United Planet was recently featured on the Organic Times Blog, a website dedicated to sustainable, healthy living and environmental action. We’ve reposted the article here – check it out! Are you ready to be an eco-volunteer?
Environmental Volunteering Opportunities, Responsible Tourism, & Green Travel
In today’s global climate (and with the looming threat of climate change hanging over our heads!) it is vitally important that we take a step back and think about where our planet, and humanity, will be in the next twenty, fifty, one hundred years…what kind of world do we want to leave for our children, so that they may enjoy the same natural resources and relative comfort that we have grown up with? Our natural environment is shrinking and our greenhouse emissions are not – and this could spell disaster if we do not take action now. On a grand scale, the problem of climate change and environmental destruction can seem overwhelming – how can one person hope to make a difference when the world is so large, and individually, we are so small? At United Planet, we prefer to live by the powerful words of Ryunosuke Satoro: “Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” Imagine the global change we could generate if every single person in the United States took action right now – that’s over 300 million people!
Of course, this is a lofty goal to pursue. However, only by taking action ourselves can we hope to inspire others to do the same. So what exactly can you do?
If you are an adventurous soul who wants to see the world, you can volunteer in a local community in a number of global locations, working to protect the environment and educate others on how to live sustainably and respect our precious natural resources. United Planet is an international nonprofit organization specializing in volunteerism and cross-cultural understanding. We work to create a world in which everyone respects not only one another, but their surroundings and all of the living organisms that share our earth. Our organization offers a variety of volunteer abroad Quests focused on sustainability, conservation, and ecotourism in Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Jordan, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, Sweden, and Uganda. These volunteer trips, ranging in length from one week to one year, allow individuals to get right into the thick of things, working directly to keep our planet healthy and promote awareness about environmentalism and sustainability.
One of our most popular environmental Quest destinations is Ecuador, where individuals can volunteer for up to three months in either the Cloud Forest of Nanegal, or in the Galapagos Islands off the coast of the mainland. The Galapagos Islands boast a particularly intriguing ecosystem. Because of the islands’ distance from the mainland, many species have evolved there in isolation and therefore cannot be found anywhere else in the world! Volunteers in the Galapagos assist with organic agriculture, restoration of endemic species, invasive species control, or environmental education projects. On weekends, volunteers are free to explore the magnificent island and bask in the beauty of such an environmentally unique location.
If you are looking to volunteer for longer than three months, you can immerse yourself in environmental volunteerism for up to a full year on a Quest in New Zealand. United Planet works with ICYE (International Cultural Youth Exchange) to pair volunteers with local environmental organizations in this breathtaking country off the coast of Australia.Volunteer work includes local environmental maintenance and restoration and community education. Some volunteers may even choose to work with the native New Zealand wildlife, which is an essential part of each finely balanced ecosystem.
United Planet is dedicated to the sustainability of our volunteer projects in each of our destination countries, whether the projects are environmental in nature or not. A portion of each volunteer’s Quest fee is put into a country fund for their destination country and is used to fund sustainable development in that location. Furthermore, United Planet encourages its volunteers to eat local food, use public transportation, purchase locally made goods, and drink from reusable water bottles, among other things, to keep our environmental footprint as small as possible. We also recommend purchasing carbon offset credits for international flights. The wonderful thing is, these recommendations are easy to implement and can be taken to heart by any international traveler, not just United Planet volunteers!
Environmental volunteering is a fantastic way to make an impact for a safer, greener world while learning about a foreign culture and making friends in communities around the world. However, it is important to remember the ecosystems right in our own backyards. During those times you are not adventuring abroad, consider finding a conservation project in your local community – they are everywhere! Brainstorm ways to reduce your energy and resource consumption, and finally, step outside and revel in the magnificence of the natural world around you – this above all will make you realize the importance of conserving the environment. Alone, we can make a small difference. But together, we have the power to preserve our delicate ecosystem for generations and generations to come.
How have you committed to living a sustainable lifestyle? Have you volunteered to help protect the environment? Leave a comment and let us know!
ABOUT UNITED PLANET
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. Established in 2001, United Planet offers volunteer abroad, virtual internships, internships abroad, gap year volunteering, and global virtual exchange in more than 40 countries.
