is:
- a form of tourism that appeals to ecologically and socially conscious individuals, evaluating environmental and cultural factors, focusing on personal growth and learning new ways to live on the planet;
- a form of tourism with minimal impact on the environment;
- the conservation of biological diversity and cultural diversity through ecosystem protection;
- the creation of economic opportunities for the local communities;
- the building of environmental and cultural awareness and respect;
- an action that is economically viable to all.

We must all be conscious that our planet is under a serious threat, and that the green lifestyle is a reality that can't be avoided, and we hope it won't be too late.
Make a contribution by choosing destinations where sustainable development is promoted:
- Choose places that are environmentally friendly, and ask about their environmental pratices;
- Act in order to minimize the impact of your stay in the environment;

In Portugal we have some spaces that are eco-friendly:

- Zmar is a eco camping resort that use renewable energies and protect natural resources. In Zmar they recycle, they use solar energy and cleaning products that are biodegradable.

Tourism and Environmental Degradation

Tourism is one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the world. It is an increasingly important source of income, employment and wealth in many countries. International tourism now accounts for a larger share of foreign exchange receipts and export earnings than any other industry in the world. But, while tourism provides considerable economic benefits for many countries, regions and communities, its rapid expansion has also had detrimental environmental and socio-cultural impacts. Natural resource depletion and environmental degradation associated with tourism, for example, are often serious problems in tourism-rich regions. The paper argues that the promotion of sustainable tourism development is essential for maximizing its socio-economic benefits and minimizing its environmental impact.

Tourism can be considered one of the most remarkable socio-economic phenomena of the twentieth century. From an activity “enjoyed by only a small group of relatively well-off people” during the first half of the last century, it gradually became a mass phenomenon during the post-World War II period, particularly from the 1970s onwards.

Tourism is a source os environmental degradation, like:
- Deteriotation of environmental conditions;
- Territorial elimination;
- Redused quality of life fo local communities.

Beautiful World

Bones are sinking like stones
All that we fall for
Homes places we've grown
All of us are done for

And we live in a beautiful world (yeah we do yeah we do)
We live in a beautiful world

Bones sinking like stones
All that we've fall for
homes places we've grown
All of us are done for

And we live in a beautiful world (yeah we do yeah we do)
We live in a beautiful world (x2)

Oh all that I know is nothing to run from
Cause yeah everybody here got's somebody to lean on

Coldplay_Beautiful World

By: Ana

Save the Planet

By: Ana

Human Footprint

By: Ana

Renewable Energies

Renewable energies are the energies that could renew themselves at time of a human life.
Some types of renewable energies are:
- Sun energy;
- Wind energy;
- Water dam energy;
- Biomass.

Non-renewable energies are the energies that couldn't renew themselves or spend a long time to renew themselves.

Some types of non-renewable energies are:

- Oil

- Carbon;

- Nuclear energy;

- Natural gas.

The government should imput renewable energies in schools and public buildings.

People don't use this type of energies because they are to expensive, people are already used to non-renewable energies, because is not in the major interest of the biggest companies that rule this market and the oil is a big business...

Animal Testing

Animal testing is a cruelty because animals are a life being too. Each time that a animal dies in a test is a loss to the ecosystem. Is more cruel because test products isn't the only way. We could use products that aren't made from chemicals and are made from natural products. Some interprises use this technique to produce their products and they don't prejudice animals. Some of that companies are:
Cosmetics
- Revlon;
- MAC;
- May Kay;
- Origins;
- Physicians Formula;
- Prescriptives.
- Wet 'n' Wild;

Household Cleaners
- Method;
- Mrs. Meyers Clean Day;
- Seventh Generation;
- BioKleen;
- Dr. Bronner's.

Grocery Store Generic Brands
- Whole Foods Markets;
- Food Lion;
- Safeway;

Personal Products
- Avalon Organics;
- Aveda;
- Bath & Body Works;
- The Body Shop;
- EO Products.

To struggle for environment

We spoil our World with things that destroy it and we can contribute with a little thing for save the world.
Pollution, gases, CFC’s, dunghill and other things are some things that destroy the world because that things become in consequences very graves like natural disasters (thunderstorms, cyclones, floods, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes… )and others effects (global heating, acid rains). But not is all bad news, in many parts of the world much people struggle for a “Green World”, this organizations work for a good future. They motivate more people to preserve our world.
If we aren’t to struggle for environment, who will be?

Renewable Energies

The principal energy that human being use is electricity. Electricity is use to do everything but we abuse of their use. The problem is that, to produc electricity, factory's emite a lot of smoke that pollutes the environment. The solucion for this problem are the Renewable Energies, like wind energy, sun energy and water dam energy. That type of energy don't pollutes and to produce that we don't need to spend not renewable resources, because we just need resources that could renewable themselves at time of a human life.

Human life will be better if everybody use Renewable Energies.

By: Ana

In which season are we?!

Every year there are changes in climate in different part of the world. Some of these changes are due to natural causes. However others are caused by us humans thanks to all the pollution that we made over the years and also due to all the precautions that weren´t taken.

So now we and our future genarations have to live with climate changes and without the regular four seasons. In the winter we used to have straight months rain and low temperature, and in the summer straight months of sunshine but not extreme temperatures like we experiment nowadays.

Eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull

The 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull are a sequence of volcanic events at Eyjafjöll in Iceland which, although relatively small for volcanic eruptions, caused a huge devastation.

Sismic activity started at the end of 2009 and gradually increased in intensity until on the 20 of March 2010, a small eruption started that was rated as a 1 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index. Beginning on the14 of April 2010, the eruption entered a second phase and created an ash cloud that led to the closure of most of Europe's IFR(Instrument flight rules) airspace from the 15 until the 20 of April 2010. Consequently, a very high proportion of flights within, to, and from Europe were cancelled, creating the highest level of air travel disruption since the Second World War.

We can't do anything to avoid this natural disaster but cientists could be aware of the signals that it will happen and they can let the population know what is coming. In that case population could go away and save their lives.

By: Ana