Beyond ecotourism: How to travel responsibly

Since Crossing Time Zones is still in the early stages of content development, here is another article about responsible travel that I’ve posted elsewhere. Original CTZ content will come soon, including profiles of noteworthy nonprofit organizations and interviews with experts on international development and related topics.

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What is responsible travel? The question has been frequently discussed and sometimes hotly debated. According to one way of thinking, we should all just stay home in order to minimize our use of resources. Yet there are a lot of compelling reasons why people will – and should – continue to roam the globe. Travel opens minds and connects people, and in today’s chaotic world, that can only be a good thing. How then, do we make sure that our travel is as responsible as possible?

Article continues at Seattle International Travel Examiner (open in a new window)

 

Travel Responsibly with Crooked Trails

Eco-travel, sustainable tourism, responsible travel. There’s a lot of talk these days about what constitutes “good” tourism, but what does it all really mean? Crooked Trails, a Seattle-based nonprofit organization that operates trips in South America, Africa, and Asia, believes it has the answer.

“Responsible travel is about being aware of the environmental, cultural, and economic impacts of our travel,” says Executive Director Christine Mackay. Nothing new there, perhaps, but what makes Crooked Trails unusual is its emphasis on creating deep and egalitarian relationships with indigenous communities.

Article continues at Seattle International Travel Examiner (opens in a new window)

 

Welcome to Crossing Time Zones!

I am excited to launch this new site dedicated to the intersection of travel and global issues. Sometimes the focus will lean more toward the travel side of things. However, you won’t find any ordinary sightseeing tips here. The travel you’ll be able to read about in Crossing Time Zones is the kind that truly engages with a place and its people, whether it be through volunteering, conservation, education, cultural exchange, or other forms of meaningful interaction.

At other times, the focus will be more on global issues: conservation, sustainable development, health care, education, agriculture, poverty, human rights, and so on. Crossing Time Zones is the place to come to find out about people and organizations that are making a difference in the world.

The idea behind Crossing Time Zones is that the most meaningful international experiences are those in which we become more than observers. It’s aimed at people who consider themselves citizens of the world as well as of their own communities. I hope you’ll visit regularly.