What is Earth Month?
We've been promoting the many benefits of sustainable travel for years, but for 2010, G Adventures and Planeterra are ‘going back to the well’ in order to highlight the importance of our fresh water resources. From pole to pole, some two-thirds of our planet is covered in water. Waterfalls, lakes, rivers and glaciers persist in our imagination and we continue to celebrate the source of all life in words, songs and pictures.
This Earth Month we ask you to look at water from an entirely different perspective. While in some parts of the world, the most difficult decision to be made concerning water is which of the many bottled brands to drink, elsewhere close to 880 million people lack access to clean water. In fact, in many parts of the developing world, women and girls walk an average of six kilometres a day to gain access to clean water.
What is the triple bottom line?
The three pillars of “people, planet and profit” describe the G Adventures approach to sustainable tourism, where equal attention is paid to the economic, social and environmental components of how business is done. G Adventures doesn’t see sustainable tourism as a niche market, believing instead that it is essential to the future of the tourism industry. This way, everybody shares in the benefits—we can together work toward empowering local people and communities to strengthen their well-being while promoting long-term and environmentally responsible growth.
What is sustainable travel?
Sustainable travel strives to minimize its impact on the environment, to respect local people and cultures, to offer economic benefit to local communities and to provide a memorable experience for travellers while protecting destinations for future generations.
Although we believe that travel is its own reward, we strive to extend its transformative power to the communities we visit and give back in a positive and lasting way. Together, we share the privilege of creating happiness and community with those around us as we seek to improve the world through travel. These goals are most effectively carried out in small groups using small-scale accommodations, local transportation and locally-owned businesses. While this approach benefits tourists, there's another advantage—tourism dollars go to local communities and support local economies. We work with local communities, businesses and individuals to develop sustainable tourism opportunities that help local economies while minimizing negative environmental and cultural impacts. Our goal is to ensure life-changing experiences for everyone with whom we come in contact.
By appreciating—but not altering—archaeological sites, sampling local cuisine and learning about traditional customs and belief systems, travellers can contribute to the preservation of the cultural heritage of the places they visit. Their participation and support of these practices ensures that the same experience they enjoy will be available to future generations!
