Green Currents Eco Blog from Holiday Expeditions

Health in Nature: The Science

noreply@blogger.com (FastWoody) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:42:00 +0000

The following article was recently published in "The Current", the American River Conservancy's quarterly newsletter. Enjoy!

In his book, "The Creation", Dr. E.O. Wilson engages in a dialogue with an imaginary preacher in order to argue persuasively that both science and religion have compelling reasons to support the good stewardship and preservation of Nature. He defines Nature as “the original environment and its life forms before human impact”.

As one of the world’s foremost ecologists, Dr. Wilson shares the concern of many climatologists and other scientists, that the current activities of humankind threaten over half the world’s species with extinction by the end of the century. Not only do these organisms have practical value as natural ecosystems providing us with clean air, water, energy, food, etc., Dr. Wilson argues they are important to preserve for their own sake, as part of God's Creation.

But what is the evidence that the experience of Nature benefits human health directly? Should we preserve it for that reason as well? Let us explore some recent science.

1. The Experience of Nature Reduces Stress
Medical science has established that stress plays an important role in 80% of all illness. As you de-stress and connect with the sights and sounds of Nature you boost your immune system, lower your blood pressure, reduce levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, increase release of pleasure mediators such as endorphins and promote your physical and mental health.

2. Exercise is Great for Health and Exercise in Nature is Even Better! No doubt you knew that aerobic exercise is good for your health. What is surprising is that the setting in which exercise occurs is an important determinant of the health benefits of exercise. Subjects who exercised in a “green” environment surrounded by the sights and sounds of Nature have greater reductions in blood pressure, higher elevations in HDL (the good cholesterol), and greater improvements in mood and self esteem than those who exercise the same amount in urban, non-green environments. Mitchell and Popham, Lancet, 372: pg. 1655-60.

3. Nature is Good for Your Brain. The City Hurts Your Brain.
Ever felt like your brain was on overload? Chances are you were in a crowded city or caught in traffic. Activities in Nature allow your brain to unwind from urban life and actually improve mental functioning. So says Marc Berman, a psychologist at the University of Michigan and lead author of a new study that measured cognitive deficits caused by urban environments. Marc says that the brain is a limited machine and “we are beginning to understand the different ways a city can exceed those limitations.” By contrast, even fleeting glimpses of Nature improve brain performance.

4. Children Benefit Greatly from Experiences in Nature, the Longer the Better Those of us who raft rivers know what a thrill it is to watch our children whoop and holler through a whitewater rapid. Often timid at first, by the time you reach takeout the kids are asking, “where are the really big ones”, and then beg for more. Children these days are often more stressed than adults. In part this is because they are highly empathic and mirror the emotions of their parents and other adults who are dealing with the stresses and strains of modern industrial society.

It is therefore good news that researchers have found children benefit from exposure to Nature with a dose related reduction in their stress levels. The longer the exposure to Nature, the lower the levels of stress in the child. Those of us who have experienced an extended raft trip on the Grand Canyon certainly know the feeling: What day is it anyway? Leaving home your TV, computer and cell phone helps too. (NM Wells and GW Evans, Environment and Behavior, 35(3): 311-330.)

5. Experiences in Nature are Great for ADD and ADHD Attention disorders have become one of the challenges of the current age. The percentage of children on Ritalin and other drugs used to treat ADD and ADHD (which is generally ADD in males) is truly astounding. Theories abound on the causes and appropriate treatment of these children, but recent evidence has found that one treatment improves the symptoms in virtually all cases. That treatment is exposure to Nature. The data is so compelling that some have suggested that ADD and ADHD are actually “Nature Deficit Disorder” in disguise. If our children were to grow up in an environment more similar to the one in which their nervous system evolved, the problem might disappear. This may be hyperbole. Nevertheless, what is clear is that children diagnosed with attention issues have better functioning after activities in natural or “greener” settings. Furthermore, the greener the setting, the less severe the child’s attention disorder. ( AF Taylor, FE Kuo and WC Sullivan. Environment and Behavior, 33 (1):54-77) Also Taylor and Kuo, Journal of Attention Disorders, August 2008.

