Get Your Green On

Even though the nights are getting even darker and the weather is getting colder, we are still attempting to get the most out of the outdoors. Fortunately, a new range of electric patio heatershave been released that will allow you to get the most out of the outdoors.

Chillchaser, a UK based company that was featured on Dragons Den, recently released a new range of patio heaters. The 3 different models are called Zeus, Neptune and Poseidon, with each one coming with different features and with a different price tag.

What makes the Chillchaser patio heaters so special is their amazing style and range of features. This new range of heaters look nothing like any other patio heaters I’ve ever seen. The reason why they can create such a new design is because they don’t use a gas heating method like normal patio heaters. Each of the heaters use a new carbon fibre heating system which emits more focused heat and emits absolutely no CO2 gasses. Each one of the carbon fibre heating tubes can give out around 8,000 hours of heat and are fully replaceable.

Other great features that are included in Chillchasers’ patio heaters include an infrared sensor which detects movement and turns the heater on or off. The new heaters also come with a tip over safety feature which turns of the heating unit if the heater is knocked over.

The first and cheapest heater is the Neptune. Alongside the features named above, the Neptune heater also comes with a dome light fitted to the top which offers 360 degree lighting. This means that you won’t have to stand in the dark while keeping warm. At £299, it’s not a bad price to pay to keep warm and out of the dark.

The Zeus heater is the second of the 3 heaters released. The Zeus patio heater is very similar to the Neptune because it also has a light fitted to the top of the unit. The only difference between the two is that the Zeus’ light doesn’t provide 360 degree lighting. Carrying a price of £449, I think I’d rather have a Zeus heater.

The final heater in the range and the most expensive of the three is the Poseidon which, despite it’s water based name, isn’t watetproof. What makes the Poseidon the most expensive and the coolest is that it has a media player at the top of the unit with a 7 inch screen and built in speakers. At £849, it’s a bit you’re paying a lot for the entertainment value.

If only they released an indoor version which would replace standard portable heaters or fan heatersas they are pretty clunky.

An important leisure activity is recreation. It has a rejuvenating effect on one’s body and mind. This is important for healthy living amidst the stressful modern life. Some of the recreational activities that are popular these days are skiing, snowboarding, bungee jumping, sky diving, hang gliding, canyoning, rock climbing, adventure tourism, backpacking, ecotourism and motor sport. Traveling to the pristine, but fragile, areas is ecotourism. There are two ways ecotourism is practiced. Appreciating nature and learning from its varied life forms as well as the cultures that are embedded in nature is one kind of ecotourism. This requires a deep sensitivity and social consciousness. Reflection on the ecological impact of human activities on nature while appreciating nature is central to it. That is why this is also called responsible ecotourism. The second type of ecotourism has commercial interest at its heart where nature preserves is just another commodity for profit making. Unfortunately, ecotourism continues to be dominated by this category of enterprise.

Ecotourism that does not have ecology and local cultures as its central concern is indiscriminate in the way they conduct themselves. Ecology is nothing but a tool for them to market in order to attract tourists. The rich natural habitat becomes the location for constructing modern luxurious hotels, lodges and resorts with all the trappings of the modern wasteful lifestyle. Neither respect nor conservation for nature is in their agenda. The result is the fast deterioration of the surrounding ecology and degradation of the nature. Better infrastructure and more tourists mean more waste generation and pollution. Nature gets trampled in the process. Neither are the tourists mainly concerned about the impact of the luxury they enjoy on the surrounding ecology. And all this happens in the name of ecotourism.

Responsible ecotourism on the other hand is in stark contrast to this destructive ecotourism. Typically the visitors come unobtrusively in small groups. They invariably carry their survival needs in their backpacks. These include flashlight, first aid kit, personal care products, utensils and map amongst others. Sleeping bag and the camping tent are the most important for their minimal comforts. There are many camping tent manufacturers such as Black Diamond, Sierra, Kelty, Eureka and MSR who manufacture tents. Camping tents are designed for different seasons and capacity. The features that come along with it can be previewed from each of the reviews of these tents for instance searching the Internet for MSR Hubba Hubba reviews.

Normally camping is considered to be responsible tourism. There is a minimal negative impact on nature. The campers give adequate attention to recycling, energy efficiency and water conservation. They also make sure that the economic benefits accrue to local communities.

There is much talk of ecological crisis. It is said that most of these are man made. The ecological crisis that is being talked about consists of a vast array of problems. There are the oil spills that devastate vast areas in the sea and the coast line. The Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 off the coast of Alaska is one such. Global warming, a result of the emission of green house gases because of human activities could flood many islands that dot the Pacific Ocean. The depletion of ozone layer will increase the radiation from the sun reaching the earth. Many species will disappear as a result of deforestation as well as desertification. Large plain areas will be threatened with devastating floods due to the vanishing forests up in the hills. It is estimated that some 17,000 to as many as 100,000 species vanish every year. Over the last five decades, seven million square kilometers of forests have vanished. Only one-fifth of the original forests survive intact.

Science teaches us that species are dependent on each other. The species also depend on the non-living things in their habitat. The species could be micro-organism, plants, and animals. The continued inter-dependence between them is the key to their survival. Human beings cannot recreate ecosystems. Scientists agree that it is not humanly possible. The only way is to let the ecosystem survive for species survival. The importance of conservation of nature stems from this realization. This is also the reason that some areas are identified for conservation. But at the same time, the demand for growth and development threaten conservation.

Appreciation of nature and natural reserves in a widespread manner, it is hoped, will ultimately triumph and bear fruits. One way to promote this is by encouraging responsible eco-tourism. A living experience through camping in such sites requires the use of camping tent. You have to choose the tent from amongst a wide variety of tents. Kelty Green River 4 person tent can also be utilized as a base camp tent. It can house four persons. There are tents that easily accommodates up to ten people. The tents also have different features such as in its ability to withstand the winds, rain and the cold.

It is important that visitors to the camping site do not interfere with nature. They should also respect local cultures as well. Appreciating nature for its complexity is vital. Understanding the different roles that nature plays reveals its mystery. What is more important is to recognize the fact that we belong to nature, and nature does not belong to us. We are related to nature as between children to their mother.