Latest news with #Philipsburg
Forbes
30-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Ways The Travel Industry Is Addressing Our Climate Crisis
Tourism is not just a victim of climate crisis, it is also one of the heaviest contributors to the problem. We have covered the effects of flying and actions to improve the climate crisis in a previous post. Now we'll give examples of what the tourism industry is doing in other areas of tourism to help visitors maximize the positive and minimize the negative impacts of their trips. Creating More Efficient Cruising Cruise ships use fuel to stay running 24/7, have a significant carbon footprint, and dump wastewater into the oceans. They burn fossil fuels to power their engines and generate electricity, which releases greenhouse gases and other air pollutants into the atmosphere. These emissions can contribute to climate change and have negative health impacts on people living near ports. Philipsburg, St. Maarten: A.C. Wathey Pier easily becomes a busy and crowded pier when numerous ... More cruise ships are in port for the day. Also, noise pollution can have an impact on marine life, and problems are caused by large amounts of tourists arriving for short stays in ecologically fragile ports and exotic destinations. The cruise industry is trying to make things better and more sustainable. More cruise ships are harboring outside of crowded ports, and staying a longer time. Significant initiatives are ongoing to improve the impact of cruising, and reduce its carbon footprint, from increased efficiencies in design and greener fuels to better scrubbing and filtration. There is even a zero-waste cruise ship being developed in Japan. Cruise lines are doing work on sustainability, environmentalism, and impact on the wider world. There are no official sustainability ratings for cruise vacations, and while there are numerous reports, statistics, and claims, none are 100% reliable or 100% unbiased. Reading these reports alongs with your own research can give you a decent idea of which cruise ships are doing the most to reduce their impact. Greening Hotels Lodgings contribute about one percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. New hotels are becoming more aware of the ways they can improve their greenness. A hotel that is a model would be plastic bottle-free, anti-fossil fuel, and powered entirely by renewable energy. Door frames, light fixtures, and even tile would be reuseable. Guest rooms would be decorated with locally made furnishings and upholstered in sustainably sourced fabrics. When the Hotel Marcel opened in New Haven, Connecticut in May 2022, it checked all those green boxes as part of a mission to be the U.S'.s first net-zero carbon-emissions hotel. But it missed one huge consideration: embodied carbon in the hotel's construction. New hotels will have to take that into account as well. Event space in the award-winning "Green" hotel Marcel. Adapting To and Protecting Nature Travel businesses and destinations are slowly changing how they operate, to lead travelers to experience places and activities differently. Lack of snow? Canada's Whistler ski resort has responded to this by offering more snow-free activities – so much so that it now makes more money in summer. Downhill mountain biking in Garbanzo zone in Whistler bike park. Solar panels are being installed in West Africa's Cape Verde. The Seychelles islands off East Africa have added conservation guidelines to the national constitution – the first time a country has done so. Adaptations such as seawalls, pumps and changes in construction materials are being considered. Tour companies are becoming more aware. Ziptrek Ecotours is the first adventure outfitter in Queenstown, New Zealand, to offer consumer-facing labeling to show customers what their emissions would be, when selecting among competing zipline tours. (But then again, nobody gets to New Zealand without taking a long-haul flight.) will soon show carbon emission listings on flight and hotel results, allowing travelers to filter lower carbon emission results from a range. Iberostar Group released its own ambitious decarbonization roadmap which is partly marketing (it wants 60 percent of guests to choose the brand for its sustainability actions by 2025) and partly action (a 2030 net zero goal and nature-based carbon compensation projects at its 97 resorts across four continents). The Netherlands is considering an eco-efficiency index of its visitors. This means dividing the amount of revenues a tourist brings in by the amount of carbon dioxide emissions the tourist triggered traveling there. That index would indicate which long-haul market the government should direct marketing dollars toward to help reduce emission impacts. Offering Free Public Transport Luxembourg was the first country to offer free public transport for all in 2020, followed by Malta, and scores of other destinations now offer discounted or free public transport. Free public transportation is popular in many cities. In Miami, trolleys and the downtown Peoplemover monorail are free. In 2022, Germany has the Deutschlandticket scheme, offering passengers