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For some people, camping is a way to get back to nature while for others it means bringing out the big toys and having some fun. For the people who bring out the big motor home equipped with satellite television, cook tops, refrigerators and other neat gadgets, camping can leave a negative impact on the environment. For the people who wish to camp and do so while leaving the smallest ecological footprint possible, there are some clever tricks to keeping your camping “green” and safe.LED Flashlights and Lanterns
LED lights are the most energy efficient light source currently available for flashlights and lanterns. They produce a brighter sustained light while still using less battery power than a traditional flashlight. In fact quality LED flashlight can provide over 600 hours of light from one set of regular AA or AAA batteries. The combination of battery savings and bulb efficiency results in up to 90% less energy consumption than any other flashlight. LED lanterns use the same bulb technology making them a good idea for having around the campsite as well.
Wind-up LED flashlights are an even more environmentally-conscious light source. These are fairly easy to use. All you have to do is wind them up to create power creating friction and turn it on. These lights don’t put out as strong of a light as a regular LED but they are an excellent option for short hiking excursions.Cookware
Don’t use styrofoam cups while camping, no matter how convenient they may seem. The same goes for paper plates and disposable plastic forks. Instead, camp with reusable dishes and utensils and wash them after each use. This will drastically decrease the amount of trash you burn (bad for the enviro-gases pollute the air) or throw away (plastics don’t biodegrade quickly, overfilling our landfills).Recycle
Think about what you do at home to be ecologically friendly and institute it on your camping trip. Keep paper bags or bins around for recycling. You can then easily take this stuff back with you and recycle it appropriately when you get home. Also, consider composting your trash in a bucket if you can.Go Low -Tech
A tent and sleeping bag is far more environmentally friendly than a motor home or camper trailer. Motor homes require large amounts of fuel and energy to keep in operation every day. With the cost of energy and fuel where it is right now, your camping trip could cost you a lot less if you consider more green camping alternatives.
You can enjoy a true outdoor camping excursion more if you do it electricity free. Leave the games, portable TVs, and computers at home. Pack a cell phone or PDA in case of emergencies but turn it off or just plain leave it alone. Every little bit helps when it comes to reducing how much energy we consumer every year.Cookstoves
Unless you’re allergic to smoke or have strong asthma symptoms, the campfire is still the most ecologically friendly way to cook food. Fueled grills require propane or electricity to operate. Campfire requires wood that can be easily picked-up off the forest floor and a light source. It may not be practical to cook everything you want on a fire but you can use it for some things to help reduce the amount of time you cook on a fueled cook stove.
Going on a green camping trip can actually be one of the more fun vacations you take this summer. Look into ways you can help make less of an impact on the environment the next time you venture out into your home state’s mountain country or forested parks.
~Ben Anton, 2008

Corsica has been fought over for centuries, beginning as an outpost of Pisa in the 11th century, then falling into the Genoeses hands in 1248, who passed it over to the Office de St Georges which was a rich financial organisation in the 15th century, before the Corsicans claimed their independence in 1755.
They set up Corte as their capital and created justice and education systems before losing the island to Louis XV in 1769. Corsica has been part of France ever since but to give or take the odd year here and there, and is famous for producing Napoleon Bonaparte, who ruled much of Europe during the 19th century.
The language, traditions and culture of Corsica are fiercely upheld by the Corsicans. Corsu is mainly a spoken language, although road signs are increasingly bilingual, and has more connections with Italian than French.
There are lots of people working towards its survival as it is an important part of Corsican identity.
In spite of a rise in the number of tourists visiting Corsica every year, a figure that now greatly exceeds the islands population, Corsica remains an unspoilt and delightful place.
Still, it is best to visit Corsica in May or June when there are fewer tourists and the olives are ripening in the groves under the Corsican sun, or in September and October if you have hay fever and want to avoid the pollen high season.
Although it is a fairly small island, Corsica certainly manages to pack in as many attractions and different landscapes as a whole continent.
From the red porphyry Calanches on the west coast, to the perfect white beaches and deep blue water on the east, Corsica is diverse and inspiring and fully deserves its title of Isle de beaute or in English, the island of beauty.
Away from the coast are the mountains made of granite and covered in snow until mid July, flatland marshes on the eastern side of the island, the Parc Naturel Regional de la Corse.
In the north west there is a deserted desert, the Desert des Agriates, and of course the quintessentially Corsican towns of Calvi, with its narrow streets, the seat of feudal lords, and cliff top Bonifacio where Odysseus allegedly landed.
Corsica has a lively culture is the product of centuries of customs maintained by the island’s soul, and is richly expressed in its voices, music and crafts.
The village fair, a showcase for the Corsican way of life with its winemaking tradition going back to antiquity and its gastronomy full of local flavours, is just one way of discovering and learning to love Corsica.
An when in the night air you hear the paghjelle, the traditional three voice style of singing, it is the proud, fiery Corsican soul that you are hearing in song.

