By: Nancebee on 14 August 2008 
Category: Eco-Investments, Eco-Tourism

• Português

In our search for Portugal’s hidden treasures, 3EcoBees found one of the pearls: a tourist accommodation site made by applying the ‘taipa technique’. It is a way of building houses in a typical Portuguese way, using mainly local and natural resources. In the Santo Estevão area (Algarve), 3EcoBees visited this ‘taipa’ construction and was delighted by the whole concept of this initiative.

Taipa
Taipa is a technique used in the building of walls using the raw materials of mud, chalk, lime and gravel and has been used in the architecture of many cultures throughout the world. Because of the nature of the materials used, it is incombustible, thermally insulating and very strong and hardwearing. It also has the added advantage of being a very low cost and simple way to construct walls (source: Wikipedia).

To protect the walls, they will be covered with a waterproof layer of sand and lime. The technique used for this project, originates from the Alentejo region and was commonly used until the 1950’s. The unique method has been re-introduced and promoted by some municipalities, such as Odemira. Even special ‘Taipa-building’ workshops are organized. As the Algarve is known for its (minor) seismic activity, the units had to be built on a base of concrete and supported ‘conventionally’ by constructed pillars.

Going Green
As most building materials are extracted from the area itself, little transport is necessary to supply the materials and equipment. Due to the good insulation qualities of the material, less energy is required to maintain a pleasant and constant climate within the units.

Besides this ‘greener’ way of building the apartments, other measures are in place to turn the whole concept sustainable. Solar panels will generate sufficient power for the accommodation; an organic garden with a variety of fruits and vegetables will provide healthy and responsible food ingredients. Some rooftops will be covered by gardens; others will be covered with re-used tiles. And rather than building a common swimming pool, a biological pool will be constructed. Even the in-house furniture will consist of recycled materials and pieces. With respect to the water issue, a special Wastewater Garden will be constructed. This concept, where waste water is collected in a sealed tank and then flows to a special designed wetland where it is treated by gravel and special plants, has been originally designed by the Biosphere Foundation. The cleaned water can be used for irrigation and non-drinking applications.

3EcoBees were impressed by this project and of course we will continue to follow the progress of this unique development, which foresees its opening in June 2009. It is a good showcase of how more sustainable holidays can be developed, promoted and experienced.

By: Helperbee on 13 August 2008 
Category: Eco-LifeStyle, Eco-Products, Responsible Agriculture

• Português

Wine is certainly one of the most loved beverages in the world. It can be drunk with or without food and comes in many shapes and colours (red, white, sweet…). Combined with food it results in a “Wine and Dine” experience that continues to be one of the top relaxation methods for many. How about making all this enjoyment of food and drinks even more enjoyable? Today there is an eco-friendly option to many things and this includes food and wine. A great example of this is Quinta dos Lopes in Lagos, Algarve, which is an organic vineyard that also grows fruit and vegetable.

Sr Lopes’ products range from organic tomatoes, carrots, apples and pears to organic wines. The range includes:

• two red wines
• one white wine
• one sweet; and
• one dry wine.

Hence there is enough to choose from. And best of all, they are all organic.

Now why should we choose organic wine?
Firstly, organic wine is made from organic grapes and they follow very strict criteria on how they are grown and don’t add flavours to their products.

Secondly, since no pesticides or chemicals are sprayed on the produce, they are much healthier and often have brighter flavours. They provide you with the same benefits any ordinary wine would do but without the extra sulfites and chemicals hence more natural and better for your body.

Thirdly: “Organic wine is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations” (USDA).

The same benefits that go with organic wine go with all other organic produce as well. Less chemicals means more natural which means better for you. There are a lot of organic produce out there these days and it is important for people to understand why they should choose organic. Mercearia Bio in Portimão sells only organic products online and delivers them straight to your door. Can organic get any easier?

By: Helperbee on 4 August 2008 
Category: Responsible Products

• Português

Although not every business can be ‘Green’ some are still taking responsible steps to do their part to be environmentally conscious and sustainable. Cortes de Cima, one of Portugal’s premier wine brands, is a good example of an upcoming sustainable brand.

