Ecojot: a leader in socially and environmentally responsible design.

Happy Tuesday Evening!

How's everyone doing? Yesterday I received some photographs from a friend who just got back from Japan. En route to Japan a couple weeks ago he noticed something at Pearsons International Airport... Check out my friend Johnson's photo above and photos below...

How cool is that? Being recognized as a leader in socially and environmentally responsible design!

Speaking of "socially and environmentally responsible..." Canopy in Vancouver is fantastic organization we're collaborating with. Best known for the greening of the Harry Potter series globally, Canopy has brokered innovative environmental solutions such as the Wheat Sheet and worked closely with ally organizations to translate companies’ eco-policies into landmark conservation gains in BC’s Great Bear Rainforest and Canada’s Boreal forests.

We're doing three major projects with them in the coming months, including one called the "World Forest" project where Canopy and Ecojot will be sending out 100 Ecojot journals/sketchbooks across the globe for people to share their stories through words, pictures, poetry, etc on why forest are loved. More details to come but in the meantime, check out Canopy for a glimpse of the great work they do!

I have a busy hump day ahead of me sending winners of my Flickr Photo Contest their prizes and thank you gifts ;) If you haven't yet already sent me your address, if you entered my contest, please do!

Off to see Time Traveler's Wife with my sister Pat! It's $4 Tuesday at Rainbow Cinemas... If you live in Ontario and love movies as much as I do, I highly recommend Rainbow Cinemas on Tuesday Nights!

xo,
ej

PS-- If you haven't yet already... If you live in Toronto, be sure to RSVP yes to my first ever Ecojot Fan Appreciation Event! Click here for details... It's on August 29th at Outer Layer on Queen Street West.

Being green and saving green when you're traveling...

Please excuse my absence on Friday... The day just ran away from me with lots to do... Then I woke up this morning admittingly unsure what to blog about. A bit of writer's block I suppose ;) Not to mention that I don't like blogging unless I have something exciting and relevant to say...


Well at it happens, as many of you know I absolutely love to travel. Especially on a budget! Last year in particular was my year of travel, I made it all across France, bits of Italy, Beglium and Netherlands, Bangalore and Mysore, India, the Philippines... Not just Manila to surprise my family, but a small town called Donsol with my older brother G and his friend Jack to swim with whale sharks, plus an unexpected trip to the Bahamas! (We spotted one whale shark, and got a chance to swim above it... Unfortunately no photos of the biggest fish).

All travel was on a super tight budget, needless to say I was thrilled when the Frugal Traveler Matt Gross of the New York Times featured my favourite notebooks on his blog!


So speaking of traveling turns out InHabitat did a great piece of the Top 5 Incredible Eco-Hotels and Hostels of the World... While they are not super affordable they are very environmentally friendly... I am particularly fond of the idea of turning an old plane that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill in to a hostel. Although it would likely be the most expensive hostel I've ever stayed at if that were the case!

The other worthwhile mention is the Shipping Container Travelodge in the UK... That's right a shipping containers... Check out this great little video of how it works here... Very affordable especially for expensive UK prices!

I was discussing the article with my Uncle M who happens to run a travel agency with his wife my Auntie A in Connecticut when they told me about a series of cottages in Litchfield, CT that just opened... However I was disappointed to see that there is no mention of the Winvian accommodations being the least bit green... Although they do apparently have a cottage with a helicopter in it.

While I am fond of luxurious from time to time... After all, I don't know anyone who isn't. I am convinced there are ways to enjoy the luxurious things in life and still be kind to the environment. That's why I am a strong advocate of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System developed by the U.S. Green Building Council which is quickly becoming a standard in architecture around the world.

I once worked in the architectural industry a few years back, and it was great to see so many architects take the rigorous steps to become LEED accredited. In fact, many institutions demand that architects have LEED qualifications to be considered to be their lead architects... no pun intended ;) Kudos to such institutions such as numerous universities, a selection of Green Buildings in Canada featured by the Canada Green Building Council available for viewing here.

That's it for now folks... It rained all weekend, as in ALL weekend long here in Toronto so with the sun shining I must spend the evening outdoors!

xo,

ej

TRAVEL!!!!

So I woke up this morning wanting to hit snooze over and over again... I think I managed to only hit it 2 or 3 times this morning which is a feat for me ;)

Then I got to thinking... What am I going to post about today?? I visited YouTube for some inspiration, where I found myself checking out HappySlip's most recent video "Check Me, Check Me." It was via Happyslip's channel I came across a video she favourited, titled "The One Where He Gives It a Shot (STA WTI)," which then led me to "STA Travel: World Traveler Intern 2009" posted below of which Ninjadrops' video was a response to. Oh the wonderful world of procrastinating and backward navigating online!

With all this talk about saving the Earth, traveling the Earth to make a difference, it only seemed apropos to be sharing this opportunity to see the world this summer. There are apparently 5 days left to take part. Click here for more details. A special shout out to my lil taller sis who happens to vlog and could totally win this, as can you! There are two intern spots!

I had the wonderful opportunity to visit 10 countries in 3 continents in 12 months, not to mention their countless regions, cities and towns, therefore all I have to say is... TRAVEL!!!! Even with if it's within your own country to start, there's nothing like it... TRAVEL!!!! If I were still a student, I'd so be submitting an entry!

That's it for now...

xo, ej