These days, it seems that the former best of beaches have turned into polluted landscapes. Public beaches often fall victim to this curse. However, there are beaches that are well-maintained and protected whilst offering sanctuary to wildlife and beach-goers alike. The following 5 eco-friendly beach vacations are as beautiful as they are difficult to reach.

1. Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Islands, Australia

Dubbed the “cleanest beach in Queensland”, this 4.3-mile white sand beach has won many awards for resource recovery and environmental protection. It is part of a 74-island chain, and it is the largest one.  The island is accessible by boat from the mainland ports of Airlie Beach, Shute Harbour and Hamilton Island. Each November, the beach hosts a 2-kilometer open swimming competition.

2. Playa Matapalo, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

Located in the “lungs of the Earth”, the Osa Peninsula holds a lush forest and government that is a stickler about conserving it, making it one of the most biologically diverse areas in Costa Rica. The peninsula contains 500,000 flora and fauna species, and the beach is popular with surfers (and particularly fit for beginners). The beach connects to the Portalon National Wildlife Refuge.

3. Koh Libong, Trang Province, Thailand

Tourits have taken their toll of Thailand’s beaches, but not those in the Trang Province. There, officials are sustainability and eco-tourism minded. With the help of Swedish environmentalists, local officials have been able to protect the Koh Libong island. However, tourists still outnumber locals, and it is apt for those looking for a more isolated getaway. The island also has an impressive jungle environment.

4. Las Islas Cies, Galicia, Spain

Since 1980, Las Islas Cies’s pristine white sands have stayed just that – pristine and white – because it was declared a Nature Reserve. There is a limit to the number of visitors and overnight campers at any given time, which prevents overcrowding.  Underwater fishing is forbidden on the island as well.

5. Sancho Bay, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

The Fernando de Noronha island is a protected marine ecological reserve. Of the island’s beaches, Sancho Bay is among the most unspoiled and secluded spots – it is UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. Only 420 tourists are allowed on the island at one time, and far fewer will make their way to Sancho Bay, so expect a calm, quiet and private paradise. TripAdvisor named Sancho Bay the best beach of 2014 based on reviews.

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Photo Credit: Mark Scott Johnson, Alquiler de Coches, Hanumann, Jose Antonio Gil Martinez, Roberto Faccenda

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In an attempt to prevent shark attacks, the Australian government has proposed a plan that can only be described as horrific.

Shark attacks are scary. Despite what “Jaws” taught us, however, they’re also extremely rare. Global statistics show that wasps, toasters, chairs, domestic dogs and even falling coconuts kill far more people every year than sharks. But that didn’t stop Western Australia’s government from buying into the hysteria by proposing a plan that is both barbaric and ecologically devastating.

There have been six fatal shark attacks in Australian waters over the past two years. In response, officials in Western Australia have proposed a highly controversial “shark management” plan that calls for the slaughter of any shark longer than 3 meters (9.8 feet) found swimming anywhere near popular beaches. According to the Guardian, sharks unlucky enough to get hooked on baited drum lines will be ‘humanely destroyed’ with a firearm. Them the shark corpses will be then tagged and taken further out to sea and dumped.

For just a moment, let’s set aside the glaring fact that sharks have called the ocean home for over 400 million years, and that Australians are encroaching on their habitat, and not the other way around. Instead, let’s focus on huge impact this plan will have on the ocean ecosystem, and the very slim chance it will actually reduce attacks.

“As predators, [sharks] shift their prey’s spatial habitat, which alters the feeding strategy and diets of other species,” explains Oceana. “Through the spatial controls and abundance, sharks indirectly maintain the seagrass  and corals reef habitats. The loss of sharks has led to the decline in coral reefs, seagrass beds and the loss of commercial fisheries.”

Around the global, growing awareness about the sharp decline of shark populations has led to a surge in conservation efforts. Shark finning, spurred by the demand for shark fin soup, has been banned in several significant regions, and there’s been a successful push to establish shark sanctuaries.

“While the rest of the world is turning to shark conservation, our government is sticking his head in the sand, ignoring all the experts and employing an archaic strategy,” Ross Weir, founder of Western Australians for Shark Conservation, told TIME magazine. “What they are doing is illegal and violates 15 different United Nations conventions and treaties.”

