The new airline, dubbed ‘Air France Express,’ could start service as early as next year with bases in the southern cities of Marseille, Nice and Toulouse. The main hurdle would be reaching an agreement with the unions, the sources said.

Air France-KLM which already operates a low cost unit, Transavia, declined to comment.

The airline declined to comment but an unnamed source told AFP: “Studies are underway to find some way to fight off the ‘low-cost’ airlines. Among ideas being considered, is setting up a new entity within Air France-KLM,” one of the sources said, asking not to be named.

“The idea would be to base some pilots in Marseille, Nice and Toulouse and to do like easyJet – avoid having aircraft overnighting away from their operating base,” the source added.

This model could mirror the likes of easyJet and Ryanair that operate from many bases rather than just one or two, which allows them to setting up more efficient regional hubs and thereby keep down costs.

Air France-KLM could achieve greater flexibility by moving some services outside of its main hub at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle, Paris.

Pilots would work the same number of days but would be in the air for more of their working day, getting paid more but not quite as much more as would be saved in costs, the source added.

This would be fantastic news for the environment if another low cost airline was created. It would cut unnecessary wastage that luxury airlines create and ensure that the carbon foot print per passenger is kept to the absolute minimum. Low cost airlines are the way forward for so many reasons. Have an inside look at Low Cost Airlines here.

Source: AFP

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

Until now, the low-cost pier has been known as “CPH Swift”, a working title which has now been changed to CPH Go, which clearly signals what it is all about: more cheap tickets to more destinations.

When CPH launched its new low-cost concept about 18 months ago, they chose a working title specifically targeting low-cost carriers’ demand for swift airport turnarounds. The opening of the new low-cost pier is now less than two months away and the airport is now turning its focus on the passengers who will soon be using the new facility.

“The signal the new name is intended to give passengers is: more cheap tickets to more destinations. We therefore decided a while back that we would launch the low-cost pier under a new name once we got closer to the opening date. CPH Go is a name that describes the rationale behind the low-cost pier, namely the encouragement to travel,” said Henrik Peter Jørgensen, VP, Communications at CPH.

Growth in low-cost traffic

The Danish civil Aviation Administration recently approved the CPH Go passenger charge, and the 35% reduction compared with the existing passenger charge creates a basis for continuing growth in low-cost traffic at Copenhagen Airport.

The number of low-cost passengers at Copenhagen Airport is higher than ever before, and CPH Go is a major reason for the increase – even before the low-cost pier has opened its doors to the first passengers.

“In July, we reached 400,000 low-cost passengers in a single month, and the low-cost market share at Copenhagen Airport has grown steadily over the past year. When we talk to the low-cost carriers, they make it very clear, many new low-cost routes have been opened because we have announced the prospect of a dedicated low-cost pier, CPH Go,” said Henrik Peter Jørgensen.

CPH focuses on climate

Copenhagen Airport is part of the international aviation industry which, according to the United Nations’ climate panel (IPCC) accounts for a total of approximately 2% of global CO2 emissions. By far the majority of aviation emissions come from aircraft operations in the air.

By comparison, the transport sector as a whole accounts for about 14% of CO2 emissions worldwide.

At Copenhagen Airport, air traffic is also the greatest source of CO2 emissions. In addition, car transport to and from the airport contributes significantly to the airport’s overall emissions.

Less energy consumption = less CO2

Over a number of years, Copenhagen Airports (CPH) has taken a number of initiatives which help reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions from the company’s activities. For example, CPH aims to reduce its overall power consumption by 10% or more by 2012, compared with 2007.

CPH is continuously enhancing its climate action by a number of new measures which you can read more about in this section. At the same time, CPH is working closely with the other companies at the airport to reduce overall emissions from the airport through projects and campaigns and by guiding and influencing the parties to climate-friendly operations to the widest possible extent.

CPH Go, Copenhagen Airports Low Cost Facility, as with all aspects of the airport will maintain the strict environmental guidelines. These guidelines focus on the following aspects:

Air quality: at the airport and in the surrounding neighborhood.
Water and Soil: including water consumption, waste and surface water, ground water and soil.
Waste: regarding waste handing.

The aviation industry shares responsibility for the environmental impact which is changing our climate and Copenhagen Airports recognises this and is working on it. The airport takes the climate and energy very seriously and tackles these areas through the following initiatives: CO2 emissions, energy consumption, reduction of power consumption, LED lights, COOL campaign, green take-offs and picking up tax and duty free shopping upon return.

For more information, visit Copenhagen Airports.

