Take Note: Eco Journals Make Jotting Easy

Let me begin by saying: The irony that I am posting a paper product review directly above a deforestation PSA is not lost on me. There's no need to worry. These lovely journals are made of 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper... and equally appealingly, were manufactured in the U.S.

If you've browsed a Barnes & Noble lately, it's likely you've seen them. In cheery shades like clementine and kiwi, they stand out. (In fact, the first day I plopped one atop my disaster of a desk, a co-worker was lured in by its bright blue hue.) Like most lines of paper products, these journals are available in hard or flexible covers, bound with lined, grid or blank pages. A new line by one of my all-time favorite paper companies - Sterling Publishing - the journals offer one environmental feature I haven't seen before.

On the back cover of each journal, a unique book number is printed. By plugging in the specific code at the Ecosystem Life site, consumers can get a detailed look at exactly where the components of their journal were manufactured, how many people are employed at each facility and the eco benefits. NOW, I'm not sure how many people are really curious about the intricacies of the product crafting process, but it's cool to know that the info is available should you want it. (See an ingredient snapshot of the journal Barnes & Noble sent me below.)

Indulge me for a minute here and imagine a world where supplier component location and details are listed on each consumer product like the FDA regulates nutritional info on our foods. 

Carbon shock would surely ensue, no?

Bottom line: Support the manufacturers who are rolling out best practice efforts. You can take a closer look at this line, exclusive to Barnes & Noble, at Ecosystemlife.com. Prices run from $10 - $20. (My vote goes to Ecosystem Author in a large clementine flexi cover, if you care to know.)

The devestation of deforestation

Who can put a dollar figure on the value of Central Park in NYC? The tiny, green section of grass is a safe haven for millions of city dwellers - yet, across the world, rain forests stunning in their biodiversity are being plowed to the ground at a rate of 90 acres per minute.

The below video, created by the What is Missing Foundation takes a look at the true cost of deforestation and the "sixth mass extinction of species," habitat degradation and loss, as well as the carbon impact preserved by allowing earth's rain forests to continue existing.

Want to take a closer look at how deforestation is growing rampant across the globe? Check out this link from Treehugger on the top offenders. And then, if you're up for it, visit the Charity Guide for a list of voluntourism opportunities that strive to find solutions to this growing issue.

New map highlights geo gems of Northwest

Honest admission: I don't really know what geotourism is. It sounds like a word I should be familiar with, because it clearly has to do with tourism, and secondly, because it brings to mind "geocaching," which is a slightly mysterious pastime that I've read a little bit about.

I'm not sure how you handle it, but when I'm stumped with a word... or an idea... or an acronym.... I head straight to Wikipedia. And so, I find that "Geotourism is 'best practice' tourism that sustains, or even enhances, the geographical character of a place, such as its culture, environment, heritage, and the well-being of its residents."

As it turns out, glossy magazine and adventure travel pioneer National Geographic (NG) coined the phrase in the '90s AND they're written a whole charter on it. Yes, a charter. You can download the PDF here if you want the nitty-gritty.

My lesson stops short however, because the reasoning behind this post is not to educate you on the history on geotourism (which by the way, is not recognized by spell check and is driving me crazy), but to point out a cool endeavor headed up by Travel Oregon. Said endeavor is The Central Cascades Geotourism Project of Oregon and Washington.

Now, getting back to NG, who helped to create a brand-new map/guide for the Central Cascades (printed on recycled paper, natch) and available for FREE to download as a PDF here. Not only is it pretty, it's useful.
And best of all, it was created by hundreds of local residents who wanted to shine the light on their favorite sustainable tourism spots. Alongside the pin-pointed locales, you'll find tips from some of these folks, making it an especially personal experience. (Imagine if you could work hand-in-hand with NG to craft a map like that of your hometown... there's something so warm and heartfelt to it all. Like marking the memories of hundreds of people. I like it.)

If you're yearning for a true taste of the Cascades, this is the way to do it. Just remember these simple sustainability tips as outlined on the map and by the website: leave no trace; keep wildlife wild; be prepared, stay safe; shop local; respect local cultures; reverse your route; mind your resources; park the car; and give back.

[Photo up top by Larry Gedis, courtesy of Travel Oregon.]

The 10 Places Your Travel Dollars will Do the Most Good

When it comes to the amount of cash we drop on travel each year, most of us are very particular. After all, travel is never cheap. (If you know something I don't, please do share.) Take for instance, my 2010 travel fund, which should have been started in 2009 and is just now beginning its slow growth in a safe, (and this is key) not-easily-accessed online savings account.

