January 13, 2021

Sustainability --- Responsible Travel -- Respectful Travel

I’m on a journey and I hope you’ll come along with me!

I enthusiastically embrace that there is a pressing need to “fix” our ailing planet earth. I get it! And I sincerely want to be a part of repairing the damage done. I’m betting many of you feel the same way too. But, if you’re like me, you are totally confused by the many terms used to describe this urgent need. And until we understand the need, we’ll not be able to decide how to best be part of the solution.

Experts in the field all use different lingo, different terms to define the problem. Frequently the terms they each use are related to their own personal interests, the part of the world they live in or to their specific professions (airplanes, farming, architecture, etc). I want to hear what they all say! But, if I’m constantly presented with different terms, it’ll only get harder and harder for me to see the big picture! I need some clarity! So, I am on a journey to make sense of the terms and related information that is “out there” about what’s happening to our planet and the life it supports. And then, hopefully, I’ll be able to make some good decisions about how I can be part of saving the planet.

Again, I’m hoping you will come along with me on this journey!

Since Children’s Concierge straddles the education community and the travel community, I’ve chosen to begin with three be-kind-to-the-earth terms I’ve found to be batted around frequently in these two communities –

sustainability, responsible travel,

and respectful travel

What do these terms actually mean? Are they all three describing the same thing? Or, if you want to support sustainability do you engage in one kind of behavior and then engage in another kind of behavior if you are passionate about responsible travel – and then do you do something entirely different if respectful travel is in your soul? Is one of these more important than the other? I want to know!

So, here’s what I’m doing. First, I took some time and cleared my head – much needed!

Next, I stole a really cool idea from the artist, Richard Serra*. I created a Verblist like he did only I used words and phrases instead of verbs.

I call my version of Mr. Serra’s VerbList, a WordList – My Improving The Planet WordList. And in my WordList, I’ve been placing words that describe concepts and actions that seem to be associated with improving the health of our planet and life as we know it. Here’s where the terms sustainability, responsible travel and respectful travel come in. Each concept or action or definition or explanation I uncover has to be paired with one of these three terms. My hope is that if I take all the concepts, suggested actions, definitions and explanations being discussed and assign them to one of these categories, I’ll be able to see the bigger picture; the greater whole.

In that light, here is –

My Improving the Planet WordList

The only order to things here is that I have assigned each word or phrase to the category to which I have most frequently heard it associated or, in a few cases, to the category into which I personally think it fits best.

SUSTAINABILITY

words that seem to define sustainability

Carbon Zero
Greenhouse gases
Sourced locally
Buying carbon offsets
Restaurants & hotels that grow their own food
Getting rid of single-use plastics
Cleaning-up oceans and streams
Prevent runoffs
Support scientific research into biodiversity
Saving animals on the brink of extinction
Preservation of historical buildings
Green buildings
Recycling paper, clothes, furniture, machines – lots of things
Planting native trees
Re-directing water runoff
Using wind or solar power
Rooftop farming – even at airports

RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL

words that seem to define responsible travel

Take fewer but longer trips
Stay in locally owned and run hotels
Buy crafts made locally
Don’t use plastic straws
Look for hotels and providers that support local projects
Walk to explore locally
Learn about and visit conservancies of interest
Be part of recycle all around the world.
Look for airlines investing in sustainable aviation fuel.
Carry a thermos instead of plastic bottles
Stay at hotels/resorts that oversee services (like health services) to local villagers
For each client that’s booked a local child’s schooling is paid for a year.
No buffets
Turn down unnecessary packaging
Reduce paper waste
Control mass tourism – Consider visiting smaller, less traveled
Destinations.

RESPECTFUL TRAVEL

words that seem to define respectful travel

Explore the local culture
Respect and embrace local customs
Purchase products made locally
Local fees collected should go back into the local economy
Research programs providing education and training for self-sustaining employment
Everywhere is part of our global community
Preserve local buildings
Preserve local customs
Hotels must pay fair wages
There should always be local profit
Strong sense of place
Hotels that bottle their own water
Humane working conditions
Be respectful of the habitats of local animals
How does an area benefit from travelers
Demand humane treatment of animals
Everyone has value
Don’t assume you know what the local people need
It’s a destination to you; but it’s home to someone
Don’t demand a Westerner’s view of everything
Have a positive effect on the local community visited
Have deeper relationships with the local community/destination
Consider the destruction travelers cause!!!

That’s it so far. That’s my list. But, I have much more to do on my journey!

My next step is to interview some of the people who are experts in saving our planet and get their thoughts on my Improving the Planet WordList. I’m really looking froward to learning from them!