Eco Tourism!

Ecotourism is defined as "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people." http://www.ecotourism.org/what-is-ecotourism

 

This is The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) website. It stresses that to be eco-friendly we must unite conservation, communities and sustainable travel. TIES is a non profit organization that is committed to promoting ecotourism practices, and has a network that spans over 120 countries. There is an annual Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference, which is held this year in Nairobi, Kenya, at the end of September. Something that I think is very helpful is the Opportunities for Travellers section of the website. There are tips to learn how to be an eco-friendly traveller, and also a traveller membership that you can sign up for and they will send you advice on how you can make a difference with your next vacation. This sounds awesome to me, as its free, and all travellers can access this information easily and make their trips better for the environment.

Check out the website to learn more! 

http://www.ecotourism.org/

Another website that I found while researching this topic is the Great Green Idea. It has so much information about being "green"! Including great videos, articles, ideas, and news to do with everything green. This is the green travel section of the website and the articles offer many great insights into being environmentally friendly when you travel.

http://www.greatgreenidea.com/Green-Travel.html

As I am doing continual research for this blog, I feel my self becoming more aware of my impacts with the choices that I make. I am always looking for articles in the newspaper and shows on the TV about environmental issues in the tourism industry. Also I am enjoying learning about some of the easy things we can do to help, such as recycling, and proper disposal of waste. I am having fun in writing this blog so far :) And Leonard is enjoying himself too!