These are just a few of the studies that increasingly suggest that John Muir was right, not only is "in God's wildness .. the hope of the world”; it is a primary condition for the preservation of human health. Both the scientist and the preacher agree. Keep it wild!

Scott Underwood M.D., ABIM, ABEM trained at U.C. Davis before his retirement from a career in Emergency Medicine. As the longest serving member of the ARC Board of Directors, he now volunteers at the Mother Lode River Center in Coloma where the vision is “to promote healthy people, living in equitable and sustainable societies, in balance with the natural world.” Visit www.malode.com or send comments to scott@malode.com.

A Message from Founders Dee & Sue Holladay

noreply@blogger.com (FastWoody) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:16:00 +0000

The canyons we float and ride through have been here long before Holiday River Expeditions, but in our humblest way we are celebrating our 44th year of river running, hiking and just being in the presence of such grand places and people. It’s been interesting to observe the changes in ourselves, our company, our industry, and our environment.

Back in the 60’s, on our early rafting trips the attraction was basically a floating party – a sign of the times. Even though our guides were willing to share their knowledge of the canyons with our guests, the fact was we really didn’t know that much and neither did science. Environment was beginning to hum as a buzz word, but science was just beginning to understand the importance and interrelation of ecosystems and bio-diversity. What we did know was that solitude and being in nature felt good and seemed right. We began to change the way we did things so we wouldn’t impact the places we liked to go.

Over the years, Holiday guests have also realized how precious our wild places are. Our Guests now come to the river and the trails for other reasons and that is family togetherness, escaping suburbia, or understanding our place in the bigger picture. Land management agencies and outfitters are being more proactive about managing our impact in these wild places.

Sue and I, our guides and staff, and you – our guests have a common bond that has strengthened Holiday as an entity. We are all humbled by nature’s power, strengthened by its energy, challenged by its integrity and grounded by its loftiness.

We got into the outfitting business as a way to do what we loved. Thanks to great places, our very special guests and employees we have been able to do what many people only dream of. Our lives as river and trail outfitters and friends to wild places have been fulfilling. With increased attention to our nation’s wild places, we hope that we will always be able to share and revel in the beauty of the West.

River Healing and the Strength of Spirit

noreply@blogger.com (FastWoody) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:13:00 +0000

I had the incredible opportunity to be a guide for a touching trip that Holiday helps sponsor every year called Burn Camp. In partnership with the University of Utah Burn Center, Holiday River Expeditions escorts a group of teenagers that have experienced severe burns to their bodies on a 6- day trip down Desolation Canyon.
The Green River is a force. It is powerful beyond imagination. I thought I understood the might of the Green River after my first trip down the river with Holiday Expeditions. In many canyons throughout Utah, like Lodore and Grey Canyons, it is easy to visually see how the constant flow of river has affected the landscape. Scrapes and shrubs on various horizontal heights in many places give clues to the rivers daunting and impressive past. While the Green River may deviate in an occasional bend or meander it only flows in one direction, down towards the ocean. I am sure we have all had points in our lives when we felt that our lives were going in a similar direction, minus the magnificent ending in the Gulf of Mexico.
For 6 days I got to watch and listen to the kids that participated in Burn Camp become engulfed in the non-visible, nearly spiritual force of the river. Each one of their lives had undoubtedly been challenging as a result of their burns. I would not doubt that they thought that their everyday scenarios, such as going to school and attending to their wounds, would ever change direction to something slightly less physically and mentally draining. But for those 6 days every single one of those kids, within the confines of the endless blue sky that seemingly shoots out of the canyon openings, opened themselves up. They experienced their burns with each other and seemingly came to the realization that they weren’t alone. Instead of watching the river from the safety of the boat, they jumped on in and felt HOW FREEZING IT WAS!! (…and wanted back in immediately!!!) Instead of listening to their group leaders wishes to not get wet, they all secretly conspired together and attacked communally to get them DRENCHED instead of wet. They got together in group every night and shared their stories; laughing unanimously at the humorous parts. In rapids they held onto each other in excitement all while having the biggest smiles I have ever had the pleasure of seeing.
They, with the canyons, animals, and plants, let the river take control for those 6 days of their lives and the outcome was truly magical.
By Noel Gugliotta

"If there is magic on this earth,
then surely it is contained in water."

