Earthwatch tops volunteer vacation expeditions
The travel industry currently includes a great many volunteer vacations, some effective, some less so. But the clear winner is the non-profit Earthwatch Institute, which is also among the oldest and most active of them.
Every year, Earthwatch sends out more than 50 expedition groups of volunteers to areas where research scientists are busily studying the future of the world.
What exactly do those groups of volunteers do?
They perform the extensive study of data that will enable the scientists to reach conclusions, data that can only be studied by large groups of people helping the scientists count and analyze the data that they unearth.
The purpose of Eathwatch’s studies?
It is the future of the planet, the preservation of our air and water, and the blocking of harmful emissions of carbon that will make life unsustainable.
One cannot imagine a more urgent task, and the many volunteers who travel with Earthwatch to sites in North and South America, Iceland, Africa and elsewhere regard themselves as engaged in urgently vital work.
You could not find a better way to make use of your leisure time. Details can be found at Earthwatch.org.
Arthur Frommer is the pioneering founder of the Frommer’s Travel Guide book series. He co-hosts the radio program, Find more destinations online and read Arthur Frommer’s blog at frommers.com.