"LOST" Fast

About ready to end your fast from LOST episodes? Someone has seen Season Five and here's his juicy review. And yes, thanks, I realize LOST has nothing to do with vacation rental special rates, travel deals or healthy living. But its my blog and many guests are rabid fans, so I get to blather on about LOST being the best mini-vacation deal going.

Bloomin' Wonderful Resolutions-- Dana's Five W's

What's your green resolution? The holidays brought a sea of appliances, electronics, packaging, and gift cards into my relatives homes and left me awash with mild shock about how my world is filled with plastic--even if I do carry my own shopping bags and gave up trash bags in 1988. Noodling on how to take it easy on me and momma nature in 2009 produced five simple things I can do that have big impact. I sometimes need mnemonics to remember things, so these are my "Five W's."

1. Wallet. No lectures about spending on lattes, I'm talking about the 10 billion gift cards, library cards, ID cards, membership cards, and other PVC cards that add 75 million pounds of plastic to our waste stream every year. Inspired by the cashier at Home Depot who is collecting thousands of gift cards to be recycled at her register, along with a Starbucks employee who drops cards off by the bag full--in 2009, I’m going to ask businesses if they use Earthworks recycled cards. And I will recylce my used and expired cards by mailing them to Earthworks.

Send your PVC cards to:

Earthworks System, LLC33200 Bainbridge Road, Suite Esolon, OH 44139

2. Water. Yeah, you know about plastic water bottles filling the dumps and possibly leaching toxins into our bodies, so I'm not going to go over that again. I'm concerned about my water filtration system using plastic parts. By mid-year my water filtration supplier promises plastic-free water filtration products will be available and if his molds don't work, I intend to research ones that do.

3. Wash. Research cleaning with a steam cleaner. Judy Garbutt, co-owner of a green cleaning company in St. Augustine, cleans floors, tiles and tubs with a steamer. Eliminates mold, germs, and doesn't use toxic cleaners. She recommends the EuroFlex SC, available on Overstock.com for less than $100. Does it use more water than mopping? Add to electricity use? More research on the wonder cleaner forthcoming.

4. Wear. I'm going to save money and energy drying my clothes and linens using the clothes line more and the dryer less. It saves money on the second-biggest electricity using appliance in my home (frig is first) and cuts down on fabric softener (full of toxins and expensive!).

5. Worry Less. In 2008, I eliminated rental cars on my travels by ride sharing, walking, and using public transportation. It wasn't easy. I have lots of luggage. I'm usually on a tight schedule. I have the tendency to be overly responsible, which can create anxiety.

On a trip to attend a wedding, I borrowed my mother's hybrid and was terrified something would happen to it while I was driving. Not the mood I wanted to be in for celebrating nuptuals. On a trip to Sedona, the shuttle ride from Phoenix to Sedona added three hours to an already long drive. That wasn't easy on my back and I was car sick. But it was cool how many people were amazed that I didn't have a car. It seemed incomprehensible to people that a successful person would walk when they could drive. Americans love their cars.

This resolution is to make greening my travel less stressful this year than it was in 2008--worry-free. See if I'm able to come up with anything when I share my green travel resolutions in January.

Blue Fire Scrub Jays

By Guest Blogger, Fran Palmeri

Known for their friendly and inquisitive nature and bright blue color, the scrub jay reminds me of fire. At Oscar Scherer State Park, they often “drop in” -I’ll be engrossed photographing a wildflower and a bird will land on my head. But that's not where the fire starts.

The jays risk being picked off by predators like hawks and only feel comfortable nesting in dense thickets of tiny scrub oaks that are only about eight feet tall. They live in cooperative family groups. Posted on top of a tree, one acts as a sentry warning of danger. Young birds help raise new members of the family. Scrub jays eat the small acorns of the oaks and cache them for future use. One bird can bury up to 1,500 acorns a season.

This is where fire comes in. Scrubby oak flatwoods depend on fire to renourish the soil and open the area to sunlight, which promotes new growth of grasses, wildflowers, shrubs --and scrub oaks from the acorns the jays buried. In the days before housing developments and office complexes, lightning did the job, but today land managers must start prescribed burns.