- Loren Eiseley
The Immense Journey, 1957

Inspiring Youth Groups with River Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (FastWoody) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:34:00 +0000

“Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.” Edward Abbey, champion of the American Southwest, conveyed this and many other thoughts through his evocative writing. This quote embodies the heart and soul of Holiday River Expeditions. Every time I hear the words of Abbey, or just walk across the boatyard at the Holiday base, I am reminded of this simple, inherent truth, the vitality and rejuvenation offered by a day on the river, and how it all started for me: with a simple youth group trip.

At the age of 17 I happened upon a unique opportunity to do a youth rafting trip in the Grand Canyon. I loved every minute of it… from rapids, to wildlife, to relaxing lunches in the sun, and returned each of the following two summers. At 20 I began working for Holiday River Expeditions in the gorgeous south Utah desert and haven’t wanted to be anywhere else since. It’s been an incredible experience to come full circle and go on several youth trips myself, now as a guide, whether it be a daily trip on the Green River with Boy Scouts or a Church group on the playful Colorado River Daily, or a multi-day trip with families or high schoolers through spectacular Desolation Canyon. It has been a unique privilege to pass on this special experience, and to be able to work for a well-established outfitter, operating since 1966 with an outstanding record of safety and customer service, not to mention high-caliber guides.

Not everyone who goes on a youth rafting adventure is overwhelmed with wanderlust and becomes a rafting bum, but in my humble opinion everyone should at least experience a day on the river. It’s so much more than a time and place, it’s a mindset. Who knows? It could change the course of your life forever. At the very least, you’ll be left with spectacular memories…
by Joe Ballent ~ Holiday River Expeditions Guide

Holiday River has a New Logo

noreply@blogger.com (FastWoody) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:19:00 +0000

Holiday has a new logo. At the core of our expeditions on the rivers and trails of the West is the interaction between the human spirit and the natural world. A connection between us and the wild places we take our rafts and mountain bikes is already there. To find it Holiday River’s guides first take care of their guest’s safety and comfort. That opens the door to relaxing, exploring and just spending time in stunningly beautiful places. On our trips by lending a helping hand Holiday expeditions reunite the human spirit with the natural world.

Our Commitment to Real Change

noreply@blogger.com (FastWoody) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:10:00 +0000

Recently ResponsibleTravel.com, a leading world wide travel agent, made the decision to abandon their Carbon offset program sighting the importance of making real changes rather than purchasing offsets. Years ago Holiday Expeditions opted not to follow the popular “offset” trend, but rather to champion the individual and the company’s creativity and willingness to change. True change can only happen through the act of reducing and reusing in your day to day practices.

Our rafting and biking trip guests get to see and experience the examples of our efforts to make real change when they meet us at our headquarters in Green River and Vernal, UT. This summer we installed a new rain gutter system to increase efforts to capture rain water for grey water use. We already had one grey water system in place but saw this as yet one more opportunity to conserve and cut back on traditional, local water consumption. Overall water use was cut by 8% in a year that we actually did more business. Water wise native landscaping, making our own ice efficiently, more infrequent van washing and new front load water saving washing machines are also included in our everyday efforts. The challenge is on going but we feel we’re up to it and making real changes one step at a time.

Ramblings of a Colorado River Guide

noreply@blogger.com (FastWoody) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:22:00 +0000

By Joe Ballent

It’s raining on Tavaputs again.

The sleepy plateau is majestically cloaked in clouds, rain, and shadow, a stark contrast to the burning orb beating down like, as Ed Abbey would say, a white scream. I rub the sleep out of my eyes and the sand out of my hair, ready for another sunny day in Green River, Utah. A quick trip through the kitchen and across the boatyard grants me another breathtaking view of the high desert, and I find myself reflecting on past summers, this gorgeous country, the great people I work with, and what it really means to be out here.

