protect and respect the planet

ANY VOLUNTOURS?

Why not explore new territory while giving something back to the planet? Hundreds of travel companies now specialise in “meaningful” tourism, creating all sorts of customised volunteer trips that benefit local communities in some way.

In Thailand, Andaman Discoveries (www.andamandiscoveries.com) offers projects that encourage self-reliance and environmental sustainability.

In Cambodia, Pepy (www.pepyride. org) conducts week-long cycling trips that take small groups of riders across Cambodia, incorporating opportunities to lead activities at an orphanage, teach environmental awareness classes or construct rainwater collection units along their bike route.

And in Vietnam, Buffalo Tours (www.buffalotours.com) conducts several trips to rural areas around the country. Volunteers can work on an organic gardening project or help at the Turtle Conservation Centre in northern Vietnam..

CLASS ACT

The great Nelson Mandela is known to have said: “Education is the greatest tool you can use to change the world.”

Do your part and give the gift of learning by staying or lunching at Siem Reap’s Shintamani (left , corner of Oum Khum and 14th Street, tel (0)63 761998, www..shintamani.com), which provides free hospitality training to young at-risk Cambodians.

HOT READ

We all know global warming is a critical issue, but do you know why? Here are four books to teach you about going green.

The Checklist: Code Green: Experiences of a Lifetime by Kerrie Lorimer (Lonely Planet) Want to travel responsibly? Here’s a list of the best places to go to have a positive impact on the ecological and cultural environment.
The All-Rounder: The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook by David de Rothschild (Rodale) This has 77 tongue-in-cheek tips on how to prevent global warming. Printed on recycled paper, it’s fun-filled and great for teens.
The Easy Read: The Rough Guide to Climate Change by Robert Henson (Rough Guides) This book is so easy and interesting to read, you absorb vital facts without even realising it. As a plus, all the carbon emissions produced by the book have been offset.
The Looker: Saving Planet Earth by Tony Juniper (Collins) Tying in with the BBC’s TV series Planet Earth, this coffee table book uses dynamic images to show what’s happening to the world and how to prevent further damage.