unlimited travel on buses, trams and regional trains for about fifty dollars a month. Developing Sleeper Trains In 2025, Europe's sleeper train network has been enjoying a renaissance. The continent's expanding offering of nocturnal routes aims to compete with short-haul flights on speed, cost, comfort and climate impact. The European Union has plans to double high-speed rail traffic by 2030 and link all major cities in the bloc. The overnight train amsterdam innsbruck, operated by Night Jet, a brand name given by the Austrian ... More Federal Railways Nightjet operates in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland. Also, employers are signing up for movements such as Climate Perks, which gives employees more holiday if they travel by train. Approving Staycations, Remote Working, Workations About 60 countries have embraced the idea of working from anywhere through 'digital nomad' visas. These allow people to work remotely from dozens of countries, enabling them to embrace slower travel and really get to know a destination. (My family did this last year in Spello Italy. This year we're renting a house near the Erie Canal in western New York.) Huge numbers of workers now work from home throughout the world. As of May 2023, 39 per cent of United Kingdom workers said they regularly work from home, with many taking 'workations' (working while away on holiday). Combating Over-Tourism Tour companies are going out of their way to introduce new, less crowded destinations. The majority of trips booked through Byway are in areas that aren't hotspots. Companies like Original Travel now sell trips to lesser-visited areas in France, Spain, Italy and Greece. 'We've made it our mission to tackle the scourge of overtourism, where too many tourists descend on too few destinations, in the process risking what made these precious places so special in the first place,' says co-founder Tom Barber. But Much More Needs to Be Done The Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism was introduced by the U.N.'s World Tourism Organization at the 2021 conference. The declaration, originally signed by more than 300 travel companies, nonprofit organizations and government agencies, now has almost thousand signatories. It was supposed to 'secure strong actions and commitment from the tourism sector' and 'accelerate climate action.' Participating travel organizations would disclose greenhouse gas emissions; take steps to decarbonize; restore and protect natural ecosystems; and collaborate to ensure best practices. The two core commitments: Within 12 months of signing the accord, entities would create and submit a public 'climate action plan' that outlined specific actions they would take to reduce emissions. And second, signatories would halve their emissions before 2030, in order to get on track to reach net zero emissions by 2050. The signatories are large and small — hotels, local governments, travel agencies and others — and range from big names like Expedia Group and Radisson Hotels to location-specific groups, like the Great Himalaya Trail and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. But the vast majority of tourism players haven't signed on, including major aviation companies. And most cruise lines have steered clear of the declaration. Most organizations that did sign on have not yet published climate action plans. In other words, nearly three-fourths of the entities haven't delivered what they promised. And there's no enforcement. Key issues remain unresolved. Signatories pledged to halve emissions, but efforts are hard to quantify. While individually some of the signatories have begun to shrink their own carbon footprints, there is no broad evidence as yet that the travel industry's emissions have diminished. Global emissions, meanwhile, are still on the rise. 2030 is five years away, so any requirement in reporting emission-level reductions has not yet hit the deadline. A report from Intrepid Travel, entitled, 'A Sustainable Future for Travel: From Crisis to Transformation,' encourages the industry to act now to ensure its future. It's a blueprint of what can and should be done by the tourism industry to deal with climate change. It provides hope for what could be, nudging the travel industry toward a more environmentally friendly future. I recently spoke about travel and climate change at the New York Society for Ethical Culture. Check out the discussion on my YouTube channel Places I Remember: Travel Talk with Lea Lane. Also, for all travel topics, check out my award-winning travel podcast, Places I Remember with Lea Lane. T
Daily Telegraph
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Telegraph
Trainer James Ponsonby saddles up Philipsburg at Randwick
