Travel Tip Tuesday: Help TripAdvisor Donate One Million Dollars

What would you do with one million dollars?

Think about it.

Would you take a trip around the world? Would you donate to a new charity? Would you help feed hungry children or care for the suffering?

Well, TripAdvisor is doing that and they are letting YOU decide who gets the dough.

Now through November 9, you can vote for one of five charitable organizations who will receive up to one million dollars. According to the TripAdvisor website, the five organizations and their causes are:

* Ecotourism: Conservation International

The Galapagos Islands. Madagascar. Indonesia’s Sulu-Sulawesi Sea. Can you imagine if these destinations were lost?

Conservation International wants to maintain those amazing, yet threatened international destinations. They work to address climate change, improve well-being and discover and protect species, such as lions, lemurs, pandas, leatherback sea turtles and “walking” sharks. They claim that “whether you travel to relax, explore or learn, you can help protect Earth’s amazing places: prepare carefully, know your destination intimately and protect it for the future. That’s ecotourism. And that’s what we do.”
* Emergency Relief: Doctors Without Borders

Doctors Without Borders is an independent medical organization that offers emergency aid in over 60 countries to “people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters.”

Established in 1971, the group is the first non-governmental organization that provides emergency medical assistance and publicly witnesses humanitarian transgressions.
* Exploring and Sustaining Authentic Places: The National Geographic Society

The National Geographic Society, one of the world’s largest non-profit scientific and educational organizations, is devoted to encouraging people to love the planet. Some of their projects include:

– The Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations, whose recent initiatives focused on Guatamala, Norway, Rhode Island and Polynesia’s Cook Islands;

– The Enduring Voices Program that helps sustain many of the dying languages throughout the world;

– Photo Camp, whose recent camps have been in locations such as the Appalachian Trail, San Francisco and Costa Rica;

– The All Roads Project that helps minority-culture filmmakers;

– Genographic Legacy Fund for indigenous and traditional communities throughout the world.
* Environmental Protection: The Nature Conservancy

People, plants and animals throughout the globe need healthy land and waters for survival and the Nature Conservancy is dedicated to the cause.

“This year, The Nature Conservancy launched the Campaign for a Sustainable Planet – the largest conservation campaign in history – to address major challenges to the Earth such as rising sea levels, vanishing rainforests, dying coral reefs, degraded freshwater resources, and endangered human livelihoods.

“Our goal is to protect at least 10 percent of each of the world’s major habitat types – forests, oceans, rivers and lakes, grasslands, and deserts and dry lands – by the year 2015. Only with your help can we achieve this vision.”
* Aiding Children Around the World: Save the Children

Reaching over 41 million children throughout the world, Save the Children ensures young people across the world grow up safe, educated and healthy. They work to ensure:

– “Children are protected” when they encounter disaster, conflict HIV/AIDS and other risks.

– “Children learn and develop” by providing access to education and assistance with the transition into adulthood. They teach life-long healthy behaviors and increase sanitation.

– “Children are healthy and well-nourished” by improved nutrition for pregnant women and their children.

– “Children thrive in food-secure and economically viable households” by helping families provide for their children and educating them on safe food practices. They support savings and loan programs and improve food availability for poor families.

– “Children affected by HIV/AIDS are supported” as well as their families and caregivers as Save the Children works to slow the spread of HIV/AIDS.

I am curious. What do you think our responsibilities are as travelers and how can we give back to the countries we visit?

Until next time … Buon Viaggio!