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WIH1TY RME PRESSI WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 1990, PAGE 19 Takie tirnme to 'proteet' yourself Whether trai mng the globe or nestling mnto the sme favorite holiday retreat evexy year, vacationers have to> wateh out for Týmesam holidqyslong-less campites, cottage rentais aud even traLltional tourscan each pose particular problems for umwary consumers, says Ontario travel registrar Hal Burns. t'Ontario wvafaionera are sheltered lby «extensive travel regulations and various companion consumer lawvs, but there . are ,riasa inu every marketplace," says Burns of the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations (MCCR). "People have ùot to tae the time to proteet thoeasves." To help ,consumera plan vacations, MCCR bas compiled a list of edvice snd resources related to common travel concerna. *Unflicited j"bargain holiday" offers -- Telephone offers 0f cheap or free vacations continue to flood into Ontario fm operationa besed lergely in the United States. Most are outright acams iu which unwery consumers are tricked or misled into giving their credit card numbers to the cellers, says Burns. "Service charges" or "membersbip .f..." sometimes involving hundreda of dollars are thon put through on the carda. "The solution is simple," Burns says. 'Wever given out your credit card number over the telephone unless you initia te the oil and are sure the company involved la reputable." 9.'imeshare resorts -- A legitimate and increaangly popular practice, timeshariug Ivoves buying the right te occupy a particular vacation property annuaily during a specified period for a certain number of years. 'Tou mnight, for exempleý buy the use 0f a two-bedroom California condo for the firat three weeks 0f June fio= now until 2005-" m« Marlyn Gurevsky 0f fMCe:"For me people, that kind 0f arngement is perfect, but the deals can be so complicated, I wouldn'tag without getting legal advice.7 Mauy timeshares are maï*eted at high-pressure sales meetings. Potential customers are ollen recrited with direct mail offers 0f 'Tabulous prizes" or free trips te, tour the resort Neyer ign up at the sales meeting, Gurevsky warns. Iook around at other timeshares and weigh ail the inj u ctions want to commit te spending every vacation in one place? Don't count on assrnwes that timeshare tredes cen be arrengsd at other resortf, Baya Gurevsky. How much are maneace fees? Ib the company financially sound?. If it go.. bankrupt, customers celn as everything. *Cttage rentals -- Consumera reniting piae cottages in Ontario hvecompleined te, MCCR about uxýcceptabIe conditions, bSt deposits, and misl-Uin-adertsing.' AdviSors with the ministry suggest getting references and checking them out. Ask for a rental agreement providing details abot heaccommodations and keep deposits te a minimum. Contact the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation's nearest office for further advice. A cottage rentali directory la availeble. *Buying cottages -- Neyer buy land sigh unseen, Gurevsky cautons. Inaccessble lots and swemps continue to be sod lu Ontaio eveiy year. Insist on an up-to-date survey. Check right-of-ways, eesements and access te, waterways. Municipal staff can often quickly asseespotentiel problems. Always get a legel option of the offer te, purchese before signing. Try to find a.lawyer who works in the area where the land is loeated. *Long.lease campoites -- With besm ranging up te 20 years, these campaites cen give vacationers long-term stability or long-term haece.Don't gn up in a rush, Gurevsky warns. If the landiord go.. bmnkrupt, lease holders cen be forced te move out. Annuel maintenance fee increases .cen a"s cause problemsý, abong with restrictions or lndscaping and access te, facilities. An MCCR brochure on ecampmites prcmdes further *Traditional travel holidays - Ontaria'. travel mndustry i. extensiveby regiilated te proteet consumera. Sfegmuards include a coepesaton fund, strict advrtiingrues and discosure requrments.lb.m MCCR brochure ai travel was recently updated te cover many new regulatioSm "The. brochure should be mandatoey reeding for enyone buying travel servces," says Hl Burns. Consumer. who feel they have been inised or unfairly treated should contact the nearest Consumer Services Bureau of MCR. For copies 0f any MCCR brochures, contact the Cosumer Information Centre at 5M5 Yonge Street, Toronto. Ontario, M7A 2H6 - (416) 963-1111 ortel fre et 1-800-268-1ý142. Ibe UTf'D lne for the hearlngfspeech impafred is (416) 96.3-0808. Sumnier is perfect time to focus on the enivironment The sensations of surnmer are among the sweetest we ever experi- ence: the 'sun drying saltwater on skin afler a swirn in the ocean; the feel of cool dlean sheets on a hot sun-tanne d face;, or a cold daiquiri sliding down *a parched tliroat. Our needs are pared down in the suniimer-no overcoat, no hat or gloves, juist keys and a beach towel. We stop cursing the elements and begin to worship them instead. When sitting peacefully in the sand, conteînplating the ocean, one is struck by the eternal quality of the waves, the breadth and depth of the water. Nature seems both placid and unconquerable. But, for the rirst time in history, it isn't. Thanks to the media's recent atten- tion to the environment, we have begun to realize that the earth itself is like a living organism with complex and deli- cate systems flot unlike our own. It seeins that in overestimating its re- sources we have damaged the earth and interfered with the harmony of life and the elements. So in the surner, when nature is friendly to us, the least we can do is to respect it. We can ail take steDs inl'- private lives for the good of the world and make each summer that cornes as sweet as the one before: - Recycle everything. Take newspa- pers and glass bottles to a recycling center (while you're there, ask what other materiais they accept). In some states you can make a little spare change instead of tossing out your soda cans. Buy stationery and greeting cards nmade from recycled paper. 9 When possible, buy products which are biodégradable and non-toxic. Insist on paper bags at the supemmarket, or bet- ter yet, bring your own bags from home when you shop. *Conserve water. If you can't over- corne the temrptation to hop in the shower eveiy time you feel sticky or sweaty, at Ieast make a comjnitmnent to take shorter showers. Consider installing an appli- ance on your shower head that reduces the water flow. Also,, keep a pitcher of cold water in the refrigerator so you won't have to mun water ftrm the f'aucet until it's cold enougb to suit you. - Don ? flUter. Campgrounds and beach- es would stay beautiful if visitors Ieft them as they were when they arrived. - Summer meals are àlready lighter, but many environmentalists suggest that eating Iower on the food -chain (includitig more fruits, vegetables, grains ýand legumes in your diet) helps the environment and also keeps you cool and energetic. *Enjoy nature! OnIy contact with the environment can inspire apprecia- tion and respect for it. j q