Source: Copenhagen Airports

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

The technique, called Continuous Descent Approach (CDA), allows aircraft to descend on minimum power, making a smooth approach without levelling off, rather than using a classical stepped approach.

After just one year of launching the scheme, 95% of aircraft arriving into Birmingham Airport now use CDAs, making a saving per flight of around 315kg of CO2, 100kg of fuel, and reducing the noise around the airport by between one and five decibels per arrival.

The use of CDAs at Birmingham is as a result of a partnership between the Airport Company, NATS (the airport’s Air Traffic Control provider), and airlines operating at the Airport.  The technique significantly reduces fuel costs for airlines, creates a quieter environment for Airport neighbours and reduces aircraft emissions.

Ben Hanley, the Airport’s Environment Manager said, “We’re always seeking new opportunities to improve the noise climate for local residents and in 2006 we introduced the Operation Pathfinder scheme to create better communication channels and joined up thinking with our airlines and NATS.

“This partnership approach resulted in the launch of the CDA programme, and has led to improvements to our ‘on-track’ performance, which saw 99% of all our departures in 2009 keeping within the designated flight paths. We’re really seeing the results of collaborative working and we thank our partners for their commitment to improve the local climate.”

Paul Waite, Operations and Training Manager for NATS, said, “Although CDAs are being used at a number of other UK airports, Birmingham is one of the most successful airports using the scheme, and I am proud to say that our team of controllers are exceeding targets every month. It is evident that NATS, Birmingham Airport and the airlines are fully committed to tackling local aviation environmental issues.”

Birmingham Airport’s work on CDAs forms part of the national “Sustainable Aviation” initiative.  Sustainable Aviation was set up by the aviation industry, as a commitment to work together to improve environmental performance, with challenging targets to reduce noise and emissions.

Through Sustainable Aviation, Birmingham Airport recently committed to implement measures to reduce ground based carbon emissions.  Birmingham Airport is already leading the way by working with airlines through the Operation Pathfinder programme, to reduce emissions whilst aircraft are taxiing and operating on stand.

Birmingham Airport recently launched a Google Earth tool on its website to allow people looking to relocate near to the airport to find out about its flight paths, noise insulation scheme, air quality monitoring and other environmental programmes.

For more information about Birmingham Airport and the environmental programmes it offers, please visit Birmingham Airport.

Source: Birmingham Airport

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

After Wytze van Mansum graduation, he was contacted by two entrepreneurs, Gerald van Weel and Jorrit Kreek, and asked to design an updated bakfiets, the dutch cargo bike. Wytze points out that what really interested him about the project was the aim… “to replace the 2nd car”.

After 9 months of design work and testing, they presented a pre-production prototype of the electric assist ‘Urban Arrow’ and were nominated for a Eurobike award. If you are at Eurobike this week, you will see Wytze’s prototype on display at the entrance to the show. He points out that the prototype is just that, so some of the parts are not up to the final production standard. “The production box will come from a single mold, providing a smooth surface. The box seen in this pre-production model is milled from different plates of the material. The chaincase will eventually be fully closed and a hub dynamo will power the lights. And of course it still needs some decals.”

Wytze describes some of the bike’s features:

Assisted: With the electric assist you can get around a busy town faster than by car, taking with you up to 180kg of cargo and without sweating (Not everybody has the legs of a pro cyclist, after all). We chose a mid engine; powering the cranks. This way the power is on the correct wheel (rear) and the bike has a closed chain case with maintenance free reliable hub gear. An additional advantage is that the motor also profits from the gears, like in a car. Put it in first gear and you can ride up any hill effortlessly. I am very pleased with our engine choice; this thing is simply a silent beast.

Lightened: It has a stiff aluminum frame with a lightweight EPP cargo box. EPP is a recyclable, but durable foam. A bit like what the inside of your helmet is made of, except that this stuff won’t break on impact. 60mm (2.5″) of high dense foam adds some extra safety.

Practical: Gerald and Jorrit both ride their young children around by bike in Amsterdam, as do all of their friends. So we had an extensive list of things we’d wanted to add to the practicality of the bakfiets. Things like:

• A rain cover that is always present on the bike (in the future it will cover the parent also). Designed by Renske Solkesz
• Easy access in and out for the children
• Cup holders and a grocery net
• A fixed bolted seatpost (to prevent saddle theft) that still can be easily adjusted in height
• A removable box, transforming it to a flat-bed cargo bike.
• Comfortable (and more puncture proof) balloon tires

Design: For the design, I have tried to get more unity throughout the whole bike and most of the forms originate simply from logic. The frame encapsulates the motor and chain, creating a unique frame design. The curved tubes around the top of the box are for protection of the box and of children fingers hanging over the rim of the box. They also provide storage room for the rain cover poles and a lock or pump. Because the box is made in a mold we were able to incorporate some fun functionalities like the cup holders.”