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. A $20,000 online purchase who won't go down in the annals of the all-time greats but has already earned more than $600,000 prizemoney just might be one of racing's best advertisements. Meet Philipsburg, a perennial underdog, who can enhance his 'giant-killer'' reputation in the Civil Handicap (2400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Philipsburg is at $34 in latest TAB Fixed Odds betting which is usual for him because he's rarely in the market. In fact, he has started favourite only once in more than 50 races spanning nearly four years – and ran last! But Hawkesbury-based trainer James Ponsonby has such faith in his stable 'star' he's using the Randwick race to test the gelding's for a possible Brisbane Cup start next month. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'When you get a horse like Philipsburg that wins 10 races then he is the epitome of what I try to do,'' Ponsonby said. 'He has won on nearly all the Sydney tracks and every time he runs out, he always puts in a decent run. 'At the end of the day, if your horse is paying the bills for his owners then that is when you can really enjoy the sport and this horse has been doing that right through his career.'' Philipsburg is a rising eight-year-old but has never been in better form, winning three city races this season including on successive Saturdays at Doomben and Eagle Farm last month. 'Since his Brisbane wins, he has come back home and has already lost five benchmark points in two starts but neither of those runs were disappointing,'' Ponsonby said. • 'What else am I going to do?': My Last Hooray no last hurrah for Cleary 'Gosford was an on-speed race and at his previous start at Hawkesbury they walked early then sprinted sharply in front. 'But in his Brisbane wins, there was a genuine tempo in both races and if he can get that at Randwick on Saturday, he will run well. 'If he can win or go close, then we would like to give him a shot at the two miles (a3200m) of the Brisbane Cup because he relaxes so well.'' Two of Philipsburg's part-owners are popular media identities Andrew Martin and John Stanley. Both men are keen supporters of the St George Illawarra NRL team and their friendship has spanned more than 30 years since the days they worked together at Sydney radio station 2UE. It was Martin, the chief presenter of Sky Racing's race day coverage, who convinced his friend to buy a share in Philipsburg. 'I was told Philipsburg was being offered for sale online, I watched some of his trials and thought there was merit in them,'' Martin said. 'So, I decided to buy into the horse and I rang John Stanley to ask if he was interested. I told him he only had 45 minutes to think about it.'' Andrew Martin, chief presenter of Sky Racing's race-day coverage and part-owner of Philipsburg. Picture: Sky Racing • James launches late Oaks bid with She's A Dealer Stanley, the host of 2GB's top-rating weekday 8pm to midnight show, had been involved in racehorse ownership with mixed success previously before but decided some years ago that he would get out of the sport altogether. But that all changed when Stanley received that call from Martin five years ago. 'When Marto rang to ask if I was interested in buying into Philipsburg I had to make up my mind quickly,'' Stanley said. 'So, I thought about it, rang him back and said why not. To this day, Marto keeps reminding me about the phone call and keeps saying to me imagine if you hadn't returned my phone call. 'It's been quite an incredible ride with this horse.'' John Stanley, 2GB radio host. Picture: 2GB • Randwick predicted to go ahead despite dire forecast Martin and Stanley purchased a 10 per cent share for $2000 each and it's proven to be a very profitable investment with Philipsburg winning more than $620,000 prizemoney – and counting. Both men can't be trackside on Saturday – Martin will be on-air at Sky Racing and Stanley has a pressing family commitment – but will make sure they are free to watch Philipsburg's race at 1.20pm. 'I have a secret office upstairs at Sky where I do all my preparatory work,'' Martin said. 'So, when Philipsburg is racing, I throw to the track, then go to the office and shut the door. 'When Philipsburg won at Eagle Farm the other day I had the door closed but when I came out, people were asking me if I was alright – they could hear me cheering and didn't know what was going on.'' Philipsburg's trainer James Ponsonby. Picture: Mark Evans / Getty Images • 'We've lost everything': Local trainers hit hard by Taree floods Philipsburg will never be afforded a champion's rating but his gradual emergence to city Saturday class – and a possible Brisbane Cup start – has given his connections a memorable experience of racehorse ownership. 'In what is a wealthy man's sport generally, if you can find a horse, buy 10 per cent at $2000 and have a trainer like James Ponsonby who is very competitively priced with his fees, then it is very appealing to get involved,'' Martin said. 'My attitude has always been you work out how much the horse is going to cost you a month then I factor in to lose that amount. If I get anything back it is a bonus. 'If you are lucky enough to get a horse like Philipsburg that is competitive in Saturday races, then he is a once-in-a-lifetime horse for me.'' Originally published as Trainer James Ponsonby considering 2025 Brisbane Cup tilt with stable 'star' Philipsburg
News.com.au
22-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer James Ponsonby considering 2025 Brisbane Cup tilt with stable ‘star' Philipsburg