It is May of 2008, and I walk out of the Salt Lake airport to meet the Holiday Driver known only as Bossi. Bossi is a man shrouded in mystery, and bears a reputation to be feared. In a voice that can only be heard, not described, Bossi introduces himself to me as a ‘fifth year rookie,’ and we begin our drive through a full-blown blizzard to arrive in Green River. My first experience as a Holiday employee is having blocks of bacon thrown at me by our boss and ‘summer dad,’ Tim Gaylord. So begins a journey of epic proportions.

It is a pitch black night, probably in June, and I am driving back from Moab with Leland around midnight. A relentless lightning storm is tearing apart the sky like paper, illuminating the landscape with each brilliant flash. Jagged spears of light and energy sparkle and crack the night violently, only to disappear in a flash of a second, and I find myself thinking maybe the natives had it right all along; somewhere up there in the strata, the Thunderbirds are beating otherworldly demons back down into the depths of the desert, their triumphant cries manifested in bone-shaking thunder that rattles the ground with each echoing boom.

It is June, it is July, it doesn’t matter. It is river time, and the current rocks my boat gently down stream to camp, which is more of a mindset than a place. Boatmen and guests alike trade stories, laughs, and horseshoes. Utter serenity envelopes me as I drift to sleep under the blanket of the milky way, a perfect solitude interrupted only momentarily by the brilliant flash of a shooting star.

It is afternoon later in the summer and our trip returns. A grin sneaks across my face as my friend Kyle, Holiday’s hardest-working and best-looking guide, emerges from the shuttle. I know all kinds of adventures await us, be it camping, freelining, rock climbing, biking to the radio tower, burning quesadillas, warehouse pull-ups, or just tormenting Tim. We work relentlessly, a well-oiled machine, to unpack the trip, compost organic waste, and park boats and trailers. Later we go to Ray’s Tavern, where I discuss life with Noel to the beat of my favorite jukebox tunes. Night finds everyone back at the bunkhouse, swapping trip stories and enjoying each other’s company. Brian plucks the guitar masterfully, a gentle tune the backdrop to a blazing sunset.

It is late and time for bed. Have to be ready for that pack and trip tomorrow; as I lay down, laughter and singing waft through the bunkhouse like a lullaby. I think about how lucky I am to have this spectacular desert as my home, and the chance to share the canyon rivers with others. In the distance thunder rumbles gently. Drifting off to sleep, I smile.

It’s raining on Tavaputs again.

Early Spring on the Colorado River

noreply@blogger.com (FastWoody) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:52:00 +0000

By John Wood, Holiday River Guide

I have recently returned from five days ‘off-grid’ on one of our Colorado River Cataract trips. It was the first trip of the season with a small intimate group eager to expose themselves to all this remote canyon in the heart of Canyonlands National Park has to offer. It has been quite a while since I have made the journey down this fabled canyon in high water. My memories were there but tarnished by time and the approaching hallmark of turning fifty.

Most of us change a little every time we expose ourselves to a powerful natural place. This change was evident on the faces and in the conversations of all that were on this trip. As a group we discussed everything from art history to global warming and the inescapable reality that it is all connected. The river reminded us that the decisions we make in our kitchens and backyards can impact the riparian zones we were all floating past.

One of my favorite parts about an early spring trip is that there are fewer groups on the river. In FIVE days we were only passed once by a competing outfit that was out doing a ONE day version of our trip. As I hailed them over to coordinate camping plans the vacant look in their eyes was telling. They sat six feet above the water on a large motorized pontoon and I could only imagine the ringing in their ears from hours of a full-throttled engine. While they had all invested sizable treasure by scrimping on time they missed the experience.

The journey is one of contrasts with the early days spent floating through the eons of time that shaped the river canyons of Canyonlands, but always in the back of your mind are the rapids. In high water there is nothing like them in this country. It’s not just the SIZE of them but rather the sections that are continuous with large rhythmic breaking waves that are not predictable. As a guide it becomes harder to sleep through the night the closer you get to the BIG rapid day.