What a fantastic alternative to using vehicles to get around. Perhaps in the future, once the bike has been produced you will be able to rent bikes like these on your travels.

For further information and to join the place for discussion of design in the bicycle industry, have a look at Bicycle Design. All types of bicycles (and other human powered machines) are covered, from the latest high-end road and mountain bikes to transportation oriented bikes and unique utilitarian designs.

Source: Bicycle Design

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

After the success of the 26-hour flight, flying day and night solely on solar energy, and a well-earned summer break, a new test flight is scheduled for this Thursday, 2 September 2010, in the airspace above the Payerne airbase. The weather forecast is good.

André Borschberg will be at the controls of the solar plane, aiming to carry out a low-altitude flight and a night landing.

The take off should take place at around 19:00. The flight is expected to last two hours, depending on how successful the mission is and the weather conditions.

Follow the Solar Impulse Blog on the Solar Impulse website. This will provide you with all details on the progress of the test-flight.

For more information on Solar Impulse, see the previous Solar Powered Test Flight.

Source: Solar Impulse

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

From 2012, all air traffic will flow through the new Capital Airport Berlin Brandenburg International BBI. In the first step, Tempelhof Airport was closed on 30 October 2008. Tegel Airport will be closed in 2012 when BBI opens.

Environmentally friendly airports

Active human and environmental protection: reducing flight noise, avoiding waste, saving energy.

Berlin Airports is actively working to protect the environment and has made its actions transparent. In October 2004, Tegel Airport became the first of the Berlin’s airports to be certified under the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) and receive DIN EN ISO 14001 certification.

EMAS is a voluntary management tool to enhance the environmental performance of organisations by checking achievements and making continuous improvements. The Tegel environmental audit included some of the airport’s key clients, such as airlines, check-in & handling services, and catering firms, as these companies also run their own operations at the airport.

Due to the impending closure of Tegel Airport, EMAS certification took place for the last time in November 2007. The environmental management system based on the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) and DIN EN ISO 14001 will be continued at the Berlin’s airports in order to ideally prepare Berlin Airports to meet the challenges of sustainable and environmentally responsible growth once the new Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport BBI opens.

BBI-planning

Concentrating all Berlin air traffic at a single location offers ecological benefits over the current airport system – which is fragmented due to the historical division of Berlin – in terms of reducing land use and disturbances from noise and traffic. To counter the expansion of Schoenefeld Airport, the innercity airports Tegel and Tempelhof will be closed.

Economic operating and maintenance costs are a pivotal element in the planning for BBI. The development engineers place a high value on ensuring that the individual buildings and structures achieve optimum energy consumption levels. In addition to the use of highly innovative heat recycling systems, the planning concept is also exploring the integration of regenerative energy systems – e.g. geothermal systems or the use of rainwater for cooling.

BBI noise protection programme

By relocating air traffic to the outskirts, hundreds of thousands of residents in Berlin and Brandenburg will no longer have to live with aircraft noise. The residents of Schoenefeld will be protected to a large extent by the conditions imposed by the planning permission decision.

Zuelow lowlands

The largest single project of the compensation and replacement measures is the ecological upgrading of the Zuelowniederung. The area is located in southern Brandenburg between Mittenwalde, Dabendorf and Groß Machnow/Rangsdorf and consists of about 2,600 hectares of lowlands. The Berlin Airports entered into a cooperation with the Landschaftspflegeverein Mittelbrandenburg e.V. (former: Verein für Landschaftspflege und Umweltschutz Teltow-Fläming e.V.) in 2003.

The object is to upgrade the agriculturally oriented, open lowlands and by means of smaller partitions of the utilization and emphasis of the existing structures design the landscape in a more varied manner. The compensation measures should improve the living conditions for flora and fauna and therefore increase the quality of the Zuelowniederung.

Protection of trees

Protecting the tree population is one of the most important parts of ecological monitoring of construction. Measures to avoid and minimise damage to the tree population range from protecting the roots using fences and burden sharing, through protecting the tree trunks to using optimised construction methods. This helped to save three approx. 200-year-old oak trees standing off site to the south-west of the small town of Selchow. The oak trees are situated right in the path of the supply and waste disposal lines for BBI. According to technical plans, open cut tunnelling was envisaged for laying the lines. For this, the trees would have had to have been felled. Instead, however, a construction method was used whereby the pipes were bored 2.50 metres below the oak trees, so that the old trees could be preserved.