Want to go on a vacation trip with your family or with friends to exotic tourists’ havens but don’t have the budget? Then camping might just be the thing for you. Whether you’re an experienced camper or have no clue about camping, this fun activity will be a snap if you follow proper guidelines.Where to go camping
When you’ve already set your mind to going on a camping trip, it’s time to choose where to go camping. Most cities or states have their own camping sites. Check your local listings, or ask around for nearby camping grounds. f camping near home just isn’t adventurous enough for you, check out other well-known camping sites across the nation.
Most camping sites have fun and exciting activities available for everyone. Some camps offer picnic areas, hiking trails, games, and even river rafting. At night, you can enjoy sitting around a bonfire with the entire family or friends and talk about the day’s activities, tell exciting stories, or sing happy camp songs while roasting marshmallows.
However, some campgrounds prohibit campfires for safety reasons. Make sure to check with the campground personnel before doing so to avoid violating any rules. When on a camping site, make sure to observe and follow the rules and guidelines about campfires and outdoor cooking.What to Bring On a Camping Trip
When on a camping trip, bring with you the proper camping equipment and supplies. One of the basic camping necessities is perhaps a tent. The size and number of tents should depend on how many of you are going on the trip. Choose quality tents, and test the tent before the trip to familiarize yourself with the way it is put up.
Food is also very important when going out on a camping trip. Although some campgrounds have canteens that sell food, bringing your own will probably be a lot cheaper. Some campers will even opt to bring portable gas stoves and grills, so they can cook right on the campsite. You can even go fishing for your lunch, for a more enjoyable experience.
Bring your personal necessities like a change of clothes, extra shoes and socks, anti-mosquito lotions, sun block, and even cigarette cases to protect your pack of cigarettes from being crushed or getting wet. It is important to have a camping checklist so as not to forget anything. Be sure to double check the list before leaving for the trip.
When planning a camping trip, plan it ahead of schedule to avoid last minute panic. Inquire about the campsite weeks, or even a month before the designated date of the camping trip. Decide on the length of your camping trip so you can bring the exact amount of foodstuff and other necessities.Make your camping checklist
Take time to think and jot down on paper the things you will need on the trip. Think about the activities you will be doing and what items will be used. After making the list, check if you already have some of the items, and shop for the items that you don’t have.
It will also be a lot easier if you ask tips or advice from others with more camping experience. They would be able to tell you what you need and what you should eliminate from your list to avoid excess baggage. Once you’re all set for the trip, prepare to have an unforgettable camping experience.

