The Ten Minute Activist
Easy Ways to Take Back the Planet
A Very Green Vacation
If you want to help out endangered wildlife, you can throw your donations at the World Wildlife Fund or the Rainforest Action Network, and it would be money well spent. But there is an equally gratifying (and much more exciting) way to help save our fellow earthlings. It's called ecotourism.
More than just a safari, ecotourism protects animals and plants by giving governments monetary incentives to preserve the biodiversity of their countries. Ecotourism also protects traditional peoples whose ways of life often depend on endangered ecosystems.
One of the darlings of the ecotourist movement is Costa Rica, which swapped debt for nature. Today, 28 percent of the country is a nature preserve, attracting tourist dollars from around the world. And there are many other options. You can ecotour to see pandas in China, rhinos in Nepal, or tortoises in the Galapagos.
In 2002, the United Nations Environmental Programme promoted the International Year of Ecotourism to build awareness of ecotourism's potential. As a result, over fifty countries developed ecotourism projects. But remember, not all ecotourism is equal. Many countries have abused the concept, so buyer beware. True ecotourism should be low-impact and sustainable and direct much of the proceeds to the indigenous community around the preserves. Happy trails!
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