Orangutans are being killed. The Sumatran Tiger, Sumatran Rhino and Sumatran Elephant are dying and classed as “critically endangered”.
Deforestation in Indonesia is escalating climate change, and increasing the number of landslides and flash floods. Why? Because of the palm oil industry – a “harmless natural” oil used in over half the products on our supermarket shelves, including foods, toiletries and cosmetics. Palm oil is also used as biodiesel in USA and Europe. The unsustainable collection of palm oil is the new secret killer. The key word here is unsustainable. How? Borneo and Indonesia produce 85% of the world’s palm oil, which involves cutting virgin rainforests, then burning the land to make way for oil palm plantation. Orangutans and the other endangered animals mentioned only live in Borneo and Sumatra (Indonesia) so their habitat is being destroyed. Orangutans suffer the most, with over half their population being killed in the past 15 years. We will explain why the unsustainable collection of palm oil is killing the Orangutans, and how deforestation for the palm oil industry is contributing to climate change. Find out the outcome of Moalboal Eco Lodge's Palm Oil Free Challenge in support of International Orangutan Day.
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FACT: Switching your toiletries to plastic free or zero waste will give you more luggage space, AND reduce your suitcase or backpack weight. Great news if you are taking a trip and want to use a small bag, especially if you are travelling by plane.
In future travel, flying under “the new normal” means some airlines (such as British Airways) are only allowing hand luggage which can fit underneath your seat. If you usually take a few toiletries in your carry-on bag in case of lost luggage, moving to plastic free options will be perfect for you. Overhead lockers may be out of use in post-Coronavirus lockdown, minimising touchable surfaces within the plane and reducing unnecessary movement. However, this does mean only essentials can be taken on board such as your passport, mobile phone, hand sanitiser, face mask, pen, small snack etc. Airlines may also be reducing the weight limit for checked in baggage. The heavier the aircraft, the more it cost to fly and airlines are already struggling after months of being grounded. To keep ticket prices as affordable as possible but still recouping lost revenue, airlines have to reduce costs any way they can. By switching your toiletries to plastic free or zero waste, you will save valuable weight, save space, the 100ml liquid limit doesn’t apply, and you don’t have to worry about liquids spilling over your clothes. Moalboal Eco Lodge share how you can make a few easy plastic free and zero waste changes to your toiletries. 
The Philippines is located in the coral triangle, the most bio-diverse region in the world. When asked “what wildlife can I see in the Philippines”, with over 52,177 species of wildlife, the answer is “a lot”.
For animal lovers, there is plenty to be seen above and below the water. The most famous wildlife found in the Philippines is the whale shark, but there is also the Philippine Tarsier, the smallest primate in the world, and the Philippine Eagle, the largest eagle in the world, and endemic to the Philippines. Do you know where to find the world’s largest flower, the Rafflesia, in the Philippines? At Moalboal Eco Lodge, we are huge animal lovers, and are surrounded by nature day and night. Regardless of whether wildlife is big or small, bird, insect, or fish, we are passionate them all. In this article, we share 10 different wildlife which we feel are the most impressive for various reasons. Some of the wildlife featured are only found here in the Philippines, some are iconic, some are weird, and some are just beautiful. So for visiting nature lovers this is wildlife of the Philippines. 
As travel resumes following the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine and lockdowns, extra precautions will need to be taken. Living a “new normal” life will include more thought and preparation if we are to remain safe and healthy, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of our planet.
Single use face masks, small hand sanitiser bottles, latex gloves, polystyrene take-out containers, plastic bags – it’s already polluting our planet and having catastrophic effects on the war against single use plastic. Disposable masks and gloves have been found on beaches which are washed into the ocean during high tide, and have been discovered littering nature trails, park-lands and green areas. Sustainable practices often take a back seat in times of crisis, but for people who wish to travel responsibly, we have to continue fighting. Until a vaccine is found we will all be living with the threat of COVID-19, but staying safe during Coronavirus doesn't mean more plastic. The way forward is not to disregard all we have learnt about zero waste and using less single use plastics, but to continue with the good practices already in place. YES YOU CAN BE PLASTIC FREE AND ZERO WASTE DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. Moalboal Eco Lodge want to help you travel eco-friendly after COVID-19 quarantines, so here are our 12 plastic free and zero waste travel tips during Coronavirus. 
Have you ever dreamt of snorkelling with turtles, and swimming with sardines? If this is on your must-see bucket list of things to do when visiting the Philippines, Moalboal’s sardine run at Panagsama Beach, Cebu needs to be added to your travel itinerary.
Moalboal’s main tourist attraction is the sardine ball where literally millions of silver shimmering sardines can be seen just off the beach. Every day of the year you can swim, snorkel, freedive or scuba dive with the sardines. This natural phenomenon is in a marine protected area, is 100% ethical, with no feeding or human intervention to keep them here. If you are interested in snorkelling with sardines, Moalboal Eco Lodge will show you the experience of a lifetime – swimming with sardines in Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines. 
One of the top things to do in Cebu, Philippines is swim with the Oslob whale sharks. However, questions regarding whether or not it is ethical are constantly asked, and concerns raised by WWF, Greenpeace, National Geographic and Marine WIldlife Watch for a species classified as “vulnerable to extinction” are real.
The whale sharks in Oslob are hand fed to guarantee sightings for tourists 365 days a year. It’s showing no signs of slowing down, in fact it’s the opposite. Tourist agencies boast “99% guarantee of seeing the whale sharks”. Are these whale sharks ambassadors for the marine world or just being exploited for money? Outside of the Philippines, safety of the whale sharks is threatened by the illegal global shark fin trade, and they are considered to be one of the most vulnerable marine species in the world. Should we be jeopardising the health and mating routines of a vulnerable to extinction species? Are the Oslob whale sharks helping people from around the world respect them more? What are the chances of people involved in the global shark fin trade visiting Oslob, falling in love with the whale sharks then deciding not to take their fins? Whale shark tourism in Oslob is about money, BIG money, and it’s a lucrative multi-million dollar business which have received 2,000 visitors PER DAY at certain times of the year. Moalboal Eco Lodge have carried out extensive research to ask, is Oslob whale shark watching ethical? 
Sustainable tourism, or “green travel” and wanting to be a responsible tourist are something we should all try to do. Changing our mindset about ecotourism and the way we travel is the key, all we have to do is be a respectful traveller; whether we are on a two week holiday, taking a sabbatical/gap year, or just getting away for the weekend, we should all try to lessen the impact we have on any place we visit.
Why is environmentally friendly travel important? Developing tourist destinations or poorer countries do not have proper waste management systems meaning little or no recycling facilities, this causes plastic pollution problems They are receiving visitors faster than they are able to keep up with trash/water/electricity demands, and up-and coming destinations do not have an abundance of resources for us to waste. Questions regarding ethical travel and animal welfare are constantly raised, overtourism is increasing, our coral reefs are being destroyed, and our desire to travel to as many countries as possible seeing as much as we can has a detrimental effect. If we enjoy travel, love seeing nature and the underwater world, why are we destroying it? No one wants to be made to feel guilty about travel, or to be told they are being an irresponsible tourist, but we cannot bury our head in the sand. Global warming is real. Climate change was last decade; we are now in a CLIMATE EMERGENCY. If you ask “Can I travel in a sustainable, ethical way?” the answer is yes, so let Moalboal Eco Lodge show you how to be a responsible tourist. |