On Thursday we as a group had to find safe passage through the North Seas, Mile Long, and Big Drop rapids. The Colorado River filled our boats at least four times and sent us through multiple wash and rinse cycles. Our rafts took the hits and our oars made the pulls while we all hollered and laughed our way through the whitewater. The next day we all returned to our real lives and the daunting task of figuring out how to live in a way that leaves behind a clear future… a task with no one answer. On our trip by taking the time to ‘disconnect’ from the frenetic pace of our daily lives we had all taken a necessary first step.

Getting Involved

noreply@blogger.com (FastWoody) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:39:00 +0000

If you have taken a trip with us in the last two years on the Green River then you were most likely petitioned to fill out a card and express why you think the Green River should be added to the Wild and Scenic River status. Easy to do when you have just come off a trip on this magnificent river. We then gather and send them off to our Governor in hopes that someone is listening! Our founder, Dee Holladay is the force behind our continued activism towards the protection of the resources we share with our guests. It is his passion, our company’s mission and a vision we hope to share with all of you.

In a statement by the Utah Rivers Council:

Support Utah's Wild and Scenic Rivers, especially the entire Green River!

Wild and Scenic Rivers status protects rivers from new dams and diversions…forever. In addition, the outstanding values for which Wild and Scenic Rivers are designated – from historical sites to recreational activities to wildlife habitat – are protected. Despite the fact that Utah has amazing rivers, ranging from serene flat water to raging rapids and from high mountain streams to rivers passing through a red rock world, Utah has absolutely zero Wild and Scenic Rivers.

By the end of this year the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service will be making their final recommendations about which of Utah’s outstanding rivers should become Wild and Scenic Rivers, including the Green, Colorado, San Juan, and Logan.

The BLM recently released a plan that proposes a 40 mile stretch of the Green River just north and south of the town of Green River should not become a Wild and Scenic River. Please speak out against this travesty and encourage our decision makers to urge the BLM to recommend the entire Green River and the rest of Utah’s outstanding rivers becoming Wild and Scenic Rivers.

For the most recent information and press releases check out:
Utah Rivers Council protect - restore - explore

Supporting Local Farmers

noreply@blogger.com (FastWoody) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:04:00 +0000

Crenshaw, Canary, Ogen, Israeli and Rocky Sweet are a few of the more obscure melons you’ll find in the Melon capital of the world….Green River, Utah. Holiday Expeditions supports and buys local from Dunham Melons and Green River Produce from the time the annual harvest begins. Last weekend locals celebrated Melon Days, a small town cultural event, complete with the crowning the 2008 Melon Days Queen. A parade, square dancing, softball, live music and all you can eat melon.

“Going on one of your trips is like taking Melon 101” – Garret Rose, SLC UT

At Holiday Expeditions we’ve had the fortune to have Kelly Dunham of the Dunham Melon Farm working for us for almost 25 years. Love of the land runs deep in the Dunham family blood. Kelly and her husband Rick have now branched off and started Green River Produce, a local organic farm. Several of our Colorado River rafting trips meet at our Green River, Utah headquarters and our guests reap the benefit of this local, delicious gift from the earth and waters of the Green River. Anyone who has had a Green River melon will tell you there is nothing else like it. Believers in buying local whenever we can, we also purchase our coffee from the Green River Coffee company. By Karen Johnson

Wild Places & Renewal to the Human Spirit

noreply@blogger.com (FastWoody) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:58:00 +0000

A recent comment we've had on our rafting trips came from a guest from England. His comment reinforced my commitment to staying green, promoting the preservation of wild places, keeping our staff well trained and the equipment in perfect condition.

'We came from the UK to spend 2 weeks in Utah. We spent a week in Zion and then headed East for our rafting trip. It was a highlight of the holiday, especially as we lay in our sleeping bags on the first night, in a long line, counting shooting stars. Totally memorable. Thank you for a really brilliant rafting trip. I would love to think we will be back sometime and we would definitely recommend you to our friends.' John Denham, United Kingdom

If we weren't able to keep our pristine natural attractions the way they are, what kind of economy would Utah have? And with the advent of computers and the internet, we can promote ourselves without traditional media, and our impact on the natural resources of the state are kept to a minimum.

