Spot the difference!

Both Sydney... But one's in Australia and one's in Canada...

And as this article from the BBC illustrates, it's all too easy end up in the wrong place when you're booking your holidays...

Geography Matters!! ;-)

Eco-tourism in Benidorm?

Benidorm might not be the obvious choice if you are looking for an environmentally-friendly holiday...

But according to this rather interesting article from the BBC, it might be better than you think! Particularly useful reading for Yr11!

A bit of a let-down?

These are ten of the UK's best-known landmarks...

But according to a survey out today, they are the ten most disappointing UK landmarks! The report is here, and also has lists of the ten most disappointing world landmarks, and the ten most promising UK places to visit...

Do you agree? Have you been to any of these? And did you like them? Anywhere else that you think should be included in the lists?

Tourism threatens Antarctica

An interesting article in an excellent environmental supplement in the Times last week - well worth a read before GGA4 tomorrow!

I thought this was an interesting choice of image under the headline "Tourism threatens Antarctica" as well!!

Some other articles of interest that I found while I was looking for this:

Carbon map of Britain's most toxic cities

Big increase in hurricanes is not caused by global heating

Farming is blamed as birds take flight

Seven Days - baby boom, housing and biofuel

Build on the Green Belt and build now

(And loads more besides - www.timesonline.co.uk - all these came up when I typed "environment" into the search...)

Grand Canyon Skywalk

Amongst the geographical stories in the news today - the glass walkway over the Grand Canyon that is set to open next month.

According to this version of events from the LA Times, the walkway is the centrepiece of a "struggling Indian tribe's plan to lure tourists to its remote destination".

Whilst some people are welcoming the development and describing it as an "engineering marvel", others have declared it a "colossal eyesore" and an "horrific blight".

Click here for a video clip from the BBC... What do you think?? And would you pay $25 to test it?!

Norwegian cruise ship grounded in Antarctic...

Passengers from the Nordkapp - a Norwegian cruise ship that ran aground near Deception Island in the South Shetlands yesterday - have been rescued and are on their way to Ushuaia in Argentina. Fortunately, it seems that on this occasion, no-one was injured and there hasn't been any environmental damage. Conservation organisations are concerned though, that this is a warning of what could happen in the future... With only 280 passengers, the Nordkapp is a relatively small ship, compared to others that visit - the consequences could be very serious if a similar thing were to happen with a bigger ship...


Click on the picture for the full story...

Visit Old Harry by rickshaw! (Yr11 take note!)

Whilst looking for more information about the Bournemouth beach story, I came across a story about plans to introduce a rickshaw taxi service to Swanage in Dorset. Motorised rickshaws imported from India were introduced in Brighton in July last year, and now Purbeck District Council will be discussing extending the idea.

The tuk-tuks, which run on compressed natural gas and can travel at 35mph, are described as being a "fresh transport system" and according to Mark Self who is the managing director of the taxi company behind the plans says that the vehicles are "novel, environmentally-friendly and quick".

Sustainable transport Yr11??

Click on the picture for the full story from the BBC.

"Tourism suicide" for Bournemouth?

People in Bournemouth - one of Britain's top seaside resorts - have accused the local council of "tourism suicide" after £6 million was spent on coastal defences in the area.

Two million tonnes of shingle (stones, shells and flint) were dredged from Poole Harbour, and dumped on the famous golden sands at Bournemouth, in order to provide "a sturdier coastal defence" and protect coastal properties.

But businesses in the area are already suffering, according to owners of local surf shops and clubs - the shingle, apparently, has changed the shape of the waves so that they are no longer suitable for surfing.

Dr David Harlow, the council's coastal protection expert, claims that if the work had not been carried out, then 3000 properties and 100 cliff-top businesses would be at risk of falling into the sea.

The pictures show Bournemouth before and after... What do you think of the change? Worthwhile or a waste of money?