At first, burning horrified me but I learned that in times of fire, animals escape harm by taking shelter in underground burrows or flyomg to safety. When I saw the green explosion of growth in the days and months following a burn, I was convinced fire did more good than harm. No fire, no scrub oaks, no scrub jays.

Thoughtful Travel

"Traveling eco-friendly is not about giving up luxury, it's about traveling more thoughtfully," said actress and author Mariel Hemingway. "By travelling greener we not only enjoy this world's beautiful destinations, but also help preserve them for people to enjoy for years to come."

Traveling green doesn't have to cost more, staying in green vacation rentals can save you cash, protect your health, and reduce your impact on the environment. The long-term benefits of reducing your exposure to toxins from plastics and standard building materials can save you even more as health care costs rise.

Real Florida Springs

RAINBOW SPRINGS STATE PARK, Dunnellon, FL

Hot and cold running water. Millions and millions of gallons of it every day. Florida has over 700 springs, more than any other comparable area in the world. Thirty-three of them are first magnitude, which means that each produces more than 65 million gallons of water a day.

Over the ages, people have been drawn to Florida’s springs, mesmerized by the color and clarity of the water. For ten thousand years, they were gathering places for native peoples. When Europeans came, they became playgrounds for the well-to-do. Now they’re popular recreational areas for all of us.

You can be a kid again in these places. Cast-off in an inner tube. Let the water carry you through a lush green world. Put on goggles and tour a beautiful ecosystem. Be adventurous and scuba dive hundreds of feet into an underwater world.

At Rainbow Springs I sit by the water’s edge and imagine the wooly mammoth coming down to drink.

More of Fran's Favorite Photos will appear on this blog throughout 2009. Fran and her fab photos may be reached at FranPalmeri at comcast.net

Dana's Top Five Travel Ooohs and Aaahs

1. Don’t Go There, Top 10 Worst Travel Spots
2. Global Lost and Found, ever leave behind a phone, laptop, or MP#? This service helps you retrieve your electronics, a must have for world travelers.
3. Moon Struck, photo blog by Paul Rutowski (the striking photo above).
4. No more bottled water. Hyatt switched to filtered water in their restaurants.
5. First Tracks for Skiing! Taos goes green with 100% renewable electricity sources and more.

Real Florida Wild Cats

Photo & Text by Guest Blogger, Fran Palmeri,
Wildlife Advocate & Nature Photographer

What I like most about this photo is that the bobcat is in habitat—scrubby flatwoods to be exact. It’s taken me three years to capture him on digital but not nearly as long to appreciate the Scrub, the “Plain Jane” of Florida’s natural communities. Early settlers despised the Scrub but coveted the sandy land because it was good for raising cattle and growing citrus so they chopped and burned their way through scruffy saw palmetto and little scrubby oaks to set up a homestead. Today less than five percent remains.

This cat lives in the Oscar Scherer State Park in Osprey, Florida. According to her daughter, Anna, Elsa Scherer Burroughs was a “real naturalist loving the land, the birds and all the animals” and was “adamant that her land be turned into a park to remain natural and unspoiled.” She bequeathed her 400-acre estate in Osprey to the state in the 1950s and asked that it be named after her father Oscar Scherer, a successful New York industrialist.

The evening I took this photo, I felt fortunate to be hiking there. Lucky me! Lucky bobcat!

Fran and her wondrous photos may be reached at FranPalmeri at comcast.net.

Top Five for Greening Your Holidays

Reminder: I do guilt-free. You already have enough on your plate this season with money being tight and all the extra socializing without me preaching to you about greening your Christmas. These are just a few things to make you feel good and maybe do a little good for the environment, but only as the icing on the cake.

1. ReGift. See why the second time around can really be the charm. Click this to read the article.

2. Sing. It changes your brain chemistry in healthy ways so you can make good decisions about protecting your health and the planet’s. Click here to listen to the Gnostic Choir singing songs to connect us.

3. Focus. Forget multitasking, it creates mistakes. Click here to read the article.

4. Get Real. A real tree, that is, from a local tree farmer. Skip the toxins in artificial trees or trees shipped from out of state and sprayed with harmful paint. Check my December blog post for details.

5. Put Some Green In Your Pocket. And save energy at the same time with the new tax credits that go into effect January 2009. Click here to read the article.

