Global Warming and Alaska

by Erik Olsen on

It seems odd to me that people are still debating whether global warming is an issue. With all the news coming out
these days about shriking ice caps and chucks of the Antarctic ice shelf the size of Vermont calving off into the sea,
I guess it just seems like it’s a done deal.

This suspicion was given further credence when I read
this news piece about how Alaska is
dealing with rising temperatures. The piece describes how villages are sinking into thawing permafrost, how
timber-chewing insects and record wildfires are devastating forests, and how the ice is melting at a rapid and
dangerous pace. It’s hard not to read this stuff and feel a bit of paranoia.

Travel for a Good Cause

by Kelly Amabile on

Budget Travel has posted a
nice list of
ways to donate to hurricane victims by using Frequent Flier Miles or even going on vacation for a good cause. Many
residents and businesses have been devastated by the storms, and the tourism industry in the Gulf region has taken an
extra hard hit.

I know that I’d like to help by actually going down there and visiting again, as soon as we all get the go-ahead
that conditions have improved enough. I’ve already been in touch with friends in Baton Rouge about visiting, and I’d
like to do it as soon it’s okay to spend a little money in the region to help local businesses get on their feet. On
NPR Weekend Edition, I learned about one
guesthouse in the Marginy that could possibly be up and running sooner than some others, as it escaped the wrath of
deep floodwaters. (The owners have yet to return to NOLA to assess the damage, so it will still be awhile, of
course.)

But until New Orleans, Biloxi and the rest of the region can welcome us again, Budget Travel’s list tells us what else
we can do to make a difference. There are tips on which frequent flyer programs allow users to donate miles for relief,
as well as info on deals at restaurants, hotels and on cruises. Or, what about a vacation in Florida?
Getaways for Gulf Aid was set up by folks in the
Florida tourism industry who donated entire travel packages. Buy a weekend away in Florida
(via E-bay auction), and
all proceeds go to the Red Cross. How about that for our weekly Philanthropy on the Road pick? It’s a
neat idea, and helps promote tourism in their own region until their neighbors can get going again.

National Public Lands Day

by Kelly Amabile on

Every year, thousands of travelers use the amazing parks, trails
and mountains that make up the 600 million acres of public land in our country. This Saturday, volunteers will pitch in
to clean up these precious lands.

National Public Lands Day began in 1994 with three federal agencies and
700 volunteers. On the tenth anniversary of the event last year, almost 80,000 volunteers worked with nine agencies in
every US state. Want to lend a hand? There’s a map that links to
events happening across the nation. Volunteers who chip in to
protect our environmental and natural resources are rewarded with a free entry day to use next year at any public land
site.

With all our attention focused on the gulf region, I decided to check on events scheduled down south. At least three
events in Louisiana have been cancelled due to Katrina, in
part because of campsite damage from the storm. Another reason some parks are closed though, is to allow displaced
evacuees to stay at park sites for free through the end of October. This means that all reservations for cabins and
campsites that other travelers may have made have been cancelled. But the
Louisiana Parks Office has promised refunds for the cancellations and
complimentary stays will be issued, once the crisis has passed.

Reel Paradise

by Kelly Amabile on

I’m way behind on my movie watching, and unfortunately just heard about this cool documentary via NPR, in an
interview with
filmmaker, Steve James.

James directed Reel Paradise, which follows producer and “indie
film maven” John Pierson on a cinematic adventure in the South Pacific. Pierson moved to the
Fijian island of Taveuni with his family for a year
to operate the 180 Meridian Cinema and show free movies for the locals on this poor rural island. James joined the
Piersons for their last month on the island, to capture the experience on film. Check out the trailer
here.

It looks like an interesting experiment, and one that was full of culture clashes and challenging situations for the
Piersons and the island natives. The film has been touring the country all year, and will show at the Music Box Theater
in Chicago this Friday evening.

Serendipity

by Kelly Amabile on

Seven years ago, Baltimore couple Kevin and Natalie Keegan visited New Orleans. Hanging out in
the French Quarter one night, they met a local couple, Kewan and Theresa Minor. The two couples hit it off and enjoyed
the sights and sounds of Bourbon Street together. A friendship was born, but no one could have imagined where it would
take them.

The couples kept in touch, and even vacationed together once in Ocean City, MD. Of course, when Katrina hit, the
Keegans did all they could to get in touch with the Minors to see how they were coping. When they finally connected,
the bond of this friendship began to grow even deeper. The Minors, now homeless and without work, had friends who could
help. The Keegans helped the family find jobs and a place to live in Baltimore, and donated their frequent flier miles
to fly the Minors, and their daughter Gracie, to their new home.

I love this story. The Keegans are my pick for engaged travelers of the week, having opened their
home and hearts to a young couple they just happened to hang with in the Quarter one night while on vacation. From
strangers in the Big Easy to life-long friends in Baltimore. Listen to their
incredible
story, from the local NPR affiliate here in Baltimore, WYPR.