The point that I'm trying to make is this: considering the large sums of money we invest in travel, we should be pretty darn particular about where that money goes. ESPECIALLY when our dollars are associated with cause-related travel. The current crisis in Haiti has me thinking about voluntourism more than ever (if you want to find out more about how you can contribute--mostly, by staying at home--take a look at Peter Greenberg's latest post).

In line with this thinking is the recent release of Ethical Traveler's 2010 report, "The Developing World's 10 Best Ethical Destinations." (I covered it briefly over at Alternative Consumer, too.) According to the organization, mindful travel is playing an increasingly important role in the tourism industry, one of the planet's largest money-makers. And because it makes sense, they're asking the question:  Where should we go - and where should we spend our money when we get there? Because at the end of the day, "the way we travel has a measurable impact on the environment, human rights, and the way our home country is viewed by people."

Having given plenty of time to the environmental protection, social welfare and human rights efforts in these countries, Ethical Traveler chose the following top 10 destinations:

• Argentina
• Belize
• Chile
• Ghana
• Lithuania
• Namibia
• Poland
• Seychelles
• South Africa
• Suriname

This year, while some folks cut back on "want" spending and try to keep frugal as the recession rides out, countries like these will suffer a swift cease in progression--slowed significantly from a lack of travel-stimulated money that typically goes toward sustainability and eco efforts.

Did you notice though, that some big names didn't make the list? Costa Rica, for example, which is now considered one of the world's most notorious destinations for sexual predators. (More than 3,000 girls and women work in the 300 brothels of San Jose and the country is sadly at the top of the charts in child prostitution.) Bolivia and Bulgaria, also omitted, due to unusually high levels of child trafficking. And also no mention of Asian countries thanks to a lack of responsible development, abuse of human rights and close-to-no environmental policies.

Interesting stuff, right? Most of all, a great go-to list when you're mapping out this year's excursions, because even if you aren't volunteering time or energy while you're overseas, you can make a difference by simply choosing ethical vacation destinations. Tell me, have you booked a trip to any of these places? If so, I'd love to get the scoop on your experiences.

[Photo above is of the Cotton Tree Lodge in Belize, which offers one-day volunteer opportunities for visitors. See the details here.]

More of GG's juicy travel scoop

Green Globetrotter is my *home,* yes, but that doesn't mean I'm not sharing eco news elsewhere. If you're not already, take a few minutes each day (or week, if you prefer) to peruse The Alternative Consumer blog, where I post weekly on hot ecotourism topics, like today's:

Voluntourism: Giving time, reaping the rewards

For one-stop clickability, I'm adding a sidebar here on GG for my most recent Alternative Consumer posts. Is there a topic that you'd like to hear more about? E-mail me at jessica@greenglobetrotter.com.

2010 Green Travel Outlook

For two years now I've been keeping an eye on the world of ecotourism for Green Globetrotter. During that time, several glossy magazines and fresh websites (some that I've written for) heralding the "era of eco" have gone into production... and many of them have ceased production, too. It's a scary world in today's media industry, where our nation's daily newspapers and influential weekly and monthly mags are struggling to stay afloat despite dwindling subscriptions and fewer advertising dollars. One thing, however, remains constant: People want - and need - reliable information more than ever. That includes the goods on green. And it's convenient for me, because newsworthy environmental tidbits just keep cropping up in the travel industry.

So, what's the scoop for 2010? In August of last year, the U.S. Travel Association released a study that revealed a growing understanding of the terms "carbon footprint" (from 12 percent in July 2007 to 54 percent in July 2009) and "green travel" (from 9 percent in July 2007 to 22 percent in July 2009). Regardless of whether you're a believer in offsetting carbon use (and there are certainly skeptics that point to "green travel" as an oxymoron itself), it's a good sign that this terminology is become more widely referred to and understood by everyday travelers, many of whom haven't given much thought to the waste factor of leisure and business travel.

According to Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, consumers are looking for green travel options at the right price. To help them easily locate and learn about offerings, the organization even launched a new site - www.TravelGreen.org - in partnership with American Express. Take a gander, there's good stuff there.

And more recent data compiled in December by TripAdvisor points to an influx in leisure travel in 2010, with 41 percent of U.S. survey respondents saying they'll shell out more money on travel in the New Year. Twenty-two percent of travelers plan to be more eco-conscious in their travel decisions in 2010, and 44 percent will go as far as to book stays at green lodging providers. (Bonus news for hotels with eco policies: 33 percent of potential guests count your policy as a factor when choosing accommodations.)

What does it all mean? Since I first started typing away at this blog, there's been a continued interest in doing good and doing green while we're fulfilling all of those wanderlusting tendencies along the way. As long as new, eco efforts keep popping up, I'll keep notifying you of them. And with all of the forward-thinking steps we've seen taken in 2009, I've got a feeling there's a lot more to come in 2010. Stay tuned!