Waste Hater: Earth Changers
Whether you’re traveling home for the holidays, seeking solace on an island, or planning next year’s big adventure, ask yourself this: are you doing it sustainably?
Probably not. But you could start.
Some Waste Haters prevent resources from being squandered. Others like Earth Changers, create experiences to honor and secure those resources.
Earth Changers is a curated collection of positive impact, sustainable and community-forward tourism organizations.
Founded by travel expert Vicky Smith, the organization researches and promotes journeys focused on regenerative tourism around the world.
“Earth Changers exists to highlight, promote and connect those who create tourism specifically for measurable positive benefit,” Smith tells Replate. “It needs to be created purposely from the core because it doesn't just happen.”
The goal is to support people who want to use their vacation to make a positive impact by providing them with unique expeditions, and easing the booking process.
Smith has been working in the field for over two decades, witnessing the benefits and downsides to travel and exploration. Visiting new places opens minds and exposes people to culture and terrain, however it can also taint communities, strip them of identity and unfairly compensate those most affected.
“Tourism is responsible for about 10 percent of world employment and global GDP,” Smith explains. “It reaches into most corners of most countries, unlike any other sector. But like other sectors, we can [allow it] to be extractive from destinations, exploitative and [causing] a negative impact on the world.”
One of those casualties is the environment.
Earth Changers found that tourism contributes to around 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, primarily due to transportation, and energy use related to food, beverage, infrastructure, construction and maintenance, and retail services.
And then of course there’s food waste. Think of all the breakfast buffet spreads.
Many businesses and government entities are working to curb some of these effects. Just this month, the European Commission banned short-haul domestic flights for routes with a reliable train alternative that takes less than 2.5 hours.
Now, you have to take the railway.
Other companies like Goodwings and Terrapass allow travelers to calculate and offset the impact of their trips in various ways.
Earth Changers reimagines it from a positive stance. The team suggests excursions where local food is produced and served, communities are enriched with equal and fair job opportunities, and culture is celebrated and retained.
“Sustainability stems from design, in construction, energy, water, waste, interiors, supplies, food, staff - conditions, wages, training, benefits, tours, transport,” she notes.
Some Earth Changers trips even tailor to learning and engaging with eco-friendly experiences.
A few examples:
At Jicaro Island in Nicaragua, tourists observe and learn local and traditional methods of fishing, and watch the master chef in the open kitchen overlooking Lake Nicaragua. The freshly caught seafood supports the local fishermen economically, helps teach about sustainability, and creates opportunity for cultural exchange with guests.
Lapa Rios in Costa Rica offers a gourmet local culinary experience which has been developed based on cultural tastes and local and community-planted home-grown Central American endemic fruits and vegetables.
Explore Croatia by horseback riding and hiking through its mountains to benefit conservation and community.
Trek through villages in the Himalaya foothills and learn about rural India, staying in guesthouses maintained by locals and providing supportive income to help sustain remote communities.
For many people, these experiences sound more fruitful and engaging than typical travel.
And that’s the point.
“It’s a choice of responsibility,” Smith says, and opportunity. “Take responsibility to connect communities, support sustainable development, steward our environments and promote cultural exchange and positive impacts through tourism.”
To learn more about travel experiences with Earth Changers, visit their website.
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