Message from Bridge To Bhutan – Vote Earth!

Vote Earth! Switch Off Your Lights For Earth Hour

Earth Hour Logo by Earth Hour Global. 

Dear Friends of Bridge To Bhutan:

Here in Bhutan, we are exactly one hour away from observing the Earth Hour 2009.

From melting glaciers to increasingly intense weather patterns, we know that climate change is already impacting life on our planet.

On Saturday, March 28, 2009, at 8:30 pm, Bridge To Bhutan will take part in Earth Hour – the world’s largest global climate change event. By simply turning out all non-essential lighting for one hour at our company buildings and in our own homes, we will join tens of millions of concerned citizens throughout the world in calling for action to save our planet for future generations.

We’d like to encourage you, one of our valued visitors, to join us in this important and inspiring effort.   

Led by the World Wildlife Fund, more than 50 million people in 370 cities around the world took part in Earth Hour last year. The lights went out at Sydney’s Opera House, Rome’s Coliseum, the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge. Even the Google homepage went dark for the day.

This year, Earth Hour will be even bigger. It’s true that the effort may not seem significant in the developing countries, including Bhutan, where the luxury of having lights is a rarity; people can still make a difference.

It’s the gesture that matters! Let’s do what we can in support of this timely effort. Spread the awareness!

Around the world, cities large and small have said they’ll participate with more signing up daily. They will join international cities such as Beijing, Cape Town, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Helsinki, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, London, Manila, Mexico City, Moscow, New York, Paris, Rome, and Toronto. So far 2,140 cities, towns and municipalities in 82 countries have already committed to VOTE EARTH as part of the world’s first global election between Earth and global warming. So if you’re traveling or flying and all of sudden, all the lights go out for an hour (the Eiffel Tower, Golden Gate Bridge and Sydney’s Opera House are a few of the participating landmarks around the world) – don’t be alarmed. It’s just Earth Hour.

To get a better sense of the magnitude and inspiring nature of the event, take a moment to watch WWF’s video about Earth Hour 2009:

Participating in Earth Hour is easy, fun and absolutely free. To get more information and to sign up to for Earth Hour 2009, just visit www.earthhour.org (choose your country) and agree to turn out your lights from 8:30-9:30 pm on March 28, 2009. If you are in Bhutan or any other developing countries not listed on the site, you can still make a difference by turning off your lights for an hour at the same time.

Energy efficiency isn’t just good for the bottom line. As citizens of the world, we all have a stake in the future of our planet and must seek to operate in ways that don’t deplete our world’s limited natural resources.

In the weeks and months following the Earth Hour, we will continue to look at ways we can operate more efficiently, waste less and reduce our environmental footprint – not only in our own operations, but throughout our supply chain (partners and visitors). That’s because all of us here at Bridge To Bhutan care about the future of our world and want to do what we can to make a positive difference. 

We want the world to do more than just turn out lights during this historic event; we hope you’ll join us, and encourage people you know in the community to also take part and learn about global warming. Don’t forget – tonight at 8:30 pm, switch off. 

Let’s not stop here; we can do more. Let’s be conscious!

Sincerely,

Team Bridge To Bhutan

Bhutan ranked High at the Wanderlust Travel Awards 2009

Bhutan soars high at the Wanderlust Travel Awards 2009 in two categories: Top Country/Destination and Top Worldwide Airport.
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Bhutan ranked in Top 10 tourist destinations in the world
Bhutan has been ranked the fourth top tourist destination in the world by Wanderlust, an internationally recognized travel magazine based in the United Kingdom.
The Tourism Council of Bhutan has received a certificate from Wanderlust.

Bhutan also won the silver award from Wanderlust Travel Magazine in 2005 for making into the top ten tourist destinations in the world. Continue reading Bhutan ranked High at the Wanderlust Travel Awards 2009

Traditional sports – A pastime of the past

In the face of an explosion of modern games, thanks largely to cable TV, Bhutan’s traditional sports – despite the government’s pledge to promote them – are on the brink of extinction.

Traditional games, such as soksom, degor, jigdum and pungdo, are barely heard of, let alone played. The only ones surviving the onslaught of changing times are archery and khuru. Archery exists because there is a heavy dose of modernism in its equipment and status. People rarely play archery without imported bows and arrows these days. That way, observers say, the sport is becoming more modern and less Bhutanese. Continue reading Traditional sports – A pastime of the past

Two new trekking routes

UPSCALE TRAIL – Lodge-based trekking routes will minimise litter at least

The tourism council of Bhutan (TCB) has identified two additional trekking routes in Wangduephodrang and Bumthang. The Dhur tshachu in Bumthang and Gangtey in Wangduephodrang, TCB said, would give tourists both natural and cultural visiting experience. 

