Helping to Promote Responsible Travel Through Green Travel Media

In my younger years, I didn’t give much thought to sustainable living. Oh, I did all the small things people tend to do: I recycled my plastics, glass, cans, and papers; gave away my slightly used clothes to Goodwill; and never left the water running when I brushed my teeth. But over the past twenty or so years, I’ve become increasingly eco-conscious and the issue of sustainability has become foremost in my thought process when making life decisions. It was one of the reasons I decided to give up my home and travel perpetually; I simply could not justify keeping a mostly empty apartment. It worked out well, as a friend of mine was going through a nasty divorce and had nowhere to live and not a stick of furniture. I not only helped her to rent my apartment, I gave her all my furniture.

Over the past six and a half years my travels have strengthened my eco-consciousness. Visiting and living with locals in undeveloped countries has opened my eyes to the extent of poverty in the world and, even though I no longer have much in the way of material possessions, made me aware of how much more I have than most people. I understand how little we truly need to be happy. I know now that the most important things in life are those we love and who love us. At the same time I shudder at the wastefulness and greed I witness, both in developing countries and back home in the U.S. And I want to help. My blog has been an integral part of this process, as I encourage travelers to use the services of locals in the countries they visit and choose accommodations and food that will put money into the local coffers. I believe that to truly know a country and its people, you must immerse in their culture, something I do on a regular basis through local home stays. But somehow, it just hasn’t been enough. I wanted to do more.

Then one day I was offered the opportunity to collaborate with a group of people who, like me, want to make the world a better place. The group, Green Travel Media, is a team of seasoned media and travel industry professionals that includes travel bloggers, print journalists, TV reporters, editors, marketing/PR professionals, educators, a travel agent, a zoologist, and a sustainability consultant. Many of them you may know, as they are some of the most successful travel bloggers in the blogosphere:

• Bret Love and Mary Gabbett, Green Global Travel
• Mariellen Ward, BreatheDreamGo
• Jim O’Donnell, Around the World in Eighty Years
• Mike McColl, Ethical Traveler
• Matthew Karsten, Expert Vagabond
• Matt Gibson, Matt-Gibson.org
• Michael Turtle, Time Travel Turtle
• Cristina & Hal Brindley, Travel For Wildlife
• Jen Miner, The Vacation Gals
• Jessie Voigts & Ed Forteau, Wandering Educators
• Caz & Craig Makepeace, yTravel Blog

To put it mildly, I jumped at the chance to be involved with these folks.

As a group, we aspire to connect sustainable travelers with trustworthy companies/destinations that put an emphasis on traveling responsibly. We want to encourage the growth of the ecotourism industry by inspiring more travelers to make conscious choices that benefit conservation efforts and local indigenous cultures. Basically, we want to help bring responsible ecotourism into the mainstream. Green Travel Media will begin offering to clients a full range of services that include press trips and sponsorships, social media marketing/training, press releases, press kit development, marketing/PR services, website design, and content creation, among other services.

Many of my readers know that I detested my 35+years in corporate life, during which time I was marketing manager for a number of corporate giants. Finally, I will be able to put these talents to work in a way that makes me feel I am making a positive contribution to this world. I believe that everything happens for a reason. Had it not been for my years in marketing, I couldn’t be a part of this marvelous new venture, and I look forward with great delight to being a part of it.