There’s also nothing to suggest that killing sharks will actually stop shark attacks. “…what will the killing of this one shark achieve? There is absolutely no evidence to support the “rogue shark” theory, sharks are no more or less likely to bite a human if they have bitten before. It will not act as a deterrent for other sharks,” blogged Dr. Rachel Robbins, chief scientist of the Fox Shark Research Foundation.

“The way to reduce attacks is not to kill anything that poses a threat to us. It is to educate people on how to minimize their risk, the times of day and conditions under which attacks are most likely to occur, put warnings at beaches that these areas are known to be frequented by white sharks.”

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Image: steve.garner32

The post Australia’s Plan To Prevent Shark Attacks Is Totally Barbaric appeared first on EcoSalon.

Material things don’t matter half as much as experience. Having nice clothes or a better model car can’t match the lessons we learn from traveling, and the beautiful thing is, those lessons can never be taken away from us. Travel experiences stick with us and take us out of our element (and sometimes even our comfort zones) by putting us in situations which force us to challenge ourselves. Whether it’s a rigorous jungle hike or sitting beachside and watching the local birds dive for fish, travel opens up our perceptions of the world.

So stop dreaming and start traveling! Here are 5 hot destinations for traveling on a budget. 

1. Cook Islands

Known as the “Secret of the Pacific,” the Cook Islands are compromised of 15 sparsely populated islands covered in verdant hills and white beaches. They might be remote, but traveling to this azure paradise on a budget isn’t as far off as you might think. Grab plane tickets at just the right time of year and this is a dream vacation any smart spender can afford. Like Hawaii (which it actually shares a time zone with), the Cook Islands were formed by volcanic activity. Only these islands cover a total land mass comparable to India, even though the population is only 15,000.

Tip: Make sure you book accommodation before you arrive, because they may send you back on the next flight out if not! And no camping on these beautiful beaches is allowed.

2. Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands

Located in the Caribbean Sea, although only 5 miles from Tortola, Saint John’s is a pristine gem. It’s the least developed of the US Virgin Islands; two-thirds of the island is protected as a national parkland! The island’s main city, Cruz Bay, is a bustling (as bustling as the Caribbean can be) center. With a year-round temperature of 85 degrees, Saint John is a dream vacation destination. If you book your ticket a few months in advance you can be sure to find great deals.

Tip: Lodging in a small beachside cabin at Cinnamon Bay is the ideal way to truly unwind and the prices are very easy on your wallet!

3. Costalegre, Mexico

Costalegre isn’t a town but a series of quiet beaches along the Pacific Coast stretching over 150 miles, sandwiched between the more popular Mexico travel destinations Puerto Vallarta to the north and Mazanillo to the south. “Costelegre” translates to “Coast of Joy,” but the area is best known by locals as the “Virgin Coast” because it is a best-kept secret. Costalegre is perfect for a private and a bit back-to-basics vacation.

Tip: Find off the radar accommodations at Journey Mexico.

4. Caye Caulker, Belize

This beautiful island is teeny tiny! Measuring 5 miles by 1 mile, it’s enough to walk around, yet, when you land here you won’t want to do much. Grab a snorkel—the nearby Blue Hole Natural Monument is a world class diving and snorkeling location. Or simply cozy up in a hammock on the beach, Caye Caulker’s place is slow and easygoing. Accommodations can be as low as $10 a night!

Tip: Shoes are a no no on this island, so keep your sandals at home. 

5. Marrakesh, Morocco

If beaches aren’t your favorite way to enjoy a warm vacation, Marrakesh is my absolute favorite alternative. Known as the “Pink City” for the beautiful clay walls that line the city inside and out, it’s like traveling back in time. Visit the souk, or market, for great finds on beautiful handwoven rugs and traditional lamps, or relax and be pampered in an authentic Moroccan hammam. Bring an open attitude and you will find a wealth of helpful, kind and beautiful citizens.

Tip: Be sure to visit the Medina, the old city, but  leave breadcrumbs or bring a great sense of direction because the narrow streets are labyrinth-like!

Main Photo Credit: josemanuelerre Other images: Wikicommons

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The post 5 HOT Destinations for Traveling on a Budget appeared first on EcoSalon.

No laptops allowed.