(photo credit: Ryan Opaz)

They have adapted various different types of environmental practices in the management of their vineyard. One of these include cherishing the sun in Alentejo by letting 56 square meters of solar panels take care of all the hot water needs of the vineyard. To reduce their energy consumption, they have also installed energy saving lights and insulated their walls and roofs with specialist foam.

When it comes to managing the vineyard themselves, they produce under “Integrated Protection” rules in which only ’soft’ chemicals can be used and only after something appears; preventive spraying is not an option. Another sustainable movement, Cortes de Cima has adapted is a complete self sufficiency in terms of irrigation needs as water is used only from their own reservoirs (which are filled during the rainy months) and follows a ‘regulated deficit’ drip irrigation (ensures the grape quality by giving the vines less water than they want… Don’t ask me how this works. Sounds very interesting though!).

Since Cortes da Cima has adapted the same sustainable practices the 3EcoBees project support, they didn’t hesitate in donating us a few bottles of wine and olive oil for our Eco-Bingo nights at the Fair. I sure hope the winners of those bottles really enjoyed that wine, it is a very unique one…

By: Helperbee on 31 July 2008 
Category: Bio-Products, Eco-LifeStyle, Eco-Tourism, Responsible Agriculture

• Português

Have you ever thought about the consequences of your holidays abroad? Ok, everyone needs a holiday and it is always best to go elsewhere to get some real relaxation. So how about feeling less guilty about your carbon emissions by going to an eco-hotel? Sustainable tourism is becoming more and more popular, even in the Algarve, as people want to enjoy their holidays to the fullest without damaging the environment.

(photo credit: jimpg2)

An appropriate definition follows:

“Sustainable Tourism in its purest sense, is an industry committed to making a low impact on the natural environment and local culture, while helping to generate income and employment for locals” (source).

Quinta da Fornalha is a perfect example of sustainable tourism located in the natural reserves of Sapal in East Algarve. This family business in the council of Castro Marim cherishes the Algarvian culture by its organic agriculture, accommodation for guests in refurbished traditional country houses and informative tours exploring the local fauna and flora. For about 100 years they have been producing organic milk products such as half-fat milk, half-fat yogurt and yogurt cheese with their “holsteinfrisiarr” animals. They are also established with other organic produces such as figo and olives and also in the near future in oranges. Last but not least, they also produce organic salt.

Alongside their delicious organic agriculture business, they run a sustainable tourism centre which allows guests to be accommodated in refurbished traditional farm houses. They can provide their guests which different types of activities such as visiting the agricultural sites, exploring Castro Marim’s cultural history and also seasonally guests can try collecting and drying aromatic herbs or collecting salt. Future plans also include a restaurant, an

organic food store and a natural Spa (one that I will most certainly visit!).

I know, sounds too good to be true. But it is. So it is worth a visit.

For more info, visit the Quinta da Fornalha website.

By: Nancebee on 31 July 2008 
Category: General

• Português

We already explained the colours of the 3 ecobees. But what about the ‘bees’ themselves? Are we talking about the honey making animals here or something else? When generating names for our initiative, we came up with an endless list of possibilities. In essence we agreed on the 3 elements (air, water, earth) and a way of life we are promoting: ‘to be green’ in all aspects and live a responsible life.

(photo credit: TW Collins)

Finally 3ecobees was chosen. The origin of the ‘bees’ is therefore more as ‘to be’ or ‘to act’ rather then the bees. Nevertheless we feel connected with the actual ‘bees’ as hardworking, dedicated creatures, producing a delicious product.

By: Eddiebee on 30 July 2008 
Category: General

This is an email reply to Jennifer, writer of http://www.algarve-beach-life.com/algarve-blog.html (sorry no link from us). On her blog (post: Green Algarve? dated: Monday, July 21, 2008) , she chose to inaccurately pass judgment on the 3ecobees project. Since her blog doesn’t allow for comments (how convenient) we felt it would be best to voice our feedback on our blog (which welcome’s all comments).