The trekking route to Dhur tshachu, starting from Dhur village, about 30 km from Chamkhar town, would take three days to the hotspring on foot. The whole area falls under the Wangchuck centennial park. The Gangtey trail starts from Gangtey and covers four villages (Phobjikha, Gogona, Khotakha and Rubisa).

The Dhur tshachu trail in Bumthang will benefit Dhur village, while the Gangtey trail in Wangduephodrang will benefit five villages (Gangtey, Phobjikha, Gogona, Khotakha and Rubisa). Continue reading Two new trekking routes

Michael J Fox-The “Incurable optimist” in Bhutan

IN PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS – Coming to terms with a concept in their own ways

Canadian-American actor, Michael J Fox, is currently in the country shooting a documentary entitled, ‘Michael J Fox: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist’. The documentary follows Fox as he travels the world in search of happiness and the reasons that make people happy. 

“I’d read about Bhutan. I was really intrigued by the concept of gross national happiness, and I wanted to see if it really was what it was reported to be,” the star of such worldwide hits as the ‘Back to the Future’ trilogy told Kuensel. Continue reading Michael J Fox-The “Incurable optimist” in Bhutan

The low priority library

The only public library in town is so cramped, one has to worm one’s way around

A few steps away from the massive and modern Taj Tashi hotel, across the noisy six-lane upper Norzin Lam, lies an aged one-storied building. Its significance and, at the same time, unfortunate obscurity, becomes apparent after reading what’s written on a small sign that hangs over its door: “Jigme Dorje Wangchuck Public Library, 1979.” 

While larger modern buildings, that house snooker rooms and bars, video game parlors, video rental stores, dance clubs and other social entertainment venues sprout all around it, Bhutan’s sole public lending library continues to languish in the same building it has occupied since 1985. Continue reading The low priority library

No takers yet for domestic air service

GUINNESS RECORD PROSPECT? – Once operational, Yonphula airport may qualify as the highest of its kind

Will Bhutan have its first domestic air service by October this year? As far as the civil aviation department is concerned, they have not as yet received any proposals. 

Drukair, however, is doing a feasibility study on operating a domestic air service within the country.

Drukair’s managing director, Tandin Jamtsho, said that the present aircraft could not ply in domestic airports because of shorter runways. Operating from a place like Yonphula requires smaller aircrafts and special pilots.

“We’ll have to look into the cost of operations,” said Tandin Jamtsho. The feasibility study would be done by June this year, which he said would determine if Drukair could participate or not. Continue reading No takers yet for domestic air service

Japan backs Bhutan GLOF project

With global warming on the rise and glacial lakes filling up fast in the Lunana area, Bhutan seems ill prepared for the dangers of glacial lakes outburst floods, what with an acute lack of funds and technology, or even know-how.

All that could change with the recent agreement between Japan and Bhutan to start a project that would study the glacial lakes and fortify disaster management efforts in case of a glacial flood. The project, worth around US$ 2 million and funded by Japan, will see Japanese experts in science and technology studying Bhutanese glaciers and training local glaciologists as well. Continue reading Japan backs Bhutan GLOF project

‘Three Cups of Tea’ author finds new mountains to climb

WASHINGTON — Globe-trotting humanitarian Greg Mortenson, co-author of the best-selling memoir Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace … One School at a Time, keeps a reminder pasted to his bathroom mirror back home in Bozeman, Mont.: “When your heart speaks, take good notes.”

Mortenson’s own heart started hollering 15 years ago, when the exhausted mountaineer lost his way in northeastern Pakistan’s untrammeled Karakoram Range. After stumbling nearly 60 miles down a glacier to the Muslim hamlet of Korphe — where he was welcomed as the first foreigner the 400 villagers had encountered — he watched local children substitute mud-coated sticks for pencils in an apricot orchard that served as their only classroom.

Inspired by his parents’ work to start a hospital and school on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, and by fellow climber Edmund Hillary’s charitable work in the Nepalese Himalayas, Mortenson promised he would return to Korphe to build a school.

But unlike most well-meaning tourists touched by encounters with Third World poverty, Mortenson delivered on his pledge. Continue reading ‘Three Cups of Tea’ author finds new mountains to climb

The thirsty dzongkhag

Pemagatshel Dzongkhag has put up a proposal to the Gross National Happiness Commission to pipe water all the way from Khaling in Trashigang. Preliminary studies have been conducted on the possibility of piping water from Wamrong but the idea was dropped after finding it unsustainable for long term.

During Lyonchhen’s visit to the dzongkhag in January this year, he said that, since the Khaling stream was said to be receding, there was a need to find a sustainable alternative. He suggested that creating an artificial lake on Oori stream, which is about 1000 m above sea level, for distribution of water to some nearby villages would be a better option. Continue reading The thirsty dzongkhag