We live in an over-connected world of smartphones, social networking, and 24-hour news cycles. Sometimes, you just need to get away from it all. Whether you dream of a wood cabin in the forest, a cabana on an empty beach, or a treehouse outfitted in sustainable materials, there’s a zen retreat that’s sure to fit the bill. Let this collection of images inspire your next escape.

(above) Minimalist Retreat, Leiria, Portugal

Alila Villas Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia

Hudson Passive Project, Hudson Valley, New York, USA

Desert Nomad House, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Minimalist Country Retreat, Corcovado River, Portugal

Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos

Asilomar Retreat Complex, Pacific Grove, California, USA

Stealth Barn, Norfolk, England

Summerhouse, Sweden

Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Palm Island, The Grenadines

Mesa Cabin, Utah, USA

Desert Nomad House, Tucson, Arizona, USA

The King of the Frogs Tree House, Münster, Germany

Bay of Fires, Northeast Tasmania, Australia

Latitude 10 Resort, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

Tierra Patagonia, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Little Cabin, Yakutat, Alaska, USA

Romantic and Stylish Upstate Cabin, Elizaville, New York, USA

The Naka Island, Phuket, Thailand

Off-grid itHouse, Pioneertown, California, USA

Japanese Garden, Pasadena, California, USA

Canvas Hotel, Telemark County, Norway

lostrivermodern, Lost City, West Virginia, USA

Paperbark Camp, Jervis Bay, Australia

SEE ALSO:

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25 Images of Female Adrenaline Seekers

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30 Gorgeous Photos of Farming and Agriculture

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The post 25 Photos of Zen Retreats appeared first on EcoSalon.

25 breathtaking places threatened by us.

Some may try to deny it, but by now there’s next to no doubt that global warming is having real, profound effects on the world we live in. Perhaps one of the most alarming changes is occurring in the world’s oceans and endangering islands with diverse ecosystems, rich cultures, and breathtaking, beautiful landscapes. Pacific island nations like Kiribati and the Marshall Islands have already come to terms with the irreversible nature of the crisis and are formulating long-term relocation strategies for their residents.

The islands pictured below have been identified as being highly at risk for the devastating consequences of climate change. Their beauty is a reminder that global action is needed now.

(above) Palau

Tuvalu

Antigua

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Kiribati

Fernandina Island, Galapagos

St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

Nevis

Bartholomew Island, Galapagos

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

Solomon Islands

Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia

Papua New Guinea

Maldives

Guam

Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia

Fiji

Nauru

Majuro, Marshall Islands

Tonga

Rabaul, Papua New Guinea

Lord Howe Island, Australia

Kauai, Hawaii

Norman Island, British Virgin Islands

Aitutaki, Cook Islands

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40 Gorgeous Photos of Latin America

40 Gorgeous Photos of Asia

The post 25 Photos of Islands Threatened By Climate Change appeared first on EcoSalon.

North America’s beauty spreads from sea to shining sea.

When wanderlust strikes, there’s the tendency to picture oneself overseas. My personal fantasies bring me to deserts in Morocco, beaches in Goa, hole-in-the-wall salsa clubs in Havana. I tend to forget the bounty of natural beauty that exists right here in North America. These pictures showcase the stunning vistas, cultural relics, and breathtaking natural phenomena that exist right at our front doors, or at least within a few hours drive.

(above) Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA

San Jose del Cabo, Baja California, Mexico

White Sands, New Mexico, USA

Washington, D.C., USA

Venice Beach, California, USA

Crater Lake, Oregon, USA

Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA

San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm, White Water, California, USA

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Banff National Park, Canada

Coyote Butte North, Arizona, USA

Henkel, Colorado, USA

Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

Kent, Washington, USA 

Pagosa Valley, Colorado, USA

Lackawanna State Forest, Pennsylvania, USA

San Francisco, California, USA

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Santa Cruz, California, USA

Galveston, Texas, USA

Cape Elizabeth, Maine, USA

Bitterroot Mountains, Montana, USA

Cimarron National Grassland, Kansas, USA

Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Yosemite National Park, California, USA

U.S. Route 66, Arizona, USA

Mule Canyon, Colorado, USA

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Everglades, Florida, USA

Sequoia National Park, California, USA

Anne’s Beach, Florida Keys, USA

South Dakota, USA

Quechee, Vermont, USA

Riverwood Park, Mississauga, Canada

St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Bountiful, Utah, USA

Big Moose Lake, New York, USA

New York, New York, USA

Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, USA

ALSO CHECK OUT:

40 Gorgeous Photos Of Asia

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25 Photos of Islands Threatened By Climate Change

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The post 40 Gorgeous Photos of North America appeared first on EcoSalon.

