So what exactly do I mean by Environmentally-Friendly?
Well, this list relates to nations that take the problem of a warming planet very seriously, rather than just their Politicians moaning about it at Global Summits and never taking any practical action. For “Greenies” out there who really do want to save the planet and yet don’t want to forsake their well-earned holidays, here are a few countries worth considering.
1. Switzerland
You’d be hard pressed to find a nation that isn’t more internationally envied than Switzerland. Their economic policies, political system, and landscape are absolutely world beating, with a wealthy populace still able to support their traditional way of life. While it is possibly the most expensive country in the world bar none, there are an enormous variety of green resorts and hotels as well as a power system which is around 95% derived from hydroelectricity and nuclear power- impressive considering most countries can’t even seem to get 5% of their energy from sources that aren’t directly from filthy fossil fuels.
2. New Zealand
With the great wealth of natural beauty that New Zealand has as its greatest asset, you can see why the government has put quite a lot of effort in protecting it all. While many of New Zealand’s fascinating creatures such as the Flightless Moa, a 12ft high bird hunted to extinction by the Maori Tribes, have already become extinct, there’s still plenty left to see and discover. Eco-friendly travel options include Wildlife Tours on the South Island at Dunedin, where Penguins, Seals, and Albatross, among others, can be seen and learned about, and just off the coast of the North Island is the idyllic little Waiheke Island, where the Crescent Valley Eco Lodge offers eco-friendly accommodation and restaurants serving locally-grown organic produce for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They also offer Mountain Biking, Kayaking, and Snorkelling as activities.
3. Japan
Konnichiwa! Whilst the vast majority of Japan’s population are crammed into incredibly dense, often quite polluted cities, they have consistently led the way internationally for action to combat climate change (for instance, launching the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, at a time where the thought of a warming planet was relatively unheard of and when SUV’s were more fashionable than Beatles haircuts in the 1960s, if that were even possible), and some of their largest super-corporations, have led the way with a real interest in saving the environment, putting massive research into carbon-neutral technologies. But how does that translate into an eco-friendly holiday? Well, Japan, with its complicated language and culture, can seem inaccessible for the non-Japanese tourist, with information hard to come by. There aren’t a large amount of eco-friendly resorts or hotels advertised per se, but if you visit around mid-March to early April, you’ll be able to see the beautiful cherry blossoms that Japan is so famous for, as well as tours of Japan’s mountains and many of its fascinating shrines and temples.
Photo of recycling logo by Pylon757
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