Wendy Worrall Redal is never so happy as when she's planning her next trip -- or one for someone else. An inveterate traveler who has visited more than 40 countries and all 50 states, Wendy is a travel writer, seasoned tour director, and custom trip planner. Travel, in Wendy's view, is the best avenue for cultivating personal discovery and compassion for others and the Earth. Alongside the global awareness that travel brings is recognition of the need for conscious tourism - treading lightly upon the land, respecting diverse cultures, and ensuring a sustainable enterprise for future generations of explorers. Wendy's interest in ecotourism is complemented by her role as adjunct professor of journalism and mass communication at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she teaches courses on environment, media and culture, and was formerly a staff member of the Center for Environmental Journalism. She holds a Ph.D. in communication with a specialty in media studies. Wendy is contributing editor for Good Nature, the online magazine of Natural Habitat Adventures, an eco travel company. She lives with her family in Boulder, Colorado.
Wendy Worrall Redal
Jazzin’ it up in NOLA: New Orleans Lives Again!
Ecotourism is one of those emergent buzzwords that’s slippery in terms of definitions. Usually understood as a sustainable approach to travel that both respects and protects natural environments, ecotourism is also associated with preserving local cultures – and it’s in that vein that I send this post from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, ... read more
Family Eco-Adventures: Get Close to Nature and Each Other
The summer of 2008 is shaping up to be an expensive one for travel. As gas edges near $4 a gallon, airlines struggle and hotel prices escalate, this summer may be one to opt for simple adventures that are low in cost and resources but high on adventure and camaraderie. For our family, ... read more
Mexico’s Monarchs: Where Ecotourism Matters
What is the sound of ten million butterfly wings? I found the answer to that Zen-like question in the forests of the central Mexico highlands. Here in a few remote stands of tall oyamel firs lie the ancestral wintering grounds of the monarch butterfly, undiscovered by researchers till 1975. I recently returned from a week-long trip ... read more
See the Planet While Easing Your Carbon Footprint
This weekend, I’m flying to Mexico City, the starting point of a trip to the monarch butterfly reserves in the fir forests of the central highlands, where millions of these delicate orange-and-black creatures spend the winter. I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences with you on my return. In the meantime, though, my flight is going ... read more
Welcome: Let’s Explore the World
Welcome to the Gaiam community’s eco travel blog. I am delighted to host this virtual journey toward a fresh and conscientious engagement with the world’s wonders. We’ll explore ways to travel more lightly upon the land, look at new developments in “greening” travel, and discover intriguing destinations, ecologically minded lodgings and enticing eats. I’ll share ... read more