Jaunted - Tag: Disasters

Take a Four-Day Voluntourism Break in Japan to Help Locals Recover from the Tsunami

cmb — 2011-06-22T15:31:51-05:00

The TV cameras may be gone but that doesn't mean all is well in Japan. The country still needs support after the massive tsunami that hit in March and Inside Japan Tours has a way for you to help.

The tour company has created a 4-day volunteering tour to Tohoku where participants will work with RQ Citizens Disaster Relief Network Japan cleaning and restoring damaged houses and schools, shoveling rubble or clearing parks.

The package includes transportation from Tokyo, accommodations, meals, equipment and an English-speaking interpreter. Airfare is not included. Upcoming trips are scheduled to leave on July 7, July 21, August 4, and August 18. Packages start at $725. For more information visit InsideJapanTours.com.

[Photo: Tiryimyim.com]

New York: Get a Great Meal in NYC, Give Greatly to the Red Cross in Japan

JetSetCD — 2011-03-24T12:21:46-05:00

There's no reason in trying to disguise our love for New York restaurants or for Japan as we sure talk about both often enough, but rarely is it that these passions come together for anything other than excellent sushi; now, they're combining for charity. According to Crain's, restaurants around New York City have banded together to donate 5% of their total sales from March 23-30 and donate them to the Red Cross' efforts in Japan.

Participating restaurants are of all cuisines; there's the ramen restaurant Ippudo, trendy Mercer Kitchen in Soho, and French Rockefeller Center spot Brasserie Ruhlmann. The latter will be perfect for those who orchestrated this whole thing, because it's NBC Universal that's behind the warm-heartedness of it all. Maybe we'll see Jack Donaghy at the table next to us, hm?

Chernobyl is So Hot Right Now: Nuclear Disasters Pique Tourist Interest

JetSetCD — 2011-03-21T08:21:45-05:00

On April 26 this year, Ukraine will remember the 25th Anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. No one knows exactly how many died as result of the radioactive fallout and the story of what exactly happened to cause the plant's explosion is so riveting that we can easily get sucked into reading just the Wikipedia page and links for hours. Thus, it's no surprise that Ukraine has opened the Chernobyl site to tours; it's in our nature to be curious about such macabre places.

As it turns out, the recent tourist focus on Chernobyl couldn't have come at a better, if tragic, time. With the situation at Japan's earthquake- and tsunami-damaged nuclear plants (especially Fukushima) having reached frightening disaster status, the public is reading up on nuclear energy and the history thereof, including tragedies like experienced at Chernobyl.

Relief From the Sky: What the Airlines are Doing to Help Japan (and How You Can Join In)

JetSetCD — 2011-03-14T10:47:50-05:00

They may be standing strong in the wake of both horrible earthquakes and the tsunami, but Japan does need our help, and badly. Think about all the enjoyment you've gotten from Japan—good sushi, awesome video games, breakthrough technology, superior customer service (for example)—and consider donating to relief efforts.

Cash is obviously the easiest way to contribute and it's the most in demand, since then charities can put it towards whatever is most needed. If you like the idea of getting a thanks for your donation, American Airlines, in partnership with the Red Cross, will kick you back AAdvantage miles for your donation:

Tanker Collides Into Great Barrier Reef, Risks Environmental Catastrophe

Omri — 2010-04-05T15:40:17-05:00

Environmental and tourism authorities in Queensland went into full emergency mode over the weekend, when a giant Chinese tanker collided with the Barrier Reef and began leaking fuel into the surrounding pristine waters. Though it now seems like the worst-case disasters are going to be avoided—the Shen Neng 1 doesn't look like it's going to break in half, which was the initial fear—there's still a two-mile slick floating above one of the world's most important and delicate ecosystems.

The clean up began almost immediately, with planes dispatched to spray chemical dispersants into the water. The tanker was using a particularly cheap and viscous kind of fuel, increasing the danger it poses to the marine life below. Tug boats were sent to carefully stabilize the ship and get it out of the area, and they're hoping to start on that in the next few hours. In the meantime, the tanker is disabled and continues to grind against the reef, risking more breaches and an all-out catastrophe.

We Finally Learn What Happened During The Colgan Air Crash

kjb — 2010-02-10T09:07:37-05:00

It’s been just about a year since a flight operated by Colgan Air under the Continental Airlines umbrella crashed outside Buffalo killing all aboard and one person on the ground. The NTSB has finally gotten all the appropriate signatures together and released its version of what went wrong and what happened that day.

The blame is falling squarely on the shoulders of the airplane’s captain. Officials believe that the pilot “inappropriately responded to the activation of the stick shaker, which led to an aerodynamic stall from which the airplane did not recover.” The report doesn’t make immediate connections regarding pilot fatigue, but officials have requested that airlines try to figure out how to eliminate the issue of pilots who are forced to travel by plane to work.

Relief From the Sky: What the Airlines are Doing to Help Haiti

cmb — 2010-01-20T14:55:03-05:00

As we reported last week, Spirit Airlines was giving away enough loyalty miles for a free flight to anyone who donates $5 to Haiti by Jan. 17. But, Spirit isn't the only airline getting involved in the relief efforts. Here's a look at a few other airlines and what they're doing to help:

· American Airlines: American is giving customers a chance to earn 250 bonus miles when they donate at least $50, or 500 bonus miles for a donation of $100 or more to the American Red Cross through Feb. 28, 2010. The airline, in conjunction with American Eagle, is also sending three flights to Haiti filled with 30,000 pounds of relief supplies, food and water.

· Continental Airlines: Continental has a program for OnePass members in which they can donate their miles to relief groups, including the Red Cross.

More airlines, after the jump