Spa-aahhhs--Easy on You and the Environment

If you own a spa or spend time in one on vacation, you know the relief it brings for stress, back or neck problems, injuries, or arthritis. But with the soak comes chemicals--mainstream spa products contain deadly chlorine and pesticides--not so nice for your skin, lungs or draining into Mother Nature. And if you're chemically sensitive like me, spas can trigger hives or asthma.

There is an alternative, a natural enzyme product in use for over 20 years. We use it in our vacation rental tubs and find it works for three months with no itchy skin, burning eyes, or smells. Again,I don't take money for writing about products, I want to stay objective. I'm not getting paid to write this or when you buy product and this isn't multi-level marketing.

I've spent some time getting to know the Nature Safe Spa distributor, Burt
and here's what he's shared with me about environmentally friendly spas:

"After retirement I moved to the beautiful mountains of Virginia, however my life changed after a devastating car accident. My doctor recommended a spa for pain relief and a natural muscle relaxant. The spa helped me manage my pain. But I hated having to test the water so often and having to remember when to add another chemical. My skin reacted to the harsh chemicals, but I continued using the spa because I didn’t realize I had any other choice.

Hydrotherapy, which comes from a good spa or hot tub, is one of the best pain and stress relievers out there. I personally believe it is one of the best kept secrets for those who could really use hydrotherapy. There is comfort in being in a spa and enjoying all the benefits without the itching, smell and knowledge that you’re soaking in a chemical soup.

I was so sold on the wonderful benefits of my hot tub, that I started selling them in a local spa store. During the next five years, I was introduced to The Natural Hot Tub Company Water Treatment & Conditioner. I found I could use my spa daily without testing or adding anything to the water. I didn’t have to take a shower after soaking and there was no chemical smell. My skin was soft and I stopped having rashes. We started selling the Water Treatment at the store where I worked and the customers who tried it were as amazed as I at the results and ease of use.

I also had the great fortune of having hundreds of customers using this water treatment as well, and the privilege of speaking to the doctor who invented it sometimes on a weekly basis. He was a wealth of knowledge regarding the product which I was able to pass on this information to my customers. I learned a lot about spas and spa treatment programs during this time and this is by far the best product I have seen or used. That’s why I became a distributor and decided to start this website, so I could share this product with everyone.

One of the many things I learned while selling spas and hot tubs is you probably will have a hard time finding this product in retail outlets. The reason is simple! Most retailers believe this product will negatively affect their chemical sales. That is somewhat correct. However, the No. 1 reason people decide not to buy a spa is maintenance. While it is true that a spa actually is virtually maintenance free, the traditional spa water treatment is usually an everyday procedure. First, checking the water for chlorine or bromine levels, then pH and alkalinity, then adding some chemical every other day at least and adding another chemical for metal content or a clarifier. Also when you consider most people do not drain their spas but once or twice a year, this chemical build-up is enormous.

Then we drain our spas into our ground water system which pollutes our environment. With this Water Treatment & Conditioner, you add one bottle every three months and that’s it. I personally add an all-natural clarifier, Sea-Klear®, once per week just as I get out of my tub. Clean the filter once per week which you should do, no matter what you use as a water treatment. I also use a small amount (1/2 tsp) of Spa Chlorine Granules when necessary and leave my cover off to 'gas' it out."

New Electronics and Computers for the Holidays: What to do with the old ones

New stuff under the tree can mean old stuff in the landfill. Electronics and computers contain hazardous materials. If you replace old equipment with new ones this holiday, why not consider these recycling options?

Recycling Kit from Think Green From Home. Simply fill the box they send to you and return, they take care of the rest. They also take CFLs.

EPAs ecycling tips and links.

Ten Tips for Donating a Computer.

Ideas for recycling phones, iPods, TVs at Yahoo Green.

Apple, Best Buy, Circuit City, Office Depot, and Staples all have e-waste recycling programs for items bought at their stores. Details vary, so check the retailer's website or call customer service before you bring in a pile of junk.

More Time, Less Stuff

Luxury isn't about stuff, having "stuff" means pollution, trash, uneccessary death of wildlife and sacred animals. The very bags for our "stuff" ruin the luxury of our personal and planetary health. These videos make the case: Less plastic, more life.