After millions of years of exposure to the elements wood turns to something which resembles stone and this obscure fact of chemistry in probably demonstrated nowhere better on Earth than it is in the Petrified National Park in Arizona. Here, you will discover some of the most beautiful colors of nature along with some of her most fascinating ancient sights.The Badlands National Park in South Dakota is home to fossils from the Oligocene period which existed some 20 to 35 million years ago but the Petrified Forest beats this by an impressive 200 million years. Many people are familiar with the Jurassic Period when dinosaurs roamed widely across the Earth but the Petrified Forest dates back beyond this to the late Triassic period when the dinosaurs were just developing and today there are many active excavation sites in which dinosaur remains are still being uncovered today.Because of their softer structure few plants have survived but the fossilized remains can be found and some of the ancient trees which once dominated the area are still to be found. Fossilized clams found here also provide evidence of the prehistoric waterways which once wound through this part of the country.The Painted Desert is quite extraordinary and it offers scenery that looks as if it has been deliberately colored by a team of abstract artists. The canvas is provided by shifting sand dunes and the painting is decorated with tumbling scrub brush and stationary cactus. The whole scene resembles the set of an old western.A highlight of any visit to the Petrified Forest National Park has to be the 27 mile scenic drive which has more than 20 stopping points from which some one million visitors each year can view the park. Along the way you will find ruined pueblos, together with the art left by some of the inhabitants, and petroglyphs which are an ancient form of carving or painting on rocks.For those of us who prefer peace and quite of seeing the land on foot, the park provides almost endless hiking opportunities and in this desert landscape there is really no need for trails. For the novice hiker it is also quite difficult to get lost and you will find that you can see for miles in all directions.As you hike along you will be delighted by sights such as Pilot Rock and Devil’s Playground and, if you follow the short Painted Desert Rim Trail, you will be in for a special treat as you wind your way through the unusual sight of brightly colored vegetation. Here the rich soil, fortified with volcanic ash, provides an excellent growing medium for these plants and they are as amazing as anything you will find in any forest.Also, do not forget to stop at the Painted Desert Inn Museum at Kachina Point where you can find out everything you need to know about the park and be sure to visit the excavations of the Puerco Indian Ruins which were worked by natives in the 1400s. But that is not all. Newspaper Rock is a particularly fascinating sight which is named for its dozens of petroglyphs. A hike over Blue Mesa Trail will also demonstrate vividly just why this area has earned its name.

If you don’t like to be surprised what you will be eating during dinner, lunch or breakfast while you are on a camping trip you better take camping utensils with you and know which items to have in your backpack. Being the best campfire builder doesn’t help a lot when you are missing some of the basic cooking equipment, no matter how great the food and beverages are that you have with you.
The essentials
Some of the camping utensils are very essential and should be with you on every trip that you take. Here are a few of them:
1. A Whisk
When you like to eat a scrambled eggs, create a quiche or bake some pancakes you can’t do without a whisk. And that whisk can come in handy for other recipes as well for example to mix that hot chocolate.
2. The cheese grater
If there is one thing in the food cabinet that you can’t do without it would be a large block of cheese. And because of that you will need a cheese grater in your camping utensils pack. Something as simple as bread together with grated melted cheese can be a complete meal. The nice thing about a cheese grater is that you can use for other food items like carrots, onions and other vegetables which could make your meal taste wonderful.
3. Cutting board
Because a cutting board is flat and has a level surface you can also use it as a countertop and it is also very east to clean after you have used it. This board will be used to cut all kinds of vegetables and other items, it can of course be used together with the grater we mentioned earlier.
4. Paring knife
A paring knife you use to cut your fruit and the vegetables and other food items. Maybe you will not specifically need it on your trip but maybe having a serrated knife with you could help you a lot and you will see that during the trip both knifes will be used frequently.
5. Tongs of steel
You will surely miss them if you don’t have steel tongs with you on your camping trip. Ones you need yo get something out of a hot pot or pan you will wish you could fly home just to get them. When you need to keep noodles or cor under the boiling water and afterwords take them out you know it was a wise decision to take them with you. Another good use of steel tongs is to toast some bread while your at sitting besides the campfire.
6. Eating utensils
You can, of course, eat everything with your hands, but eve if you won’t do it for the sake of hygiene the at least use them so you won’t burn your hands. Always have knives, spoons and forks with you on your camping trip.
7. The brush that scrubs
Yes, being on a camping trip doesn’t mean there will be no dishes to clean. So a scrub brush is at the end of this camping utensils list as it is one of the last items used when you are done eating.

Drought is an extended period of exceptionally low precipitation. A drought can feature additional weather characteristics, including high temperatures and high winds. Although low precipitation (rain, snow, or sleet) marks both droughts and deserts, the two are different. A desert is a region that experiences low precipitation as an everyday occurrence. A drought, on the other hand, is a temporary condition in which precipitation is abnormally low for a particular region. Droughts may occur at any time in any part of the world and last anywhere from days to weeks to decades.

