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| Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net It's about recycling and being green and whatnot. |
eco holiday = minimising environmental impact (i.e. carbon emmisions)
eco holiday = promoting or donating to ecological causes (e.g. a visit to a seal sancturary)
eco holiday= a learning experience to gain skills for a more environmentally-friendly existence (for example, learning to make your own soap)
eco holiday= visiting an area of natural beauty
When my father was born (he was a fire engine), words like "Ecotourism" had no place in the world. Today, there's a wikipedia entry on the topic.
So, now I understand a bit more about eco holidays, where does motorhome hire fit in?
Let's take on the 'c' word first (that would be carbon, obviously). If you can't holiday by foot or bicycle alone, you're left with a choice ranging from an electric car to a jumbo jet. While it's impossible to give an exact figure for carbon usage, some sites estimate that an airplane emits 48kg of carbon per mile flown. There's a fun carbon footprint calculator you can use to find out roughly how much carbon your next flight produces. Depending on how the electricity is produced, an electric car can cost the environment around 200g per kilometre travelled, which is surprisingly not too different from fuel-driven cars. I am a 6 berth motorhome, so depending on how many people come with me, my carbon emissions are likely to be around 500-600g per mile. More than a car, but you can fit more people in. Trains and ferries might be more efficient than me carbon-wise, but if you choose to stay in a hotel, think of all the extra carbon needed to keep the lights on all night. Campsites help travellers minimise waste, using only what's required for cooking and washing.
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| Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net It's a campervan on the beach/in the sea - smart driving. |
So, motorhomes are generally quite carbon-friendly and conscious holidaymakers can opt to offset their emissions further by planting a tree or donating to a charity. Sounds like an eco-holiday so far; what's next?
My trusty wheels allow motorhome hirers to drive to almost any destination serviced by a road and while I prefer the countryside, experienced drivers can comfortably take me into cities. You can plan an eco-holiday in a motorhome to visit as many wildlife parks, animal sanctuaries and nature reserves as humanly possible. Try Hunstanton Seal Sanctuary, because who doesn't enjoy seeing baby seals and otters (not me!).
Again, you can drive me to places designed to educate and enrich the eco-minded with skills for the future. For the more simplistic traveller, why not bring a copy of No Impact Man to read (borrow it from the library if you can), or stick a copy of the film in my DVD player.
And finally, perhaps the easiest way to have an eco holiday in a motorhome is to travel the most scenic, natural and untouched spots you can find. You'll have no trouble doing this in most parts of the UK, with the right map to help you out (plus, I can help you map-read, well, my friend the sat nav can). Get off the beaten track by parking up and taking a hike or slipping your two-wheeled companion down from my bike rack for a more immersive tour of the British wilderness.
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| Yep, you've guessed it: Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net It's a bike on the back of a motorhome, obviously.. |
I've been a Happy Motorhome, and you've been great. Make me even happier by picking me for your next motorhome hire adventure. Stay in touch.