Meditations of a Bike Commuter

noreply@blogger.com (FastWoody) — Thu, 17 May 2007 19:27:00 +0000

It started as a way to NOT SUPPORT our oil and war based economy. I committed to ride my bike or take the bus one-two times a week and leave the car in the garage collecting dust. In the doing of the thing the twelve mile commute has evolved into much more. It reminds me of taking a wilderness river trip or mountain biking trip in that pedaling the bike forces a change of environment and pace. Yea, I could drive it three times faster but I’d lose the mind time. A mind free to meditate and work out the day’s challenges, free of the frenetic pace our culture keeps, free to ponder the human cost of war, or how warm it is outside away from conditioned air, and then damn that little Jack Russell Terrier is about to BITE my sandal-clad foot,,, flash-back to reality. by FastWoody

Waste Reduction by Kashmir the Pig

noreply@blogger.com (FastWoody) — Tue, 15 May 2007 17:32:00 +0000

One of the most difficult jobs of any trip leader is determining how much food to pack and cook on our expeditions. Too little and riots will likely ensue. Too much and food is wasted. The idea came to us on an early season rafting trip in the depths of Cataract Canyon. Searching for ways to recycle or reuse the food scraps, we settled on the idea of Kashmir the Pig. Within hours of the plan’s approval, all available guides were helping to construct a small slice of pig heaven. Several shade trees, a watering hole, mud, shelter, and a hand-cut trough full of more leftover pancakes, pasta salad and lasagna than a toddler pig could dream of. As well as we fed her, and despite a few moments of tender hesitation among the crew, she returned the favor at our Late Summer Luau. For a week in August the staff filled its collective stomach with ribs, tenderloin and a healthy helping of contentment at the thought of keeping possibly a ton of food waste out of our already bloated landfills. by Brin Finnigan

Whitewater to GreyWater - Lifeblood of the Desert

noreply@blogger.com (FastWoody) — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 21:18:00 +0000

Water. On river trips, we spend our days surrounded by it. We swim in it, bathe in it, and take it for granted. But upon leaving the river corridor, we are greeted with a vast, arid landscape. Reminder: we live in the desert, where water is a scarcity. Our Green River base only receives 8 inches of rainfall a year. The mighty Yampa River recedes to a mere trickle in the summer. In nature, plants and animals have adapted to live in extreme aridity, and yet humans move around from region to region with their love of golf courses and swimming pools, regardless of the environment. Fortunately, as the green movement takes hold, we are doing our part to look at our relationship with nature and question our actions. How can we reduce water consumption? Do garden plants really need drinking-quality water that has been through an expensive purification process? In a world where bottled water is becoming more expensive than gas, the concept of reusing grey water--that is, wastewater from sinks, showers and washing machines--is becoming more accepted. At our Green River warehouse, we've put this idea into practice by capturing grey water from the laundry machine rinse cycle into a 100-gallon storage tank, where it is then used as needed for watering the trees. This easy and inexpensive set-up is great for the environment because it not only diverts the hundreds of gallons of water annually that would flow straight from the washing machine into the sewer system, but also redistributes it among the garden sands and soils, which act as a natural filter as the water seeps back into the water table. by Amy Christeson

Our Committment to the Environment

noreply@blogger.com (FastWoody) — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 00:08:00 +0000

Holiday Expeditions from the beginning has been active in promoting environmentally sensitive business practices. We are constantly striving to raise the bar on what we expect from ourselves as expedition operators in the wilderness as well as in our operations at the office and in the warehouse. Our commitment to the environment has been noticed by groups like the The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, Cloud Ridge Naturalists and Audubon. Every year we take these groups' members and supporters down the rivers of Colorado, Utah, and Idaho to truly understand the precious resources that are cradled in the river ecosystems.