Living Green 365 Newsletter

January 2007: Building on success

Your response to our first newsletter has been great! Thanks to all of you who told your family and friends about the ideas we're sharing to lead healthier and more sustainable lives, 365 days a year. Please continue to send us your ideas and comments.

Into the wild green yonder: Planning an eco-friendly vacation

Are you planning your winter get-away? Want to be an eco-friendly traveler? To travel in a way that doesn't take away too much from the area's human and natural resources?

The green travel industry has exploded in recent years, which means you'll have to do some research to make sure you don't become a victim of greenwashing.

The International Ecotourism Society offers responsible travel tips and questions you should ask when you book an eco-tour.

Eco-tours are available right here in Minnesota! Here are some Living Green Expo exhibitors who can help you plan your trips.

• Boreal Explorations EcoAdventures: Discover Voyageurs National Park.
• The Wild Institute: Wilderness trips for women.
• Wintermoon Summersun Adventures: Explore the Superior National Forest.

But you don't have to book a fancy eco-trip to travel green. Here are some ideas to help plan a green vacation on your own.

• Reduce the global warming impact of your trip by purchasing carbon offsets. (Not sure which carbon offset program is right for you? Read a review of some of the most popular services.)
• Check out these low-impact travel tips from the Union of Concerned Scientists.
• Rent a car from an environmental rental car company or request a hybrid from a conventional rental company.
• Other tips for reducing waste while traveling.

Want to come home with more than just photos and sustainable souvenirs? Interested in giving something back to the people and natural resources you're visiting? Consider a volunteer or service-based vacation.

• Global Citizens Network sends short-term teams of volunteers to communities in other cultures where participants immerse themselves in the culture and daily life of the community.
• The Sierra Club Outings Department offers volunteer vacations. Projects range from helping with research projects at whale calving grounds in Maui to assisting with archaeological site restoration in New Mexico.

The most important thing to remember when you travel is the powerful impact (negative or positive) you can have on the natural resources and residents of an area.

And to HAVE A GOOD TIME!

A green defense to cabin fever: Fun activities closer to home

You don't have to spend a bundle and travel thousands of miles to take a break from the winter blues.

There are plenty of living green activities right here in Minnesota to keep your family busy. And you might just learn something!

• Plan a trip to green attractions around the state. Green Routes can help you locate restaurants, lodging, attractions, and other businesses throughout Minnesota that operate in a sustainable way.
• Spend a day studying plants and insects in a local conservatory. Check out the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum or the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Zoo (both are open year-round).
• Many area nature centers and state parks host educational programs during the winter. Ask for a schedule of events.
• Take a trip to an area museum. Have your kids draw a picture of their favorite exhibit. The Science Museum of Minnesota, Bell Museum of Natural History, and the Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth are good bets for science-lovers.
• Take a virtual trip (you'll save money and the planet). Borrow books from the library or watch a slideshow on-line about a place you'd like to visit. Or call up a friend who's taken a trip—ask lots of questions while you look at pictures. Your friend will get to re-live the trip and you'll get to hear great stories.

Thanks to Living Green 365 readers for the great ideas about living green activities close to home!

Be my green Valentine: Show the earth some love, too

We've barely finished with the gift frenzy of the December holidays, and now here comes Valentine's Day! But the Day of Love doesn't have to be an excuse to buy more junk.

Send us your ideas to honor your loved ones in a way that shows some love to our air and water, too. We'll feature some of your Valentine's Day green gift ideas in the February newsletter.

Send your ideas to livinggreen365@pca.state.mn.us

Days of our green lives: Community events and resources

• Attend the 15th Annual Living Green Conference in Duluth on February 3. Sponsored by EAGLE: Environmental Association for Great Lakes Education.
• Did you take the Minnesota Energy Challenge yet? Fresh Energy is co-sponsoring several events in January related to energy use and global warming that might help you carry out your energy commitments.

We hope these ideas help you live green every day of this new year!

livinggreen365@pca.state.mn.us