Travelling around

There are plenty of ways to maintain your environmental cred in your travels, although if youíre going far itís hard to escape the resource use involved in flying. On the other hand, travelling can be really exciting environmentally: you might find fantastic public transport systems, interesting community initiatives, or amazing ecosystems. If you want to combine travelling with learning or being active, there are groups that focus on just that. If you want to be involved in environmental activism, there are generally forest blockades going on which are happy to that more people involved.

Australian Trust for Conservation Volunteers has projects going throughout Australia and also runs overseas volunteer work exchanges; contact details are on the Canberra Groups page.

Australian Youth Ambassadors For Development is a Federal Government initiative to send young skilled people overseas on project work for 3-6 months. Applicants need a sponsor and a host organisation. If youíre at the ANU, contact the International Education Office; otherwise, see the website http://www.ausaid.gov.au/youtham, contact AYA by email at AYADoffice@ayad.org.au or by phone on 6248 0430.

Australian Volunteers International is Australiaís largest voluntary technical-assistance agency and provides opportunities for Australians to live and work in developing communities in 50 countries. Contact NSW/ACT office, Suite 46 level 4, 8ó24 Kippax st., Surrey Hills, NSW 2010. Phone (02) 9211 1277, fax (02) 9211 1234.

Community Learning Program is a Community Aid Abroad offshoot that runs trips to India aimed at showing the nature of successful development projects. For more information see the website http://www.caa.org.au/CLP/index.html or contact the Canberra group through the local Community Aid Abroad office, on 6257 4472.

Community Aid Abroad Tours run to Aboriginal Australia and communities all over the world, supporting responsible and sustainable tourism. See its web site at http://www.caa.org.au/travel or phone it on 1800 814 848.

The Ecotravel Centre Website by Conservation International, a USóbased group, has some resources, a discussion board, and more contacts for ecotravel. Itís at http://www.ecotour.org/ecotour.htm.

Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF) Australia publishes the Organic Farm and Cultural Experience List, detailing nearly 1100 organic farms on which you can work for your board & lodging and find out about other peopleís approaches to organic or biodynamic farming, permaculture, or green living more generally. There are similar organisations around the world. Contact them through the Australian organisation on email wwoof@ozemail.com.au, see their web site at http://www.wwoof.com.au; or phone (03) 5155 0218. In Canberra you can join directly by going to YHA, Dryandra Ave, O'Connor, phone 6248 9155 or at the Environment Centre (see the ROCKS section).
 
 

Comments, Queries or suggestions email enviro.collective@student.anu.edu.au