New fire in Torres del Paine

by Marcela Torres

We are ending 2011 with sad news as a result of the irresponsibility of a tourist. A new fire is affecting Torres del Paine National Park, which has burnt 5,700 hectares (14,085 acres) of vegetation and has forced authorities to evacuate tourists and close the national park, as you can see in the video.

Once more, this disaster reminds us that greater precautions need to be taken to practice responsible tourism in protected areas, in order to avoid damaging them and ensuring they can be enjoyed by future generations.

The Government of Chile, through its Ministry of Interior and the National Emergency Office (ONEMI), is working to contain the fire and looking for support from specialized firefighting units. It is very difficult to control fires in Torres del Paine, however, because the strong Patagonian winds propagate fires very quickly.

I’ve already discussed in a previous blog the need to practice responsible tourism at the national park and to be careful with bonfires that are lit during the night. However, it seems necessary to take more extreme measure to prevent and mitigate the impacts of tourism in Torres del Paine.

Among other measures, it would be wise to forbid camping in the national park. There are already enough places to stay in within the park and more alternatives can be promoted in the nearby town of Torres del Paine. Apparently there is also a need for greater resources to patrol the area and control tourist activity.

In this context, it is worthwhile to remember that the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), the government agency in charge of managing protected areas in Chile, has clear regulations for visitors that can be downloaded from the website in Spanish and English. It seems worthwhile to be reminded of some of them to make sure that we act as responsible tourists when visiting a natural area:

• Follow the instructions given by the park rangers, including times for visiting, signs and maintenance of facilities in the Protected Wilderness Area.
• Follow rules for safety. Walk only along marked trails and roads. In case you are planning a long hike, do not go alone, and take the appropriate equipment and clothes. Inform the park rangers about the route and time of return of your trip.
• Make fires only in the places provided for doing so. After making a fire, put it out using large amounts of water. Wildfires and people with a careless attitude are always a potential danger to nature.

We hope that measure are finally taken and that tourists be more careful so that we will not have to witness another disaster such as this one in a place that attracts thousands of domestic and foreign visitors each year because of its unique beauty, wildlife and fantastic trails.

Season's greetings from Southern Cone Journeys!

How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint When Traveling

The expansion of deserts is one of the effects of climate change.

© Marcela Torres

By Marcela Torres

While governments and industry representatives struggle to reach agreements on how to stop global warming at the 17^th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Durban, South Africa, I thought it might be useful to give some good tips on small but significant contributions we can make as travelers.

·    Choose a Responsible Company: When planning your trip, choose travel companies that employ local workers and guides or source locally grown produce and local services. This is a good way to support the local economy.

·    Unplug While Away: Before you leave home, remember to turn off the lights as well as the air conditioner/heater and unplug all household appliances that can be left unplugged while you are away.

·    Treat the Place as Your Home: Take care of the environment when on holiday as if you were at home. Always use garbage can to dispose of trash. If there are no bins in the area, take the litter with you and throw it once you find a bin.

·    Avoid Plastic Bottles: Instead of buying bottled water, carry your own refillable water bottles and use the hotel’s potable drinking water supply.

·    Save Water: Water is scarce in many destinations. Use the minimum amount of water needed for a shower/bath, don't let water run while shaving, brushing or washing, and check if the hotel has a linen reuse program - if so, reuse your towels and bed sheets by placing the card to indicate you don't wish to have them washed every day, if not, request hospitality staff not to change them every day.

·    Choose Public Transport: Use public transportation (bus, train, taxis, etc.) as much as possible. It's a more sustainable way to get around.

·    Walk Around: Instead of renting vehicles, take time to walk around. You will not only do some exercise and help the environment, but you will also get to know better the place you are visiting.

·    Avoid disposable batteries: Whenever possible, buy rechargeable batteries for your essential travel items such as cameras, razors, and flash lights.

·    Eat Local: Trying local food is a good way to learn about the culture of the place you are visiting. Visit a local farmer's market, shop at a locally owned grocery store and choose locally owned restaurants, since they usually will buy local produce and that means less fuel was consumed to transport the product.

Air Travel

Air travel is one of the big issues discussed during all climate change Conferences of Parties meetings and significant progress is never achieved. I have already talked about the impact of air travel in a previous blog, but since at present there is no adequate regulation for it and flights are sometimes unavoidable, the responsibility lies mostly on the tourists themselves to minimize their impact.

Some good tips to consider are:

·    Avoid Stops: Fly the most direct route possible and try to avoid short hops by air, because take-offs and landings use the most fuel.

·    Fly Economy: More people in a plane will result in fewer emissions per person.

·    Avoid Night Flights: Fly during the daytime, because during the night the condensation formed from jet-fuel exhaust remains in the atmosphere much longer due to the cool night air.

·    Pack Light: By reducing the weight of luggage, you will help the planes burn less fuel.

·    Longer Stays: Try to stay longer in a destination instead of making many short trips.

·    Offset the Unavoidable Footprint: Make your trips "carbon neutral" by contributing to a credible carbon offsetting program that supports conservation, renewable energy, and other environmental projects. A few airlines have these schemes in place and will offer them to you when you purchase. If yours doesn’t, some non-governmental organizations such as The International Ecotourism Society and Sustainable Travel International have reliable carbon-offsetting programs.

Travel and Volunteer Teaching English in Chilean Schools

English Opens Doors volunteer with students. 

© This is Chile

 

By Marcela Torres

One of the best ways to experience a local culture is volunteering and spending quality time with the host communities. That’s what the English Opens Doors program, a joint initiative of Chile's Education Ministry and the UN Development Program, offers native English speakers at schools all over the country. Applications for 2012 are open until December 15, 2011.

So, what’s this all about? The Program is currently looking to recruit qualified native and near-native English speakers between 21 and 35 years old to teach English in Chile under the direction of head teachers in public and semi-private schools. Since it began in 2004, English Open Doors has recruited more than 1,300 volunteers from several countries including the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.

Volunteers can select from a broad range of programs lasting from five to 11 months, with start dates from February through July. Full-time volunteers are expected to spend 25 hours a week in the classroom with an additional 10 hours of activities - six hours for classroom planning and four hours participating in extracurricular activities such as public speaking and debating clubs. Part-time volunteers have a teaching load of four to 16 hours per week, perfect for exchange students at Chilean universities.

Orientation and Spanish lessons

If you’re not familiar with Chile or are not fluent in Spanish, don’t worry! Upon arrival in Santiago, you will receive a comprehensive orientation before moving in with a host family in the community where you will be staying. You will also be given free access to health insurance, transportation and teaching materials. They also receive a monthly living allowance of US$120 (CLP 60,000).

Long-term volunteers can also choose to enroll in a two-month Spanish course before undertaking their volunteer work. The course costs US$1,000 with classes catering to beginners, intermediate and upper intermediate students.

Want more information? Check out the National Volunteer Center's website. There’s plenty of information and testimonials from previous participants that will surely inspire you. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience Chilean culture in-depth and give something back to the communities and places that you enjoy!