See the Planet, Save the Planet

By Eviana Hartman
Special to The Washington Post
Sunday, February 10, 2008

Some of you have written to ask: Is sustainable travel, also known as eco-tourism, a contradiction in terms? Christina Cavaliere doesn't think so. The Dupont Circle resident, 30, has studied tribal forestry in Ecuador, taught English in Thailand, worked on a farm in Costa Rica and earned a master's degree in tourism and sustainable development in Australia -- not to mention her time spent traveling in Cambodia, Ghana, India, France and other countries.

Now, as director of training and education for the International Ecotourism Society -- a D.C.-based organization devoted to promoting sustainable travel -- she hopscotches around the globe working to make the industry greener. We talked with Cavaliere to find out how to travel light -- on the planet, that is.

How do you define eco-tourism?

Eco-tourism is responsible travel to natural areas or nature-based areas that conserves the environment and preserves the well-being of local people.

As with all things "green," eco-tourism experiences aren't always as planet-sensitive as they make themselves out to be. How can someone tell the difference?

There are certain things you can look at:

• Is a hotel minimizing impact in any way that they can: green building, conservation of resources such as water? Look at the built environment and cultural awareness and respect.
• See if the local community is employed at multiple levels: not just housekeepers and cooks, but management positions.
• Is the built environment marrying and matching with the natural environment, or is it obviously not a sustainably built dwelling?
• Does it provide a positive experience? Is there a direct cultural or environmental interpretation or educational experience? That's an important part of being sustainable.
• Does it provide direct financial empowerment of the local community? It should be easy to find out or see. How sensitive is it to the host country's political, environmental and social climate?

Some argue that no travel to delicate and endangered ecosystems can really be called sustainable.

I certainly think that there's a need for the tourism industry and for individual consumers to change travel patterns and travel behavior. . . . But I am a huge advocate, because I've seen that sustainable travel is a successful form of environmental and social conservation. It brings business opportunities that allow money and information generation to happen inside a community. When that economic opportunity is not there, traditional extractions of natural resources continue to occur.

What about the climate change question? Flying certainly produces a lot of carbon dioxide.

One of the worst environmental actions you can do is to buy a plane ticket. I started, with some other partners, an advocacy camp called Traveling With Climate in Mind. We started communicating to individual tourists and businesses about what they can do. Individually, there are many ways you can mitigate carbon emissions. Instead of traveling six times a year for three days, travel once a year for three weeks. When you get to the destination, choose carbon-neutral activities. Rent a bike. Walk to your destinations. Go on nature walks instead of renting jet skis or anything that uses petrol.

Do you buy carbon offsets to account for the emissions from your travel?

Yes, all of our staff here at TIES does. I travel quite a bit with this position. Last year we held an international conference that had 76 countries and 470 people, and we offset the entire event and everyone's flights.

What about the perception that eco-tourism is expensive? What can people on a tight budget do?

In the nonprofit world, we have a joke that the hours are long but at least the pay isn't very good. I've done all my travel on a shoestring budget. . . . You spend less when you're buying from local businesses and staying in local accommodations, and you're not locked away in the compound of a major international resort. Also, you certainly don't need to travel internationally to have a sustainable travel experience. . . . Rock Creek Park is a wonderful example of a nature-based tourism experience right in the city.

Can you recommend any other local eco-getaways?

There are so many, from luxury eco-lodges to camping. There are ways of combining different sustainable elements to make your own eco-tour. Research before you go on a biking tour where the farmers markets or local crafts markets are. Stay in a B&B and stop into a local museum where the entrance fee is going directly to the community. . . .

I like to think I have a little bit of eco-travel in every week. Going to the farmers market and talking to a farmer about where they live and what they're growing -- that's a connection to a place and a person. I walk to work. And when I get into my building I purposely take the stairs because I want my entire trip to be carbon-neutral. We're all traveling all the time, whether it's next door or to another continent, so how do we interact sustainably?

Green Tourism Tips

Christina Cavaliere says she became a believer in eco-tourism after seeing how changing her behavior and living a more sustainable lifestyle -- and witnessing others do so -- forged a connection with places and people. Here, she offers tips on making traveling more sustainable.

• Buy and spend local. Stay at a B&B and use local buses, car rental agencies and restaurants. Hire and employ local guides.
• Bring biodegradable soap.
• Don't cover yourself in chemical bug repellent and sunscreens, then jump into a pristine waterway.
• Bring home your trash. Many areas, especially in developing countries, don't have recycling facilities.
• Use refillable water bottles. You can bring your own filter.
• Make sure the lights and air conditioning are off when you leave your hotel room.
• Learn a few words of the local language, an important part of preserving culture.
• Be aware of local conventions and respect them.
• Ask permission before you enter a holy place or if you see a ceremony going on, because often privacy is lost when tourism comes to a community.
• Be sensitive to when, where and how you're taking pictures.
• Respect natural areas. Never touch or harass animals, and stay on designated trails and paths. A lot of endemic and rare plants can be permanently damaged by one step.
• Pay entrance fees to parks and protected areas to help support conservation.
• Pay a fair price for handicrafts and other goods. Try to buy from the individual artisan, and don't buy crafts made from endangered speci es.

-- E.H.