The U.S. National Weather Service recognizes three categories of drought. A dry spell occurs when there is less than .08 centimeter (.03 inch) of rainfall during a minimum of 15 consecutive days. A partial drought occurs when the average daily rainfall does not exceed .02 centimeter (.008 inch) during a 29-day period. An absolute drought occurs when there is no measurable rainfall over a period of at least 15 days. The intensity of a drought may be measured by the ability of living things in the affected area to tolerate the dry conditions. Some plants quickly fall prey to droughts while others, such as cacti and mesquite trees, survive dry conditions by either storing water in their tissues or by going dormant (a state in which growth activity stops). Although a drought may end abruptly with the return of adequate rainfall, the effects of a drought on the landscape and its inhabitants may last for years.

Droughts have taken place around the world throughout history. Some scientists theorize that droughts brought about the migrations of early humans. From 1876 to 1879, severe droughts in China caused the deaths of millions of people from lack of food. In 1921, a drought along the Volga River basin in Russia led to the deaths of almost five million people, more than the total number of deaths in World War I (1914–18). The best-known American drought occurred on the Great Plains region during the mid-1930s. Labeled the Dust Bowl, the affected area covered almost 50 million acres in parts of Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. During this period, dust storms destroyed crops and buried agricultural fields with drifting sand and dust. As depicted by American writer John Steinbeck in his award-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath, many farm families had to abandon their land.

Drought and famine have severely affected areas throughout Africa. Beginning in the late 1960s, in the Sahel region south of the Sahara Desert in northern Africa, a prolonged drought contributed to the deaths of an estimated 100,000 people. The region was struck again by drought in the mid-1980s and early 1990s. War and drought in Ethiopia in the early 1980s brought about the starvation of an estimate one million people and the forced migration of hundreds of thousands of others. Drought combined with social unrest continued to afflict many countries at the beginning of the twenty-first century. The African nations of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Sudan were all hit hard by a massive drought that began in the late 1990s. Conflicts like the border war between Eritrea and Ethiopia slowed the delivery of famine aid. Devastating civil wars also worsened the effect of drought in the countries of Afghanistan and Tajikistan. The unrelenting droughts were the worst those countries had seen in decades.

The El Niño weather phenomenon typically brings about droughts in various parts of the world as it disrupts normal weather patterns. Perhaps one of the worst such droughts occurred in Southeast Asia as a result of the 1997–98 El Niño period. The monsoon rains that normally drench the area each September were delayed. Consequently, the jungle fires set by farmers to clear land were not damped by the usual rain, but instead raged out of control, propelled by hot winds. The smoke from the fires hung over Southeast Asia like a thick, dirty blanket. It quickly became the worst pollution crisis in world history. At least 1,000 people died from breathing the toxic air; several hundred thousand more were sickened.

Soil that lacks humus (nutrient-rich material resulting from decaying plants) and the binding property of plant roots cannot absorb or retain moisture properly. Dry, crusty soil is easily moved by winds. The overgrazing of farm animals, the over cultivation of farmland, and the clear-cutting of forests all contribute to such soil conditions, adding to the severity of droughts.