The Wheels Go ‘Round & ‘Round As The Footprint Goes Down, Down, Down

Guest blogger Terre Short has 24 years of hospitality management experience that includes the daily operations of five-star properties. Her current assignment is creating a new standard of eco-luxury at the sweeping Montana ranch, the Resort at Paws Up. The resort is on Andrew Harper's Top 20 List of US Hideaways and is in the registry of Preferred Boutique Hotels. Here's how the folks at Paws Up are working to green the resort.

This past summer, we began looking closely at our carbon “evil ways”at Paws Up Resort and we began to make adjustments. Perhaps the one that carried the biggest and unexpected punch was the purchase of a school bus.


We paid $5,000 for a bus in excellent shape and hired the most colorful and fun driver in all of Montana to transport employees and guests. From the very first day “Dale” made the bus fun, he had all 12 employees singing out the window as they pulled away from the Resort.

His ridership quickly grew to an average of 30 employees a day, though I suspect the singing waned and more iPods joined the commute. Dale picks up his riders in Missoula and drives them 35 miles to the Resort in Greenough–located in the heart of the Blackfoot Valley, Montana.

Not only do all of the riders save on gas, but we only pay $50 a day in diesel, plus Dale’s time and the collective footprint of the resort is reduced greatly. This is just one of many efforts the Resort is making to contribute to the “Greening of
Greenough.”

If you'd like to share a story of how you're greening your travel, lodging, or home, write to me--you can be a guest blogger on this site which gets as many as 1,000 readers a day.

Red Hot Rate Specials Coming in 2009

Staying at a knowledgeable friend’s house while on vacation can mean your hosts know the new restaurants and shops, let you whip up a quick meal in their kitchen and live in a quiet, attractive neighborhood well-off the tourist track. And best of all, they would leave you to your own devices and give you a key to the front door.

If you don’t have the benefit of a rich pal with a vacation home in your desired destination, that's what vacation rentals are for--if the owners dish out the inside scoop. Look for all the conveniences of home—fully equipped kitchens, with dishwashers and sufficient china and cutlery for all you plan to entertain (not a Spartan set of four bent forks and spindly knives). Also check for the comforts of housecleaning services, washing machines, and owners who provide backpacks, parkas, binoculars, or other gear for the local environs (like we do).

Our specials include insider information on our website, coupons and deals for local restaurants, adventures, and shops on this blog and on site in the vacation homes, and occasionally, when we have a cancellation, a rate special.

In 2009 returning guest will get a free service: a tour, massage, wilderness guide, or session with a healer.

We'll also post deals at other vacation rentals with a commitment to the local culture, economy, and environment PLUS fab healthy homes for sale so you can make your own vacation rental property. Buy low! Join the $240 billion dollar vacation rental industry! Or just get inspired to green your own home or redecorate with health supporting materials.

Local is the New Luxury

“Whether in a remote corner of Africa, or in Damascus, one of the oldest cities on earth, or in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the highest standards of hospitality are achieved…without sacrificing the distinct qualities of local cultures and concerns.”
--Condé Naste Travel, Editor in Chief, Klara Glowczewska

Luxury these days is about having the time to take it easy, it’s not about stuff. It’s about having the smarts to spend your money deliberately, with companies and people who share your values. It’s about having enough heart to care for your health and the well-being of your loved ones—including Mother Earth. That luxury is a blessing for me this Thanksgiving (in the US). I hope it is for you also.

Conscious Holiday Consumer: Real or Fake Christmas Tree?

Is it more responsible to buy an artificial tree you can reuse again and again or to chop down a tree for Christmas?

Last year, I bought a tree and planted it. But there is no more room for planting trees in my area, so this year, I was "stumped" ho-ho, about what to do for a Christmas tree. I went looking for answers that matched my concerns for the environment and my family's health. What I found surprised me.

I discovered most artificial trees on the market were made in China and contain lead and can out-gas hazardous chemicals into the air. Given that indoor air is likely to be two times more polluted than outdoor air, I figured why add to that risk?

I also learned that I'm not really taking a tree out of the forest when I buy a cut tree. US farmers grow Christmas trees as a crop, replanting the trees every year. No forest is cut down. If I find a tree that isn't sprayed with green spray paint (yes, they do that to make it more uniform in color) or sprayed with fire retardant, I can avoid exposing my family to more toxins. And if I chip the tree up after Christmas for mulch or reuse it in another way, a cut tree is my greenest choice.

