Ecotourism: One More Way You Do Good

In 2007, philanthropy will continue to trend beyond the act of giving money, pushing the boundaries to incorporate a "love of mankind" into more of what we do in ways we barely notice. Consider the growing nature (no pun intended) of ecotourism. According to the New York Times:

“People selfishly want experiences that are real — they don’t want canned tours, they want to meet the park ranger, they want to help in an orphanage,” said Blue Magruder, director of public affairs for Earthwatch. And an increasing number of people want their time on the planet to count. Anything that lets people get to know locals as individuals and colleagues rather than just someone they take a picture of is going to be beneficial.”

The article also includes a list of links to nonprofits promoting ecotourism. Tomorrow's blog will focus on new research from McKinsie, which demonstrates the ways in which businesses are also moving beyond checkwriting, to make social responsibility a core consideration of strategy.

Susan Herr