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Thu, 14 Feb 2008

Enjoy Socially Responsible, Humanitarian, Eco-Friendly Travel - Volunteer in Latin America

Every year about this time in the dreary dog days of winter, I long for sunny beaches in tropical climes. And then I think, 'What a drag to fly to some third world country as a hated tourist!'. Then I got a timely email from Stephen Knight, webmaster at Volunteer Latin America. For those who need a real reason to travel, VLA is a UK based organization providing a customized information service for humanitarian volunteers. VLA also offers environmental projects.

Along with a link request, Stephen kindly included an article (excerpted below), meant for anyone looking to travel in a way that lessens their impact on the environment and provides genuine benefits for conservation and local people. When I read the article, I realized that most of these socially responsible, eco-friendly travel tips apply to all of us - in our daily lives, and when travelling any distance, from the local farmers market to the other side of the world.

'Being a responsible traveller means more than just offsetting your carbon emissions, it requires thought and preparation. Responsible travel is based on the principles of sustainability and it requires you to examine the environmental, social and economic dimensions of your trip. Thus, responsible travel is all about minimizing the impact of your travel and maximizing the benefits for local economies, environments and host communities. Making informed choices before and during your trip is the single most important thing you can do to become a responsible traveller.'

'If you intend to volunteer overseas, try to choose a locally run organisation so all your money goes to the cause rather than paying for the marketing and administration of a volunteer-sending agency. Some foreign run agencies offer little more than glorified holidays and are often more interested in making money than helping the environment or local people. No one benefits from these placements apart from the companies that organise them.'

SV Note: Helpful information from VLA will allow you to avoid that scenario, and fulfill your dream of becoming a humanitarian volunteer in Latin America.

Read the VLA article: Eco Friendly Socially Responsible Travel