Conscious Choice Seattle: Volunteering Your Vacation

February 2005 | Living Green

Volunteering Your Vacation

By Co-op America

Dear Co-op America, My wife and I are interested in taking a volunteer vacation to support environmental efforts. Any suggestions? —Tom F., Arlington, Va.

Your wife and you are in for the time of your lives, Tom. Volunteer vacations are a wonderful way to connect with local cultures and leave something meaningful behind when you travel. From assisting with conservation and peace-building efforts to teaching English, the opportunities for short-term volunteer stints around the world vary widely. Keep in mind that these trips are usually not free; your money pays for room and board, organizational overhead costs and support for the projects on which you are working.

Since you’re interested in environmental efforts, you might consider joining a volunteer expedition with the nonprofit Earthwatch Institute (800/776-0188, www.earthwatch.org ). Earthwatch volunteers get to directly assist scientists in conservation field research, ranging from studying climate change patterns in Canada’s Arctic regions to tracking the habits of rare animals in Madagascar to ensure their survival. Most projects are 10 to 14 days long, but one-week, three-week and weekend opportunities exist. Per-person costs range from $700 to $4,000, excluding travel to the main rendezvous site.

If you would like to travel to Australia, consider Conservation Volunteers Australia (61-3-5330-2600, www.conservationvolunteers.com.au). This organization takes travelers who volunteer for a day or longer on any one of a variety of conservation projects, including tree planting, erosion and salinity control, seed collection, construction and maintenance of walking tracks, endangered flora/fauna surveys and monitoring, weed control, habitat restoration and heritage protection. Though travelers may choose which state or territory they would like to work in, they are not able to choose types of projects, as they vary by season and conservation priority. The organization does try to ensure a variety of projects for volunteers. Lodging, including meals, starts at $22 a night.

Globe Aware (214/823-0083, www.globeaware.org) develops locally identified, one- to two-week “mini-Peace Corps” projects around the world aimed at promoting cultural awareness and environmental sustainability. Their trips to Brazil and Thailand, in particular, offer opportunities for volunteers to assist local residents in preserving and reviving the natural environment. Trips start at $990.

For a local option, the American Hiking Society (www.americanhiking.org, 800/972-8608) offers more than 70 one- and two-week camping trips to help create or maintain trails in U.S. National Parks, National Forests and state parks. For other domestic and international opportunities, visit CharityGuide.org at charityguide.org/charity/vacation.htm.

When you choose a volunteer vacation, you should be in reasonably good health, as manual labor is often involved. (Some projects are suitable for families with children and senior citizens.) Your accommodations may be very basic—ranging from modest hotel rooms to a sleeping bag on a local resident’s floor—and meals may be simple. In exchange for accepting less-than-four-star accommodations, you’ll enjoy meaningful friendships with new people, a hands-on education about a new place and the knowledge that you left your vacation destination in better condition than when you arrived.

Dear Co-op America, I’m up to my ears in plastic packing pellets. How do I responsibly rid myself of these environmental menaces? —Mary A., Minneapolis

Your best bet is to find someone to reuse those packing pests. Many shipping or packing stores will take the pellets off your hands, so ask your local store if they collect them. If not, contact the Plastic Loose Fill Producers Council’s “Peanut Hotline” (800/828-2214, www.loosefillpackaging.com ) to find a drop-off site near you.

Living Green is brought to you by Co-op America, a national nonprofit that provides green living, purchasing, and investing tips and resources. To join Co-op America and get a free copy of the National Green Pages™ directory of green businesses, call 800-58-GREEN, www.coopamerica.org.

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