Bat protection

In the course of clearing the construction site for BBI, bat research had to be carried out on conserving the small mammals, which are protected throughout Europe, when demolishing buildings and felling trees. The old trees in particular were checked for “bat occupation”, as bats like nothing more than to use former hollows of certain types of birds or deeper cracks in trees as their summer quarters. The trees in which bats were sitting were marked and only felled once the bats were relocated to their winter quarters. As a rainwater storage reservoir for BBI, the Rotberg reservoir was also extended and upgraded in such a way as to provide an ecological safe haven for the bats.

Relocation of amphibians

To conserve particularly endangered amphibians protected throughout Europe, these were taken from their natural habitat and put in newly built replacement waters before construction work began. As early as 2005, Berlin Airports created four replacement waters off site in close consultation with the nature conservation authorities. A total of several thousand amphibians were relocated by ecologists, including garlic toads, common toads, moor frogs and other species of frog found in the ponds. Relocation was scheduled to take place within three years. The waters on site have almost completely been cleared, relocation was a success. The development of the amphibians in the replacement waters is under constant ecological monitoring.

Compensatory measures

Berlin Airports is implementing a whole host of compensatory measures within the scope of expanding Schoenefeld Airport. For example, planting new trees for every tree felled, creating a replacement for every sealed area. In addition, biotope monitoring prevents disruptions to the area surrounding the airport during construction.

With an ever-growing volume of air traffic, airports are subject to increasingly stringent environmental standards. However, it is not enough to merely respect legal regulations and raise awareness of environmentally conscious behaviour. Other initiatives play an equally important role, including measures to create ideal conditions for respecting environmental issues in all areas of airport operation. For many years now, Berlin Airports have pursued a comprehensive policy of environmental management. This is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to environmental protection as a strategic corporate objective.

If you will be flying into Europe and Germany in particular then perhaps consider flying into Berlin’s Green Airports to lower your carbon footprint. Have a look at Berlin Airport for further information, flights and special offers.

Source: Berlin Airport

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

Home exchange is a vacation alternative where you allow someone else to stay in your home while you stay in theirs. During a home exchange holiday you swap your home at a time that is convenient to both parties. A home swap holiday may also include an automobile exchange.

This is a fantastic opportunity to save on accommodation during your next trip. You could pair up with like minded people and families or people of different lifestyles and culture and your holiday could turn into a learning experience where you explore new culture and different ways of life. You are able to ensure a low carbon footprint because you can continue to practice all of the eco-friendly things you usually do in your own home. This is so much easier to do than when you are in a hotel, boat or train. You are simply in a new home environment but have full control over energy consumption, water usage, food wastage and transport, especially if you home swap somewhere close to your home or somewhere within public transport distance.

Although it is a bit unnerving to invite strangers into your home, you are widening your travel and accommodation opportunities hugely. If you would like to, you are able to spend money on things that count like sightseeing, recreation and dining out. Alternatively you are able to travel far and wide to places you never before could have afforded because all you accommodation is paid. The home exchange community is a low cost, budget ticket to travelling the world.

Here are a few basics when you consider home exchange. Join a few reputable networks. You then create a profile for your house, upload your profile to your choice of home exchange websites, and promote its best features. Input basic information such as how many bedrooms and bathrooms. Better home exchange websites will allow you to indicate personal preferences and deal breakers such as: children or no children, pool or no pool, internet or no internet and so on.

As avid home exchange traveler, Julie Gibbons, explains “In just the same way as you might meet your perfect match through a dating site, there will be a perfect house swap for you. We’ve been surprised and delighted with each of our house swap destinations – all of which have been a mystery to us beforehand. One of the most exciting benefits has been to visit locations we’ve never heard of, and would never have considered for a more traditional vacation.”

Julie Gibbons offers her Top Tips to Getting Started on home exchange. Find her tips on Organikal.

Home exchanging is a travel bargain!

Swapping houses can slash the cost of a holiday. Not only do you save on accommodation (hotel rooms and taxes), but by exchanging cars you can also save on car rental costs. You also save on restaurant meals and snacks, car parking, laundry, Internet connection, and much more.

Here are three fantastic home exchange networks that are sure to find you your dream home swap:

Home For Exchange

This site is owned and run by Ans Lammers. The website is a marketplace for non-commercial home exchange. You stay in their home while they stay in yours. Save thousands of dollars/euros on your next vacation.