Prod someone’s memory about Disney’s Finding Nemo, and you’ll find a fond thought or two for the chilled-out, backstroke-swimming dude called Crush the Sea Turtle. Just as Nemo turned clown-fish into ocean celebrities (with worrying consequences), sea turtles are now established as the languid, eccentric grandfathers of the sea, all thanks to those clever folk at Pixar.

But here’s the grim reality. All sea turtles are either threatened or endangered. Not cool.

The good news is there’s a Cousteau on the case – Fabien, grandson of world-famous ecologist and ocean pioneer Jacques (who would have been 100 this year). He’s working with biologist Dr. Wallace J. Nichols to fill the oceans with sea turtles – a billion of them. Sound absurd? Not when you consider that adult turtles each lay clutches of up to 250 eggs in just an hour-long sitting.

If you aspire to be one of the lucky ones hiding behind the shoreline of one of the special beaches of the world where turtles lay their young (e.g. Key Biscayne, Florida), the Billion Baby Turtle Project will work to protect the experience and the creatures behind it – and it all starts in El Salvador. From there, a worldwide network of government bodies, volunteers, non-profits and former egg collectors will work to shore up (as it were) the nesting grounds of turtles for generations to come.

Images: nosha, Marcio Cabral de Moura

The post Dude, the Beaches Are Turning Turtle appeared first on EcoSalon.

Where would Malibu be without its surfers and where would its surfers be without safe water?

That’s part of the driving energy behind the Legacy Park project. Construction has been launched this week as veteran wave riders joined Malibu City Council to reduce stormwater pollution in Malibu Creek, Malibu Lagoon and world-famous Surfrider Beach.

According to the L.A. Times, the sand breaking drew pioneering surfers Cal Porter and Richard Davis as well as Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, state Sen. Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills), Assemblywoman Julia Brownley (D-Santa Monica) and Malibu-ite Victoria Principal.

The cost of the major undertaking: $50 million. The benefits of cleaning polluted ocean waters by October 2010? Priceless!

“Legacy Park is going to act as Malibu’s environmental cleaning machine,” said Mayor Andy Stern. “It will reduce pollution from stormwater, improve the city’s water quality, and allow residents to enjoy the health and recreation benefits of an open space area and a clean ocean.”

The City of Malibu envisioned a central park that functioned like an environmental cleaning machine to reduce pollution impacts and improve water quality in areas used daily by residents and tourists from around the world. This following a lawsuit last year by two environmental groups (The Natural Resources Defense Council, NRDC, and the Santa Monica Baykeeper) to stop allowing urban runoff carrying bacteria and toxins to flow into coastal waters.

The groups argued urban runoff  is the major culprit of coastal water pollution and contact with the pathogens and chemicals, such as cyanide, aluminum and fecal coliform, sickens beachgoers and damages marine life.

The motto of the project: It’s a central park. It’s an oasis. It’s an environmental cleaning machine.

The goal is for Legacy Park to transform 15 acres in the Malibu Civic Center area into a park and stormwater treatment facility, one that captures and cleans more than 2 million gallons a day of stormwater and urban runoff. The water is disinfected and then recycled.

The City says Malibu Legacy Park will be “the only park in California where five coastal natural habitats are linked and accessible: the ocean, lagoon, stream, seasonal wetland and coastal bluffs, and where the development of five habitats on-site will serve as an outdoor educational and living learning center.”

The park will also be a civic attraction with an amphitheater, a Malibu culture commemorative area and educational kiosks.

The City is still seeking donations to support the project. A gift of $500 or more will get you recognition on the park’s permanent honor wall.

Membership in the Legacy Leadership Circle, which is limited to 100 families, begins at $25,000.

Naming opportunities in the park are available for gifts of more than $25,000.

Donations of $5,000 or more are eligible for our three-year pledge program.

Contact the Legacy Park Campaign at (310) 456-2489, ext. 232, or email info@malibulegacy.org.

