Would Building Bike Trails Make Sustainable Living Easier?

It’s still too early to tell if many sustainable living initiatives will make their way through the large economic stimulus bill that’s currently being debated in both houses of Congress. One potential sustainable living beneficiary of the package could be bikers. Proponents of the construction of bike trails that could rival those in sustainable living and bike-friendly cities like Amsterdam and Copenhagen would like to see Americans fully use bikes as alternative transportation. Studies show bike commuters take fewer sick days, and that cycling contributes $133 billion to the U.S. economy.

But while many would argue that sustainable living bike trails are just what we need right now, there are those who see spending government money on trails as frivolous. Republican South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint says:

     “When people see bike trails and hiking trails and golf courses, they know this is not designed to stimulate the economy and create jobs. It’s just basically special-interest pork barrel spending.”

So are bike trails the height of pork spending? Are there more useful sustainable living projects that the cash in the stimulus bill could be going to?

New Guidelines for Sustainable Eco Tourism Announced

The idea of sustainable eco tourism has been making waves lately, as more and more travelers seek vacations that are both enlightening and have a positive impact on the planet. And the travel industry has responded encouragingly, offering destinations in nearly every continent that let travelers experience the wonders of the natural world without having to worry about their visit leaving a wasteful or damaging impact.

And now, the first-ever criteria for sustainable eco tourism have been announced. A team headed by United Nations Foundation Chairman Ted Turner, including the Rainforest Alliance and the United Nations Tourism Organization, made the announcement at the World Conservation Congress in Barcelona.

The criteria are based on several different standards currently used around the world. The new guidelines for sustainable eco tourism seek to be universal—a standard set of rules and that will work across borders and across continents.

Tourism is a growing industry, and sustainable eco tourism has the potential to foster sustainable development and assuage poverty. And with these new standards, it will be easier for travelers to determine if their sustainable eco tourism trip is truly green or just greenwashed. You can check out the new guidelines for sustainable eco tourism at www.sustainabletourismcriteria.org.