Geenee

Over the years, the Geenee team has travelled all over the world. And the best times have been when they stayed in real homes, and lived as locals. That way, you discover a city from the inside out – not the outside in. You tap into the real life of a place – not just its tourist attractions.  Geenee is a home-swapping site that actually helps you swap. It shows you exactly what the homes on offer look like, with clear ratings, and provides advice on things like insurance, swap agreements and all that stuff.

1st Home Exchange

1st Home Exchange allows you to match your exchange preferences with home owners in other countries. Simply post information about your house swap offer including your preferred destination and dates. Once a match is made, it’s up to you and your exchange partner to work out the details.

Source: Organikal, Home For Exchange, Geenee and 1st Home Exchange

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

A bike-sharing program has seemed all but inevitable, and here it comes. This fall, a New York-based company called SoBi will try its hand at the type of program popularized by other countries successful systems like the London Cycle Hire Scheme.

What is SoBi?

SoBi will be the first public bike share system with the authorization, tracking, and security systems attached to the bicycle itself. SoBi uses GPS, mobile communications, and a secure lock that can attach to almost any bicycle and lock to any regular bike rack. The system does not require separate infrastructure and can be deployed at approximately one-third the cost of existing systems. Administrators will be given powerful tools to manage demand and map patterns of use. Users will enjoy door-to-door transportation and an interactive cycling experience that can track miles traveled, calories burned, CO2 emissions offset, and connections to other Social Cyclists.

With the lockbox, as opposed to the typical docking station, expectant riders will be able to reserve a bike remotely on the company’s website using a cell phone or other mobile device. SoBi — short for “social biking” — will then use the GPS system mounted on each bike to provide a map showing all the available bikes in the area. All a rider has to do is walk up to the lonely bike, type in an access code and —voilà — the lock box unlocks, and the rider bikes off into the enviro-friendly sunset.

The fault in other programs is that sometimes it is hard finding an available bike at a rental point. By the end of the day, bikes end up in only a few locations and need to be transported back to rental points so that they are evenly scattered around cities. For New York City resident and founder of Social Bicycle System (SoBi) Ryan Rzepecki, is eliminating that aspect through wireless technology. It may be the key to revolutionizing how cities, colleges and corporate campuses run social bicycle share programs. The Social Bicycle System (SoBi) uses wireless technology to enhance personal mobility.

This system will be more affordable and scalable than existing bike share systems and can be deployed in a wider range of settings – small cities, universities, and even corporate campuses. SoBi will allow a user to find and unlock bikes using a mobile phone and provide a viable public transportation alternative.
The SoBi team is currently prototyping the lock box design which, we will test in New York City this fall.

SoBi was entered into the Copenhagen Bike Share Design Competition in December of 2009. The project is a semi-finalist in the Innovation Erie Competition and is also competing in the Systems category of The Earth Awards.

For more information, visit SoBi.

Source: SoBi

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

The initiative aims to improve the competitiveness and environmental performance of tourism businesses by reducing energy consumption has been launched by the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).

Small and medium sized tourism operators in Wellington and Auckland have been given the opportunity to take advantage of a free energy efficiency package worth the equivalent of $3000. The package includes a free energy assessment by an EcoSmart electrician and a subsidy to install the assessment’s recommendations.

The initiative is a continuation of the Tourism Energy Efficiency Programme (TEEP), a partnership project between TIA and EECA launched in 2008 to provide practical assistance for tourism businesses to reduce their electricity consumption, fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

TIA Chief Executive Tim Cossar says most businesses can cut 20% off their energy costs – sometimes far more – with smarter energy use, and many of the measures they can implement come at little or no cost.

“Running an energy efficient business can also give tourism operators the edge over their competitors and position them as responsible operators, particularly important as New Zealand gears up for an influx of international visitors for Rugby World Cup 2011.

“Later in the year we will also offer subsidies for members to undertake driver training through the New Zealand Safe and Fuel Efficient Driving programme. These sorts of driver training programmes can result in fuel savings of up to 10%.”

Mike Underhill, Chief Executive of EECA says, “There is so much potential for businesses to improve their profitability through better energy management – we estimate as much as $2 billion worth of energy is wasted by the New Zealand business sector each year.

“As well as benefitting the individual businesses, there’s also a national benefit when our tourism operators can show they are committed to the ‘100% Pure’ brand, and good energy management is a real tangible way to show that commitment.”