In our guest homes, we don't put up religious or secular decorations out of respect for the many cultural backgrounds of our guests. You will find festive lights twinkling and a box of decorations made of natural materials for guests who will celebrate solistice or Christmas. The box includes a sparkly tree made of repurposed wire and crystals that don't out-gas. Now I can start worrying about whether or not the wire has lead in it...

Eco Luxury Living Is All About Time, Not Stuff

Recent guests, Pat and Steve Ridgeway enjoying their Arizona vacation.

Yellow Aspens

This stand of aspens may be found opposite the trail for West Fork in Oak Creek, Sedona on the Thomas Point Trail. Park on the north-bound side of 89-A just before the entrance to the lot at West Fork at the fire road and pick up the trail which parallels the road for a few hundred yards and then heads up the side of the canyon.

An aspen grove in Utah is known as the largest living organism on earth. The largest single living organism is a fungus in Oregon, but the root system of aspens is considered the largest by mass or volume.

Spectacular Sunrises, Laid Back Getaway

Florida is a state with a strong personality. Its name evokes images of early-bird specials, Universal Orlando, or Miami Vice. But there's also a lot to see beyond beaches and buffets.  Read more at Intelligent Travel

Wandering But Not Lost

More highlights from the Green Biz Conference with Seth Goldman (Honest Tea), Van Jones (The Green Collar Economy), Paul Ray (Cultural Creatives), The Ruckus Society, Better World Books, and Roxanne Quimby (Burt's Bees):

-Coming soon to this blog, guest bloggers from the conference like Eric Aragon, left (that's me, far right), and other bloggers offering savings at nurturing camps, resorts and vacation rentals plus advice on greenovating your home.

-Forget "green," consumers want the focus on "me" AND "we." As in, save my money AND the planet--protect my health AND mother earth's. Green is a cause many consumers don't identify with, but "responsibility" is what they want from businesses, products and services. Source: Joel Makower's latest research, Green World Media, Inc.

Best Hike for Fall Colors: West Fork at Oak Creek, Sedona

A few miles north of Uptown Sedona lies the national treasure of Oak Creek Canyon. A short walk through an ancient orchard and you're in a forested canyon with a year-round, meandering creek.

I like to hike West Fork once a season, as the eroded canyon walls change from crystal walls, iced by winter storms--to tumbling banks of wild flowers in spring--and now the canyon is a riot of color w as the trees turn glorious shades of red and blazing yellow.

My ritual visit begins with a stop on the way up the canyon for Garlands cider, pressed from the tiny, special apples that manage to burst out of knarled trees each summer. My travelling companions like like shopping and jewelry often abandon me in the market to explore the authentic treasures in Garlands jewelry shop next door. Happy to spend a quiet moment in the garden behind the market, I wait patiently for them to finish exploring.

Garland's Lodge is closed in the winter and eating there requires a reservation. But the Market is open year-round.

89 A is a windy road and parking can be a challenge. The best times to find a spot in the parking lot at the lower end of the creek is during the week. I would never attempt it on a weekend, though the drive to Flagstaff is worth the trip even if you don't stop for a hike. With a $7 dollar charge for parking, it helps to have a Red Rock pass. Parking at most Sedona trailheads is free if you have a pass dangling from your rear view mirror.

One reason the hike is a good on is it has something for everyone. The start of the trail is flat and offers easy access to European settlements in the orchard to more ancient ruins in the canyon. For a longer, more challenging hike one can continue into the canyon--running the creek,hopping the stones or simly hiking up the gentle grade for a half-day hike.

The creek is full of watercress, trout, and waterfowl. Birds you may spot this season include golden eagles, red tail hawks, canyon wrens, Steller jays, mountain titmouse.

It is possible to hike the entire 14 miles to the dirt roads in the Coconino National Forest, which may involve swimming across some deep pools. I've gone about 12 miles to the first side canyon which took me about five hours round trip and is a good summer hike.

Whatever length hike I take, I time it to be back at my car by 4:30 so I can hit Garlands Market again on the way home for a bowl of the world's best beef stew and a chunck of homemade cornbread. Unless you're vegan, there's no better way to end the day.

Sedona hiking maps available here.