Green Cotton

Following Green Cotton’s first post on Belize, I promised I would delve more deeply into Xunantunich, the ancient Maya site, and Green Cotton’s rainforest trek by moonlight. To begin, Xunantunich must be one of the most beautiful and fascinating Mayan sites that I have ever seen. If you have an opportunity to visit, I highly recommend going on a day when no cruise ships are in town, nor other travelers for that matter (e.g. see top photo– no one else in site!). We did not plan this purposefully, but for one reason or another, this was the case, and the weather was even fabulous! We could count all the other visitors present on one hand. If you do so, you just may have the opportunity to walk through the famous Maya “plaza” (featured above) and shout softly with your words carrying to nearly every corner of the compound. The Maya were insightful acoustical planners.

Go with a guide and you will hear stories about the “ins” and “outs” of this fascinating ancient civilization in which complex ritual ceremonies, astronomically-inspired architecture and the occasional human sacrifice and deathly game of “ball” all played a role.

Of particular interest is the fact that the Maya appear to have been deeply concerned with astrology and incorporated this interest into their calendrical data and an intricate, mathematical discipline. They were one of the first to come up with “zero” as a numbering tool for their mathematical system. In addition, their architectural building alignments provide documentation of a number of Maya astronomical skills. For example, certain structural corners perfectly align with the sun at summer and winter solstice.

As many of you may be aware as well, it appears they were the first to cultivate and drink chocolate from the cocoa bean more than 2,600 years ago (all you Belgian chocolate lovers out there – sorry to burst any bubbles). The Maya also made incredible advances in medicine. Walking through the ruins, one gains a magical sense of what it must have been like at that time, and a respect for how large and complex their society became thousands of years ago – before any of our modern day advances (eg no running water, toilets, cell phones, computers, blenders, ovens or washing machines).

However, I must say also that I was not particularly impressed with their sense of environmentalism nor conservation. In fact, arguably their systematic use of natural resources including corn growing and chopping down trees for agriculture as well as making their limestone structures were likely strong factors in their demise. One small limestone platform for example could take up to 4,000 trees to make!! So that view up top shown in the photo above would have been A LOT less green in their day!

Finally, you may wonder what Xunantunich means? According to our guide and also wikipedia, it is a name given by archeologists in Maya language to mean “Stone Woman”. However, in recent years, written artifacts from the site (according to our guide) reveal that the Maya likely referred to this site as “white hill” named after the limestone structures characterizing the site.

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Turning now to the moonlight walk to the mountain peak at Black Rock, this view was by far one of the most spectacular on our trip (see photos below). Within minutes of this hike however, my husband and I, draped in sweat, felt like we had entered a wildlife sauna. Puffing and panting as we gained altitude, we reached the peak just at dusk’s softest, pinkest moment of light. Luckily, the view up top was well worth the effort.

Above: View from the Mountain Peak near Black Rock

Not sure if you can see all the sweat but it was there!

Never far from adventure, our trek down led to one of our most stressful moments too. As the sun descended and the path began to take on all the same dark hues, we unfortunately took a wrong turn while deeply immersed in conversation. Not until we reached the end of the path on a grassy cliff did we realize that we were definitely in the wrong place!

At this point it was nearly pitch black. Not sure of where we were, we decided to turn back the way we came to find the right path back to the lodge. We soon began hiking over branches, stumps, and large acorns , only this time uphill and without much light…tripping, stumbling and dodging fast moving bats that were swooping in and out of our path.

Sweating from heat and fear….we finally made it back to the juncture where we had made a bad turn. Simultaneously we heard music coming from the lodge….and eagerly began following the sound as our adrenaline continued to race. After a windy walk down the final stretch of trail, we finally hit our destination, soaked in sweat, releasing our fear in a huge sigh.…happy to be back to civilization once again and thankful that we were not locals in the rainforest!

Thank you Belizeans for making our trip a memorable, exciting and educational one. I hope that I may traverse the land again, but in the meantime, for those of you out there who have not yet been, may you not be discouraged by the lizards and occasional poorly marked trails, but rather remember the stunning wildlife, waterfalls and natural beauty as well as deep history and consider it as a future destination. And if you have been already been, tell us your story! We’d love to hear from you.

Last week, Green Cotton had the honor and pleasure of traveling to Belize, one of the most eco-friendly countries in the world, so I thought I would take the opportunity to share a few highlights from this inspirational trip.

While Belize may not be at the forefront of fashion (and will not be hosting the next Fashion Week any time soon!), it is definitely leading the way when it comes to environmentalism and ecotourism. As one of the smallest countries in Central America, Belize has one of the largest eco-tourism industries in the region. More than a million visitors come each year to experience the endless waterfalls, limestone caves, rainforest flora and fauna as well as mystical ancient Maya sites.

It is in this light that Green Cotton is interested in this country and wants to write about it– for the passion evident among the Belizeans for their environment coupled with their successful ability to create eco-enterprises that work to conserve Mother Nature while turning a profit.

To begin, Belizean eco-tourism exposes the mystery and intrigue of wildlife—from the tropical rainforest to panoply of birds, deep caves and running waterfalls – in an accessible, adventurous and fun way for the common traveler. On this trip, my husband and I had the pleasure staying at Chaa Creek and visiting Black Rock Lodge (almost daily), both eco-tourist resorts offer an incredible window into the environment and an adventurous experience (not to mention my near death experience tubing down one of the waterfalls!).

Bungalow at Chaa Creek

Both places are exquisite and provide numerous opportunities to explore plants, birds, animals and insects as well as good food and relaxation. You might find spiny tailed iguanas or even “Jesus Christ Lizards” (who literally walk on water) as seen below, as well as “cotton trees”, snakes, dragon fruits, and coconut trees.

