Travel

From ACT GreenGuide

If you’re going to fly, then pick up six pieces of rubbish when you get there. Or better yet, plant several hundred trees, because that’s how many it takes to soak up all the carbon dioxide belched out by their jet engines in a typical flight. For long-distance car-pooling listen to “Ease On Down the Road”, an announcement of lifts offered and wanted on Community Radio 2xx fm 98.3 at 12:30 and 4:45pm during the week. If you want to place an announcement, contact 2xx on 6230 0100. If you want to combine travelling with learning or being active, there are groups that focus on just that. If you want to be involved in environmental activism, there are generally forest blockades going on which are happy to have more people involved - see the forests section for details. How can one travel without having too much impact on their environment? There are several companies that specialise in ecotourism and travel for those who are concerned about the environmental and social impacts of their travel.

• World Expeditions does travel packages all over the world, kayaking in Fiji and trekking in Nepal. www.worldexpeditions.com.au
• Conservation Volunteers Australia has programs for people interested in assisting with environment research throughout Australia and also runs overseas volunteer work exchanges. Phone 6247 7770 or 1800 032 501; email canberra@conservationvolunteers.com.au; website www.atcv.com.au or www.conservationvolunteers.com.au;
• Australian Youth Ambassadors For Development is a Federal Government initiative to send young skilled people overseas on project work for 3-6 months. Applicants need a sponsor and a host organisation. If you’re at the ANU, contact the International Education Office; otherwise, see the website www.ausaid.gov.au/youtham, contact AYA by email AYAD@austraining.com.au or by phone on 1 800 225 592.
• Australian Volunteers International is Australia’s largest voluntary technical - assistance agency and provides opportunities for Australians to live and work in developing communities in 50 countries. Contact NSW/ACT office, Suite 46 level 4, 8-24 Kippax st., Surrey Hills, NSW 2010. Phone (02) 9211 1277, fax (02) 9211 1234. Website: http://www.australianvolunteers.com/
• Community Learning Program is an Oxfam Community Aid Abroad offshoot that runs trips to India aimed at showing the nature of successful development projects. For more information see the website www.caa.org.au/CLP/index.html or contact the Canberra group through the local Community Aid Abroad office, on 6257 4472.
• Community Aid Abroad Tours run to Aboriginal Australia and communities all over the world, supporting responsible and sustainable tourism. See its web site at www.caa.org.au/travel or phone it on 1800 814 848.
• The Ecotravel Centre Website by Conservation International, a US-based group, has some resources, a discussion board, and more contacts for ecotravel. It’s at www.ecotour.org/
• Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF) is an international network of organic farms on which you can work for your board & lodging and find out about other people’s approaches to organic or biodynamic farming, Permaculture, or green living more generally. Contact them through the Australian organisation on email wwoof@wwoof.com.au; see their web site at www.wwoof.com.au; or phone (03) 5155 0218. In Canberra you can join directly by going to YHA, Dryandra Ave, O’Connor, phone 6248 9155 or at the Environment Centre (see the ROCKS section). WWOOF aims:
  • to give you first hand experience of organic growing methods by helping your hosts
  • to give you a chance to meet, talk, learn and exchange views with others in the organic movement
  • to provide you with an opportunity to learn about life in the host country by living, and working, as a family The cheapest way to remain environmentally sound is with a tent and a bike: dig pit toilets and burn used toilet paper in a tin; keep all food scraps; get to know the locals, how they feel about the land, and how you can respect it.