An ambitious project to add olive groves to the natural economy of the Canary Islands has grown steadily since it’s launch in 2005 and now another island government is taking it a stage further with the campaign Ecological Olives In Lanzarote. The climate in the Canary Islands is ideal for large scale olive oil growth and cultivation, the first of the new groves were planted in Arico, Tenerife but now there are over 60,000 of the Acebuche trees planted across the seven islands, all promoting organic farming.

AgroLanzarote, part of the Lanzarote Insular Agricultural Service are taking the lead by offering olive trees to prospective farmers for 2.70 euros each with a minimum order of 300 trees. Francisco Fabelo of AgroLanzarote has pledged their full support. “Olive trees can be very productive, and can generate profits in the agricultural sector of the island. Therefore AgroLanzarote is trying to promote this culture and help farmers who venture to try it. The Insular Agricultural Service is hiring technicians experienced in these olive varieties, who can control the plantations until they reach production, with at least three visits per farm per year.”

The Acebuche tree is native to the Canary Islands, mainly in the valley areas, and produce large crops of olives. The long term aim is to encourage more olive groves across the Canary Islands and add exporting to the already growing local market.

The threat of oil exploitation has returned to the Canary Islands, with the upsurge in petrol prices reviving interest in oil fields around the islands. Leading Spanish oil giant, Repsol, are expected to apply to dust off old unused drilling licences, to plunder deposits under the sea.

The Spanish Institute of Oceanography confirmed in 2002, that there is a large deposit of oil near Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Spains Prime Minister Aznar granted 9 new drilling licences to search for oil but at the time Repsol considered that it was not cost effective to start the search. Now times have changed and the President of Repsol, Antoni Brufau has indicated that the company will now push ahead to discover exactly how much oil the Canary Islands can yield.

As well as economic times changing, so have political times. The current Prime Minister Zapatero, on his summer holiday to Lanzarote in 2006, promised that no permission would be given to drill for oil unless there was a consensus from the island people. Sadly the higher that oil prices go, the more likely large scale drilling in the Canary Islands becomes.

The project is a joint initiative driven by Clean Ocean Project, an environmental group from the nearby island of Fuerteventura, the local council, the local leisure business association and local diving schools. They all realise that the well being of their part of the island is something that affects them and their daily lives directly, and they are making an effort to clean up the rubbish left behind by those less considerate users of the coast.

The army of volunteers will sweep along the coast collecting rubbish from the beaches of Las Cucharas, Los Charcos, Playa Jablillo, and Playa Bastian. Three diving schools, Native Diving, Calipso Diving and Aquatis Diving Centre will be able to attack the sea bed, there will be 108 of them pitching in.

The idea is to make people feel involved and proud of the island they live on, many children will be taking part in the clean up, helping to educate them to the problems and needs of the coast. All participants will wear commemorative t-shirts featuring a drawing of a turtle, just one of the species that will benefit from the efforts of all the volunteers.

Developing responsible tourism has already made Sands Beach Resort the proud owners of a Biosphere Hotel certificate from the Institute of Responsible Tourism, for their thoughtful policies towards holiday makers. These include, using recycled water for the gardens, choosing biodegradable cleaning products, using recycled paper and eliminating the wasteful use of electricity. In their brochures, Sands Beach Resort make a point of asking their guests to do their part by not putting unused linen and towels out for maids collection, being economical with water use in showers and cleaning, and taking an interest in the natural attractions of Lanzarote, and respecting them.

Lanzarote has been through a lot and it’s landscape was transformed by the six year eruption of 1730, that left it covered in volcanic lava. Since then the island has been allowed to grow steadily, but within certain limits of height and colour of buildings. Sands Beach Resort is proud of its place in the close knit community that is Costa Teguise, and wants to do all it can to promote green policies, and to reach out to the island, by setting a strong example of how to run a successful and profitable business, without compromising on its values.

Don’t think of everything as rubbish, as the advert says, recycling, the possibilites are endless. This will be shown in a creative way at the MIAC – the International Museum of Contemporary Art in Arrecife, Lanzarote.

This year’s big competition is for renewable art, with entries being made from discarded items given a new purpose. The 20 finalists will be submiting their workfrom March 31 to May 26, the day of judgement by an international panel of experts. The overall winner will get 4,000 euros, second will get 2,500 euros and third 1,000 euros.

It’s very fitting that the MIAC was set up in 1974 by Cesar Manrique, the father of modern Lanzarote, a noted artist, designer and sculptor, whose work and legacy can be seen all over Lanzarote. The museum is in the old Castillo de San Jose at Puerto Naos, formerly used to repel pirates, it now attracts tourists and is open from 11am until 9pm every day.

Sands Beach Resort has embraced a raft of measures including using recycled water for the gardens, using recycled paper, choosing biodegradable cleaning products and eliminating the wasteful use of electricity. In their brochures Sands Beach Resort make a point of asking their customers to do their part by not putting unused linen and towels out for the collections, being economical with water use in showers and cleaning and taking an interest in the natural attractions of Lanzarote and respecting them.

These may sound like small measures on a global scale, but they can soon make a difference, and on an island like Lanzarote, it’s easier for visitors to feel more attuned to nature as they experience the wonderful sights that have taken thousands or even millions of years to evolve. Lanzarote is respected as a fine example of developing tourism with the needs of nature in mind, holiday makers will soon appreciate the lack of high rise developments and the uniform colours used for painting houses and public buildings. As well as making a contribution when on holiday, the initial choice of holiday venue and hotel helps to reward those who are making an effort.