A $20,000 online purchase who won't go down in the annals of the all-time greats but has already earned more than $600,000 prizemoney just might be one of racing's best advertisements. Meet Philipsburg, a perennial underdog, who can enhance his 'giant-killer'' reputation in the Civil Handicap (2400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Philipsburg is at $34 in latest TAB Fixed Odds betting which is usual for him because he's rarely in the market. In fact, he has started favourite only once in more than 50 races spanning nearly four years – and ran last! But Hawkesbury -based trainer James Ponsonby has such faith in his stable 'star' he's using the Randwick race to test the gelding's for a possible Brisbane Cup start next month. 'When you get a horse like Philipsburg that wins 10 races then he is the epitome of what I try to do,'' Ponsonby said. 'He has won on nearly all the Sydney tracks and every time he runs out, he always puts in a decent run. 'At the end of the day, if your horse is paying the bills for his owners then that is when you can really enjoy the sport and this horse has been doing that right through his career.'' Philipsburg is a rising eight-year-old but has never been in better form, winning three city races this season including on successive Saturdays at Doomben and Eagle Farm last month. 'Since his Brisbane wins, he has come back home and has already lost five benchmark points in two starts but neither of those runs were disappointing,'' Ponsonby said. Two wins in a row to Philipsburg, who's enjoying his time in Queensland! ðŸ'� @James_Ponsonby_ | @Costin_Winona | @BrisRacingClub — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 19, 2025 ' Gosford was an on-speed race and at his previous start at Hawkesbury they walked early then sprinted sharply in front. 'But in his Brisbane wins, there was a genuine tempo in both races and if he can get that at Randwick on Saturday, he will run well. 'If he can win or go close, then we would like to give him a shot at the two miles (a3200m) of the Brisbane Cup because he relaxes so well.'' Two of Philipsburg's part-owners are popular media identities Andrew Martin and John Stanley. Both men are keen supporters of the St George Illawarra NRL team and their friendship has spanned more than 30 years since the days they worked together at Sydney radio station 2UE. It was Martin, the chief presenter of Sky Racing's race day coverage, who convinced his friend to buy a share in Philipsburg. 'I was told Philipsburg was being offered for sale online, I watched some of his trials and thought there was merit in them,'' Martin said. 'So, I decided to buy into the horse and I rang John Stanley to ask if he was interested. I told him he only had 45 minutes to think about it.'' • James launches late Oaks bid with She's A Dealer Stanley, the host of 2GB's top-rating weekday 8pm to midnight show, had been involved in racehorse ownership with mixed success previously before but decided some years ago that he would get out of the sport altogether. But that all changed when Stanley received that call from Martin five years ago. 'When Marto rang to ask if I was interested in buying into Philipsburg I had to make up my mind quickly,'' Stanley said. 'So, I thought about it, rang him back and said why not. To this day, Marto keeps reminding me about the phone call and keeps saying to me imagine if you hadn't returned my phone call. 'It's been quite an incredible ride with this horse.'' • Randwick predicted to go ahead despite dire forecast Martin and Stanley purchased a 10 per cent share for $2000 each and it's proven to be a very profitable investment with Philipsburg winning more than $620,000 prizemoney – and counting. Both men can't be trackside on Saturday – Martin will be on-air at Sky Racing and Stanley has a pressing family commitment – but will make sure they are free to watch Philipsburg's race at 1.20pm. 'I have a secret office upstairs at Sky where I do all my preparatory work,'' Martin said. 'So, when Philipsburg is racing, I throw to the track, then go to the office and shut the door. 'When Philipsburg won at Eagle Farm the other day I had the door closed but when I came out, people were asking me if I was alright – they could hear me cheering and didn't know what was going on.'' • 'We've lost everything': Local trainers hit hard by Taree floods Philipsburg will never be afforded a champion's rating but his gradual emergence to city Saturday class – and a possible Brisbane Cup start – has given his connections a memorable experience of racehorse ownership. 'In what is a wealthy man's sport generally, if you can find a horse, buy 10 per cent at $2000 and have a trainer like James Ponsonby who is very competitively priced with his fees, then it is very appealing to get involved,'' Martin said. 'My attitude has always been you work out how much the horse is going to cost you a month then I factor in to lose that amount. If I get anything back it is a bonus. 'If you are lucky enough to get a horse like Philipsburg that is competitive in Saturday races, then he is a once-in-a-lifetime horse for me.''