Jesus Christ Lizard hanging out in our outdoor shower.

Having traveled through much of Central and South America, I was also pleasantly surprised with Belizean local culture. As one of the only English-speaking countries in the region, I was sure to discover mostly British-influences at every turn; and yet, I found quite the contrary: a vibrant local community of Belizeans filled with Maya, Hispanic, Creole, Mestizo, Garifuna, among others, all of whom greeted us friendly, welcomes and conversation and created a flourishing mix of food, music, dance and lifestyle. English is the national language in Belize.

The lower deck at Black Rock Lodge overlooking waterfalls and rainforest

Another surprise came with Belize’s population density. Belize is a very small country – both with respect to its size as well as population. Despite its tiny landmass: approximately 8,866 square miles as well over 200 cayes (islands) along the barrier reef, Belize does not have an overpopulation issue (as in Bangladesh for example). A mere 320,000 people live in the country (!), thus leaving acre upon acre of sheer rainforest and open protected lands. For perspective – the population of New York City alone is approximately 8 million and LA is 3.8 million – so Belize is a relatively small city at best by US standards!

Nonetheless, it is stunning paradise to visit and explore should one have the opportunity. For me, there were two highlights that stand out in my mind: Xunantunich, one of the largest ancient Maya sites in the country, and our hike to the mountain peak at Black Rock.

Both highlights will follow in part II of this Belizean series.

In the meantime, I’d like to close by sharing a few words on my (and Green Cotton’s) new-found respect for Mother Nature and all her complex beauty. I must admit that I am excited and invigorated – despite our flailing economy and tense political situation….everywhere I go, I see more and more people participating in environmentalism in some way. It also seems that now more than in any other time in history, this is a good thing and that we should celebrate this momentum! What could be bad about increasing urges to conserve, to grow organically, to recycle, to buy Green and for each of us to carve our own green path?

So a call of appreciation to all of you out there who are channeling your passion for the environment in some way meaningful to you. Personally, I have chosen to do so through this blog and through the company I recently launched Jute and Jackfruit. But for others of you, that might mean recycling clothes, going vintage, buying organic…. hiking, biking and/or starting a green business….its all terrific. Hats of to all of you and if you happen to have an interesting green story, I’d love to hear about it on Green Cotton. Let’s keep the momentum going!

In the late 1970’s, “ecotourism” entered the travel lexicon, and an emerging number of resorts have embraced environmental and educational attractions ever since. In fact, ecotourism is the fastest growing sector in the travel industry since the early 1990’s.

Photo credit: Cesiak.org

As with any growing trend, some companies/entities will drive the trend, setting the highest examples, and others will follow.

Ecotourism has in many ways morphed into rather broad and unclassified meaning in the marketplace. As a value-added buzzword, some companies adopt the term when beneficial, without full demonstration of environmental commitment.

According to the International Ecotourism Society, ecotourism is: “Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well being of local people.” While this definition sounds terrific, an increasing number of travel entities use ‘eco’ simply to benefit their business.

The travel destinations that are leading the pack however, should be given due attention for their pioneering efforts. This past week, The Guardian highlights a few eco-leaders in their top five (5) green destinations post. MSNBC also reviewed Forbes’ top 10 Best Eco Luxury Resorts this year, highlighting what they viewed as destinations with genuine commitment to the environment.

One such place, which was highlighted by MSNBC is Sian Ka’an, Cesiak eco resort in Mexico. As a fully sustainable, 100% energy efficient destination, CeSiak offers pristine, comfortable accommodations situated in one of the most beautiful bioreserves of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. Run completely on sun and wind, the power is generated in 24 volts DC and stored in a large battery bank. CESiaK also uses a rainwater collection system for all guest water needs, other than drinking and maintains a wetland waste treatment systems to recycles greywater and treat all blackwater.

Beyond energy conservation, CeSiak, and other resorts like this one, approach every aspect of the business from the ecological conservation standpoint. Wind, rain, water, land are at the forefront of not only managing the destination, but also providing the educational and enjoyment capital for the eco-minded tourist. As such, restoration, preservation and education are front and center to the resorts mission, vision, and attractions.

Movement toward Accreditation:
One response to the increasing use and value of ‘eco’ in the travel industry, the International Ecotourism Society, in collaboration with the Rainforest Alliance, plans to introduce a global accreditation system, the Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council, to certify individual programs within the next two years that meet certain criteria. While this accreditation may certainly help consumers make more informed choices, we must continue to remain educated and up-to-date on the latest innovations and models for the industry.

Guardian’s top five eco travel picks: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2007/sep/19/green.travelwebsites

MSNBC’s Top Ten Luxury Resorts: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18057687/
Also on Forbes Traveler: http://www.forbestraveler.com/2006/ft400-slide-200.html?thisSpeed=20000

Cesiak: http://www.cesiak.org/accommodation.htm

What similarities can be drawn from the trends in eco-tourism and eco-fashion? For one, they are both on the rise and two of the fastest growing categories in their respective fields. In the case of eco-tourism, the trend has been increasing longer, faster and steadier, but both harness the eco-conscious consumer paradigm. As such, there is much to be learned from the eco-tourism industry. For example, we can expect a fair number of companies to embrace the ‘green fashion’ paradigm, whether there is genuine commitment behind the ‘green-washing’ or not. In addition, green fabrics, organic fabrics and socially conscious production process will need to monitored, with perhaps one or more accreditation systems in place, coupled with continuous information sharing with consumers. Finally, there may be a viable opportunity here for eco-friendly fashion companies to capitalize on this travel market and formalize some b2b partnerships.