Leaving No Trace While Traveling

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

“ALWAYS LEAVE IT BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT”
  
That was my dad’s adage whenever we went anywhere.  It’s a simple call of duty and applies to travel, work, and other things. It’s especially relevant in a volunteer vacation like PLAY it Forward Adventures.

There are two components to this mantra that are worth detailing.  

The first is recognizing that you make an impact when you go somewhere.  Just your presence alters the environment.  We consume things.  We eat, we drink, and we clean ourselves.  All of these things take resources, energy, and heat.  And as a natural consequence of consumption, there is waste.  By utilizing minimal resources, and avoiding over-consumption, the negative impact you make will be minimized.  By cleaning something up, or being respectful and courteous with the people you meet, you will maximize your positive impact.

The second is recognition that if you have a positive experience somewhere, you want others to have the same experience.  This relates directly to the PLAY it Forward concept.  If we start the trend of making sure that the experiences we have will be able to be enjoyed by those who come after us, when we get to our next destination, there is a good chance that we won’t even know that someone was there before us.

As you go on your volunteer vacations, try to remember to leave no trace. Take only pictures and memories leave only footprints.

Nathan Worrell
PIF Sojourner
Guatemala October 2008

Tags: Adventure travel, Leave no trace, Outdoor Adventure, Volunteer Vacation, voluntourism
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