A Clean Break events, the brainchild of Rachel Papworth, are designed to inspire people to share ideas for ethical holidaymaking.

Rachel says, "Everyone loves holidays, and many people would like to reduce the negative impacts their holidays have on wildlife, climate change and the environment, ensure their holidays contribute to preserving cultural and natural heritage, or take holidays that improve the lives of some of the poorest people in the world. A Clean Break will provide a way of sharing ideas and a forum for discussing related issues".

Inaugural Event on Sunday 26 April 2009

The inaugural A Clean Break event took place on Sunday 26th April 2009, at The Hanover Community Centre, Southover Street, Brighton, E. Sussex, BN2 9UD, UK.

About 40 people gathered to share ideas for ethical, earth–friendly holidays. Once everyone had stuck material about their ethical holiday ideas on the walls and browsed other people’s, Keith Taylor from Brighton & Hove Green Party introduced the concept of ethical tourism, concentrating particularly on tourism’s impact on climate change.

After a short break for fairtrade organic drinks, and vegan carrot cake and cookies, Nick Thomas–Webster, television and film actor and environmentalist, talked about the complexity of responsible tourism issues and the need to question the criteria by which travel companies label their products as ‘ethical’.

We broke again for more cake and cookies before an opportunity for anyone to tell the group about an ethical holiday idea. Ideas included cycling the Avenue Verte, walking the Coast to Coast, cycling in The Netherlands, Dance Camp East, and catching the train to Avignon. You can find out more about these ideas on our Holidays page.

Finally, the seven quiz winners were awarded the following prizes:

• A three–course dinner for four, delivered to your home by Veg Out
• Six bottles of Plumpton Tandem English wine donated by Butler’s Wine Cellar
• A vegan cake donated by The Heavenly Cake Company
• 50% off a home or small business eco–audit from Ethical Occasions
• A box of local organic vegetables from Hankham Organics
• A portable solar charger for electronic devices donated by Eco Logic Cool
• A UV Monkey (a device for measuring the level of ultra-violet light) donated by Eco Logic Cool

Thank you to everyone who came along and made it such a great afternoon, including the speakers, the businesses who donated quiz prizes, Clipper Teas for the refreshments and all those who helped put the event on.

We hope that everyone left inspired with an idea for A Clean Break and ways to have future holidays leave them with a cleaner conscience.