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National Geographic and Ashoka, the international organization of social entrepreneurs, are in the midst of a Geotourism Challenge to recognize Green Travel Changemakers.

See the Greenspot.travel 2009 nomination
 

FROM EXPERIENCE -

“Jeff and I decided you are a psychic travel planning genius!  We had the best time and you really seemed to understand exactly what we would like (even though we were not sure ourselves).   In fact, we actually did not really understand the itinerary and never could find the first place on the map until we got there.   We figured we would just trust you.  Everything ran smoothly and we absolutely love Costa Rica.   We cannot imagine how any amount of money could have made it better and we would be happy to send some pictures for your website.   It would be great to go back and take our kids at some point.”  

 - Costa Rica Adventure
February 9 – 16, 2008
Kelly and Jeffrey Dorfman
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Green Gear Reviews, Gear Store & Packing Tips


Steripen Journey in a Glass









Ellen Barone brings you exclusive reviews of the coolest green gear for travel. Check back here regularly for Ellen's featured products.

SteriPEN JourneyLCD Handheld Purifier

Every backcountry traveler has their tried-and-true methods for sanitizing drinking water. Some swear by iodine tablets, others use pump filters, boiled water or chlorine bleach, to eliminate harmful parasites and bacteria.

These days though, Teva-wearing backpackers aren’t the only ones who want to make sure the water they’re drinking pollutant-free. Many of us have an in-house UV filtration system for our daily drinking water and carry a BPA-free or stainless steel water bottle for running around.

But, what’s an eco-conscious traveler to do when they’re off exploring the world in places like Asia, Central America or Africa where plastic bottled water is often your only alternative? Me? I carry a SteriPEN JourneyLCD handheld Ultraviolet light purifier.

It’s fast (16oz. in 48-secs), lightweight (5 oz), easy (just one button) and effective (proven to destroy viruses, bacteria and protozoa). Oh, and did I mention it runs on rechargeable batteries, purifying 1 liter of water for less than $0.02 USD? Take THAT you 3-Euro bottle of San Pellegrino! And, even better, because the pen uses light, instead of chemicals, there’s no chemical aftertaste like tablets or drops can cause.

I’m hooked. Whether I’m day hiking in the mountains of New Mexico, sightseeing in Marrakech or shopping in Paris, I have the SteriPEN in my bag.


Here’s how it works:

Just push the button twice for ½ liter or once for a full liter, insert the device into a container of clear water and the SteriPEN does the rest. All you have to do is stir. It takes 48 seconds to purify ½ liter of water and 90 seconds for a 1-liter dose.

The LCD screen displays the dose selection (1/2 liter or 1 liter), battery status and time remaining countdown to completion (showing the progress of the water purification process) and lasts for 10,000 treatments. In addition, the pen tracks the number of uses and the LCD screen, illustrates the lamp life bar which blinks when the lamp usage approaches 10,000 cycles.

About Hydro-Photon, Inc.
Headquartered in Blue Hill, Maine, USA, Hydro-Photon, Inc. is the world leader in handheld, ultraviolet light water purifiers. Its brand, SteriPEN, sets the standard for fast, light, easy and effective water purification. The SteriPEN product line includes the SteriPEN Classic, Adventurer and Adventurer. Hydro-Photon is privately held and information about the company, SteriPEN products and dealers can be found at: http://www.steripen.com.

 

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