How Tourists Can Help To Preserve
The Environment
There is more than one way to appreciate
Florida's wonderful weather and beautiful environment. Many people
enjoy spending time at the major amusement parks such as Disney
and Sea World, but a growing trend in travel offers another way.
It is estimated that about 40
per cent of 2008 tourists are
interested in a more environmentally friendly way of vacationing.
Indeed, it has become increasingly important for vacationers
to give something back to the places they visit.
One way to do this is through
responsible travel, which is traveling with the awareness of
your impact on the environments you visit. One organization describes
it as making sure that your activities do not upset or destroy
those environments.
Minimizing Your Impact
Another option is to follow the
wealth of advice on eco-friendly travel to minimize your environmental
impact. Steps to take include cutting down on the number of times
you use the car, booking into a hotel that takes steps to cut
down on wastage, water consumption and electricity use; and choosing
attractions that have a strong environmental and education focus.
There are plenty of these in Florida, with the Everglades and
the National Wildlife Refuge being just two of the choices.
Rise Of The Volunteer Vacation
A third option has recently regained
popularity ñ voluntourism or the volunteer vacation. This
is where you give something back to the community as part of
your vacation. Voluntourism is not a new idea. It's been done
in a big way since the 1960s by organizations such as Volunteer
Service Overseas and the Peace Corps.
The volunteer vacation is great
for people who would like to volunteer more, but don't have time
in their everyday lives and for those who want to learn more
about a place they are visiting and connect with residents of
the area. Volunteer vacations can often be cheaper than other
vacations, with low accommodation costs or rebates available.
And you can take a volunteer vacation without needing to go overseas.
Finding Volunteer Opportunities
If you are interested in volunteer
vacations, then there are plenty of opportunities in Florida.
To start with, consider volunteering with a national organization
such as the Audubon Society ñ you can help to preserve
bird habitats or count migratory birds while enjoying the beautiful
natural environment. Volunteer at a sea turtle sanctuary to help
protect eggs and assist baby sea turtles into the water. The
National Park Service runs a Volunteers in Parks programs which
can give you the chance to contribute to preserving the environment
during your vacation.
This could involve helping with
finding and preserving archaeological artifacts, helping with
recycling programs, being a tour guide, cleaning up a park area
and much more. Other organizations to consider include the Earthwatch
Institute, the American Hiking Society, Habitat for Humanity
and Take Pride in America, which offer programs across the country.
Volunteer Vacations In Florida
Finally, when booking your vacation,
check to see what packages are available. Several hotels in Florida
offer holiday makers the chance to do some good while they enjoy
their vacation, with some great incentives for doing so. To get
started with finding volunteer vacation opportunities in Florida,
try some of the organizations we have listed or visit the Volunteer
Match website, which has an extensive list of volunteer opportunities
that you can combine with your vacation.
RITMO!® FLORIDA LATIN TROPICAL THEME DESTINATIONS
Miami * Ft. Lauderdale * Boca Raton * West Palm Beach * Daytona Beach * Cocoa Beach * Boynton Beach * Key West
Orlando * Naples * Tampa Bay * Sarasota * Jacksonville * Melbourne * Coral Springs * Hollywood * St. Petersburg * Miami Beach
Sanibel * Marco Island * Deerfield Beach * Clearwater * Vero Beach * Jupiter * Stuart * Delray Beach * Ponte Vedra Beach