Camping trips are great. Camping allows you to have fun, adventure, and learning while embracing the challenge of living outdoors. Many people consider camping as a relaxing recreational activity in addition to a more rigorous sport such as mountain climbing or whitewater rafting.
Camping is also necessary for more serious intentions. Researchers and scientists, for example, set up camps near a volcano to study its geology. Soldiers set up a field camp during a prolonged mission.
Whatever the purpose is, before heading out to a campsite, it is best to have a checklist of camping supplies. It’s important to ensure that what you need is within your grasp. Remember that you may be out in a remote place, far from any convenience store or supply center. Imagine how frustrating would it be when you want to build a nice, warm campfire only to find out that the campsite you chose is devoid of dry twigs that can be used for fuel!
Aside from your camping equipment, you would need to carry along the following camping supplies:
1. Matches – Doing it the prehistoric way, striking flint and stone, can definitely be done, but lighting a campfire with a match is so much easier. Make sure that you purchase waterproof matches. If, for some reason, you can’t obtain waterproof matches, then bring standard matches but store them in a waterproof container. You can also carry a butane lighter as an alternative.
2. Firewood – You are never guaranteed that you can get good firewood when you arrive at a campsite. Woods, twigs, and other sources of fuel might be damp or, worse, unavailable. Many campers usually bring a few dry logs for this purpose. You can keep the wood dry by covering it with a piece of tarp.
3. Drinking water – Bring along safe, clean bottled water. This is actually one of the most important camping supplies you should have with you. Bodies of water found in the wild are relatively clean and can be used for washing or bathing. They are not safe for drinking, however. If it is somehow impractical to bring bottled water during your camping, acquire a portable water purifier or pack some water purifier tablets.
4. Food – Food should be part of your camping supply pack. Unless if you are deliberately hunting game as camp food, bring along ready-to-eat and easy to prepare meals such as instant noodles and preserved goods. A good alternative is to bring MREs or Meals, Ready-to-Eat. Used by soldiers in the field, MREs are self-contained, individual field rations. They are available in many flavors. Each packed meal, which contains around 1,200 calories include a main course; a starchy side dish; crackers; a spread such as cheese or peanut butter; a dessert; a powdered beverage mix; an accessory packet that contains a plastic spoon, a beverage bag, moist napkins, coffee, and sugar; and a flameless heater to warm up the meal.
5. Utensils and tools – Camping involves a lot of cutting, skinning, shaving, and crushing. For this purpose, utensils and tools should also be part of camping supplies. Utensils include forks, spoon, knives, and the like. Tools to bring include a survival knife, a multipurpose pocket knife, a flathead and phillips screwdriver, a bottle opener, a can opener, scissors, tweezers, an awl, sharp razor blades, a small hammer, and pliers.
These are your basic camping supplies. Other supplies will probably be needed, depending on the condition and the requirements of your camping trip.

Long ago there was a lightning storm followed by a forest fire and man, or his ancestors, discovered that food cooked out of doors tasted great. But as soon as man discovered the delights of barbecue and all the rest he discovered too that hot food burns – and this was long before the invention of Elastoplast and burn cream.
Which is why I’m writing today about Out Door Cooking Accessories. These will vary from a bucket of damp sand to quench the final flames to very long tongs, at least 12 inches is the minimum – and Oven gloves – the kind that don’t just cover your hands, but also go right up your arms.
Those are obvious choices, as are camp cookers, barbecues, plates and cutlery but here are some things you may not have considered:-
Grill Gauge – if you use propane gas for your camp fire you will know how annoying it is to run out of gas. And you can’t tell how much is in the can by shaking it – the gas weighs almost nothing and the can weighs a ton. Use the grill gauge to tell you, before you are miles from the nearest store, whether or not you have enough gas left.
A meal cooked at night is perhaps best of all. A Camp Fire Chef’s Light fixes on to your stove and means that you can see when the food is cooked without relying on the moonlight.
Storm lighters mean that you can ignite the fire even in horrid conditions if you are that desperate for a meal.
Dutch ovens come complete with disposable liners and can be used to bake cakes even in the back of beyond. You can use the liners to bake bread or place a loaf tin of dough inside the oven.
In certain countries very few cars have a full set of wheel trims as they make perfect baking trays, but in earlier times people cooked on Stone griddles. Something similar is available once more. The stone is on a frame which fits above the flames and provides a fat free cooking surface for the healthiest of cooking. The heat of the stone sears the outside of the food locking in the taste and flavor. Great for pizza of course, but meat, fish, seafood, vegetables, eggs, fruit, scones, biscuits or bread, in fact almost anything can be cooked easily and without mess.
Instant coffee is fine, but for those who must have the best campfire proof Percolators are available.
If camping for quite a while a set of Bellows will soon get hot embers alight once more – or you could just bend down and blow, but then you are likely to get a load of ash in your face. Campfire Roasting Sticks, soaked in water first, can be used by lots of people at once to cook the foods of their choice over a communal fire, perhaps in a long fire trough lined with Heavy Duty Foil .Great for Boy Scouts etc.
I f you are setting up a full field kitchen as for a large camp it is good to know that items such as Blenders can be found which run on batteries.
There is only one problem with all this gear – someone has to get it there and someone has to bring it back. I have childhood memories of scout troops setting off with a hand cart piled high with gear – nowadays it would be in the pack of a camper van. Even so it all takes room, so choose carefully, add a first aid kit, lots of food and enjoy.