Tim Cossar says the decision to extend the TEEP programme into its third year shows the tourism industry’s ongoing commitment to improving its environmental performance.

“New Zealand’s environment is our main tourism product. It is the primary reason that international visitors come here, it is important for domestic travellers and it underpins the visitor offering for thousands of tourism businesses.

“Tourism operators know they must respond to visitors’ environmental concerns by running their business more sustainably and by offering clients environmentally friendly products and experiences. TEEP is a practical project that is helping us to achieve this goal.”

Mr Cossar says he is pleased the energy efficiency package – which is being offered to a limited number of TIA members as a pilot project – is targeted at small and medium sized operators, given they make up about 80% of tourism industry businesses.

About TEEP

The Tourism Energy Efficiency Programme (TEEP) was launched by TIA and EECA in 2008, providing a strong incentive for tourism businesses to identify ways to save energy, improve profitability and help conserve the natural environment.

Initiatives completed in 2008 and 2009 included energy audits of 25 tourism businesses around the country and a fuel efficiency stocktake of tourist flight operators that identified ways to reduce fuel consumption and improve profit margins.

The energy audits of the 25 tourism operations found that in total they could potentially achieve:

• dollar savings of $797,521
• kWh savings of 6.8 million
• CO2 reductions of 1613 tonnes

Of the energy efficiency measures recommended in the audits, 60% would have payback in less than 12 months and many would cost operators little or nothing to implement.

Significant energy and cost savings have already been achieved by the businesses that took part in the TEEP energy audit scheme.

Visit Tourism Industry Association New Zealand and click on project for more information.

Source: Tourism Industry Association New Zealand

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

Rishi Sowa’s life epitomizes self sustainability and incorporates the three R’s; reduce, reuse and recycle; in everything he does. He has designed and built two artificial floating islands in the waters off the caribbean coast of Mexico.

As an environmentalist, Rishi believes in recycling and low impact living, he is a musician, an artist and carpenter who built his first floating island beginning in 1998. His famous spiral island was featured in a number of newspapers and TV documentaries around the world. It was also featured in an episode of Ripley’s Believe It or Not TV show. This creative man has built an entire island which he floated from common household trash. He used more than 250,000 plastic bottles to float an island complete with a two-story house, 3 beaches, trees, gardens, and solar panels.

Spiral Island I

The first floating island that Rishi built was 66 ft (20m) by 54 ft (16m) and was located near Puerto Aventuras, south of Cancun on the Caribbean coast. Rishi helped clean up the environment in two ways. First he filled nets with empty discarded plastic bottles to support his structure. 250,000 plastic bottles were used and supported a structure of bamboo and plywood, thereby recycling waste that polluted the Caribbean waters.

Secondly sand was poured on the structure of bottles, plywood and bamboo. The sand Sowa used was primarily taken from the end of the beach where it came up against the man made rock pier. The winds there caused beach sand to constantly pile up. The wind combined with the constant motion of waves created sand pile ups that blocked boats from getting through the canal at Puerto Aventuras. When Rishi built his island, he took over the dredging process by gathering 8 to 10 large buckets of sand per week making it unnecessary for the builders of Puerto Aventurals to clear the canal for the boats by dredging using large machinery as had been their practice.

In 2005, Hurricane Emily destroyed the original spiral island. The island was washed up on the beach completely in one piece while a small proportion of the bags of plastic bottles washed up on the beach away from where the island landed.

Due to the total devastation to his original island, Rishi conducted a reconstruction campaign of the island in late 2007 and 2008. The new island was built in the waters of Isla Mujeres, the “Island of Women” which is close to Cancun. Spiral Island II opened for tours in August 2008 and has been the feature for documentaries produced by Japanese and Korean TV.

New Spiral Island II

About 100,000 bottles were used in the construction of Spiral Island II which was built with the help of volunteers. The new island has beaches, a house, 2 ponds, a solar powered waterfall/river and solar panels. Slightly smaller than its predecessor it is about 20 meters (60 feet) in diameter. Rishi ,who is in his fifties, has created an island work in progress and continues to make improvements to the Island.

Spiral Island II has attracted visitors from around the world in all walks of life, donations and volunteers who are inspired by what is arguably one of the most impressive do it yourself ventures of modern times.

Rishi Sowa welcomes organized groups and visitors to the island. You are able to enjoy time maintaining the island and learning from Rishi on how to live this carefree self sustainable life.

For more information and ideas on how to build your own island, visit Spiral Islanders.

Source: Spiral Islanders

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director