(photo credit: Tomas)

Our response:

“Jennifer, thanks for the write up on your blog about 3ecobees.com … I understand with all the green talk, some might assume green washing. However, rest assured this is not the case with 3ecobees. It’s unfortunate you didn’t research the project more closely as you would have seen your opinion on this project is rather incorrect.

I’m not going into detail what 3ecobees stand for, that’s clearly communicated on our site. But again you know this. A link to the 3ecobees site for your readers would have provided accurate information they needed to get the whole story instead of the distorted truth you chose to publish.

We would have been happy to address any questions or doubts you have about our project at the fair or at anytime. So it’s unfortunate that you’ve decided to take this route instead of contacting us to learn more about the project and how you could possibly contribute, rather than taking a bitter stab at a project that you clearly know so little about.

As I’m sure you understand, relocating to a new country has innumerable challenges, we are trying to do the best we can for our community and our business. We would be happy to support your projects and would appreciate the same consideration in return.

If you would really like to understand the project, we’d be happy to talk to you at any time.

3EcoBees“

By: mobee on 27 July 2008 
Category: Eco-Tourism, General

• Português

Today is the final day of the Eco Fair in Olhão and so far, it’s been three days of learning, sharing and connecting with other socially responsible people from across Portugal.

Before we head down to Olhão to open our booth for one last time, we thought this would be a good opportunity to write this post.

In the past few days, we’ve shared the 3EcoBees story with curious strangers, new friends and partners and now, more than ever, it’s clear why 3EcoBees has formed.

(photo credit: Francisco Oliveira)

All across Algarve and Portugal, there are hidden treasures from ecotourism activities, culturally rich traditions, new investment opportunities that make Portugal a unique place to live, visit and do business with. BUT, these treasures are not always visible and there’s no clear map to help locals, tourists and investors discover them.

Sometimes, when everyone else is waiting for someone else to take the first step, you need to be the one to drive change. We like to think, 3EcoBees is the right step to promote and further develop the hidden treasures that make Portugal a unique country beaming with potential.

See you at the Faira for food, wine and eco bingo.

By: mobee on 24 July 2008 
Category: General

• Português

In preparation for this weekend’s fair in Olhao, Susanna, our helperbee, rolled up her sleeve and helped the team by creating a small power point slide about the 3EcoBees Story. This is still a working draft. And we’ll probably tweak a few slides here and there. But wanted to make it public before the fair and get some feedback on the 3EcoBees slides.

By: mobee on 18 July 2008 
Category: General

• Português

Given we had only a couple of days to design our 3ecobees‘ logo, we’re very pleased with the outcome - as it represents our organization’s image well.

Why 3 Different Coloured Bees?

1. Light blue = “air”
2. Dark blue = “water”
3. And Green = “earth”

We’re now dressed and ready to connect with businesses, organizations and individuals who share our goal and commitment of developing and promoting a sustainable Algarve and Portugal.

By: Eddiebee on 14 July 2008 
Category: Events

• Português

(portuguese version available here)

3EcoBees, the result of a joint venture between two Algarve based companies Ambiendura, an environmental consultancy, and Chama Inc., a marketing and visibility company, are looking to change the colour of their region to Green.

By joining forces, the two companies are looking to promote and develop the Algarve as a green region for both tourists and locals, in the areas of sustainable tourism, eco-investments, eco-products and eco-lifestyle. With a strong visibility and communications strategy, as 3EcoBees, we want to shed new light on what already exists and encourage new investments in the Algarve. We’re also interested in collaborating with regional and international experts to create a think tank which will support this objective and grow the project more organically.

We will be introducing the project at the Feira Nacional de Parques Naturais e Ambiente in Olhão, held from July 24th to 27th. We’re looking to work with businesses actively engaged in developing green and sustainable products and services in the region and country. If you have an eco or green type business not taking part in the fair but interested in having your products/services represented,please contact us to find out how you can participate.

(portuguese version available here)