The green travel industry is growing steadily thanks to a whole host of creative and eco-friendly ideas for making vacations and business travel more sustainable. These three innovative green business ideas are a perfect example of some of the most recent developments in the industry.
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Ebook Library
The Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is the first facility ever to offer an open ebook library to its passengers. Travelers can now rent e-readers or an iPad from the e-library, each filled with 400+ English and Chinese literary works, as well as 2,000 books, newspapers, and magazines. Readers get to use a special seating area with desks and plugs for laptops. The venture hopes to cut down on paper book consumption, making it a tree-saver and a way to minimize your luggage weight, too. More at ARN.
Ecotourism on an Organic Rice Farm
Voluntourism and eco-travel meet with the Tigerland Rice Farm where you and your family can experience life on an organic rice farm. Available to travelers interested in getting their hands dirty, the experience is open during rice planting season – June and July – as well as harvesting season – October and November. Participants can plant or harvest, take a dip in the river, enjoy local meals, learn bamboo weaving, or take a nature trek in the Lahu Village. This trip is available from Stone Edge Experiential, an organization where you’ll find other eco-vacation experiences around the world if you’re interested.
Recycled Concrete Pipe Hotel in Mexico
Giving new meaning to building materials reuse, the Tubohotel just outside of Mexico City is made from waste concrete pipes. Stacked into mini pyramids, each pipe forms its own room, complete with a queen sized bed, desk light, and fan, with a ladder leading to the upper level rooms. Though guests get to share communal bathroom facilities, the price is decent at $42 per night for this unique green travel experience.
Image Via Flickr: waferboard
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There is a great proliferation of green ideas sprouting anywhere in the world today. But I have just noticed that where it is needed to be imposed the most, people are still showing resentment to the changes we need to implement. Take for example mining in North America, where depletion of mineral resources and pollution effect is most obvious, we see stricter laws for the limitation and control of resource exploitation. However, in most Asian countries where mining is still in its infancy, we do not see a serious adaptation of these western laws, as profit is still priority #1 for their respective governments. I believe that “Green” ideas everywhere are an inspiration to everyone, but a firmer hand is needed to effect total change.