Main Image: Pnoeric

Image One: City of Malibu

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It’s not unusual in California to see from 1,500 to 2,000 sea lion deaths on our beaches each year. But this year is off – way off – and no one can figure out why.

Starting in May and continuing through September, an unexpected onslaught of emaciated, young sea lions has been beached along the coast, requiring a tremendously heightened response among the marine mammal rescue networks throughout the state.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which coordinates these networks, is just as concerned about what is happening offshore at sea lion breeding colonies in California’s Channel Islands: Unusually high levels of mortality among the 59,000 pups born in this past spring.

“In one study area, 6,000 pup mortalities were observed where the average had been 1,000 to 1,500,” said Jeff Lake of NOAA’S National Marine Mammal Lab (NMML).

Beach goers have seen – and smelled – the signs that something is amiss. I’ve spotted many carcasses myself throughout the summer months and was surprised to encounter so many visitors soaking up surf and sand and picnicking on rocks amid rotting, decomposing mammals.

The rank smell just about knocked me out while exploring Costanoa with my husband. And in recent days, I’ve passed several rotting sea lions on the beach at Fort Funston, where I run. Naughty dogs go wild, barking and sniffing those sad decaying bodies with empty, hallowed-out eyes.

“We refer to marine mammals as a sentinel species that is like us and can provide a barometer of what is happening to our own ecosystem,” Trevor Spradlin of NOAA’s Washington D.C. office  tells me. “The sea lions have tapped out with a record number of cases of the mammals starving and since it cannot be linked to an El Niño, folks are scratching their heads.”

Perhaps puzzling now, the deaths are typical during an El Niño, such as the one experienced in 1997-1998, due to changes in water surface temperatures and a lack of upwelling.

Ocean upwelling is the mixing of deep cold water at the bottom of the ocean with warm water at the surface so that the cold water and nutrients that fertilize aquatic plants that form the food web can rise to the surface layers while warm water travels to the mid to deep depths. Such areas are very rich along the coast and that is where you find the anchovies, squid and sardines pinnipeds feed on.

While this isn’t the time for such a cycle, scientists are still seeing the oceanographic changes caused by the dying of winds in late April and June. There was no way to pull the vital nutrient-filled waters to the surface. This has been a large contributor to the starvation.

“A huge number of pups were born this year in the Channel Islands and the breakdown in the upwelling may have resulted in the fish moving to other areas inaccessible to young sea lions looking for food for the first time,” observes Joe Cordaro, a wildlife biologist and marine mammal strandings coordinator at NOAA National Marines Fisheries Southwest Regional Office in Long Beach, CA.  “Unlike the older animals, the young pups cannot follow the fish wherever they go.”

Cordaro says scientists also are considering the theory that upwelling has been so great, it has acted like a conveyor belt transporting nutrients to other areas. Either way, he agrees, nature is acting just like it does in an El Niño.

“We do have one developing in the Tropics, and if it continues to develop, it will be nothing compared to what we are now seeing in strandings and deaths,” says Cordaro. “It will pretty much wipe out the reproductive year, slowing down the rate of increase in the population.”

He adds that there is no way it will make a huge dent in the population, itself, because the sea lions have been increasing since the last El Niño with the current population of California  sea lions at about 239,000.The big mystery is why the lack of upwelling has occurred in some areas while not in others.

An investigation into the mystery is being led by Dr. Frances Gulland, Director of Veterinary Science at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. No one knows yet if any of this can be attributed to climate change. They do know that nothing like this occurred last year.

Meantime, beach visitors are asked to continue reporting sea lion strandings to the Sausalito center (415)298-SEAL rather than trying to coax mammals back into the water. Also, always stay back from the dead mammals found on the beach and keep your dogs away, as well.

For animal removal, you should contact the beach maintenance service in your city. Some have policies of removing the carcasses, while others allow them to remain, despite the ghastly smell.

While the dead animals provide food for sea birds and fowl, the sea lions are usually contaminated from pesticides and other toxins dumped into our oceans over time. Cordaro says it isn’t in the best interest of scavengers to feed on the carcasses.

“They don’t die from eating contaminants but their eggs become thin and crack before hatching,” he says. “It effects the reproduction of the next generation.”

Main Image: Luanne Bradley

Image One: Vanilla Sheikh

Image Two: NOAA

Image Three: Quarterdome

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