Sustainable travel: tips & options
When traveling Responsibility take over - for us that means sustainable travel. For more than 20 years, Rainbow Garden Village has ensured that the mobility, accommodation and meals of the volunteers are in proportion to the environmental impact and have as little negative impact on people and the environment as possible.
For more sustainability when traveling, we can influence these factors together:
duration of the journey
The longer the stay abroad, the more sustainable it is. This applies both to emissions and to the quality of the commitment on site. On average, volunteering at RGV lasts 7 to 8 weeks. For comparison: the average duration of a tourist trip is about one and a half weeks.
The longer, the better - in every respect: In social projects - especially when working with children - it is important that the volunteer stays on site as a reference person for as long as possible. And for you as a volunteer, too, it is only an advantage if you live longer in the target country. In this way you immerse yourself deeply in living environments, everyday life and customs, you can improve your foreign language skills and take experiences home with you that you will benefit from later.
Flight compensation with MyClimate
As a partner of the non-profit foundation MyClimate RGV is committed to dealing responsibly with emissions and offsetting them. We are aware that compensation is not the final solution to combating climate change. The basic avoidance and reduction of emissions must remain in focus.
No plastic
We attach great importance to plastic-free luggage, especially for environmental protection projects. In some cases, this is even mandatory: For example, in the wildlife project in South Africa, shower gel with plastic particles is completely dispensed with, as the shower water is treated again to drinking water. In general, wherever possible, plastic should be avoided. There are many options, whether at home or on the go.
On site: The three pillars of sustainability
Ecologically sustainable
Participation in our volunteer projects is only possible if the RGV animal and nature conservation guidelines are observed. Wildlife and nature must not be harmed by the work of volunteers. When it comes to projects involving wild animals, we make sure that they are species-appropriate.
That means: no elephant riding or generally not too close to people. Volunteers are generally encouraged to follow the philosophy of gentle travel. You can and can experience nature intensively - but if possible without leaving a footprint.
socially sustainable
In contrast to tourist package tours, RGV enables authentic travel experiences, very close to the local people. The volunteers live with host families or in small volunteer accommodations run by the local community in a region. The focus is on cultural exchange that enriches both sides.
Personal encounters eventually lead to a better understanding of each other and of other ways of life. For sustainable support, RGV also focuses on long-term cooperation with the deployment sites in the target countries instead of short-term cooperation.
Economically sustainable
All RGV teams and employees abroad are paid fairly and are highly integrated into the value chain of a volunteer trip. RGV Volunteers promote the payment of the small people on site and not that of the big organizers, such as hotels and leisure service providers.
In this way, the local economy is supported by the income not going to international corporations, but staying in the target country. Together we create secure jobs for locals and promote sustainable financial support through many years of cooperation.
As you can see, there are different ways to take responsibility when traveling. We would like to give you our approaches so that we can take a step towards more sustainability together. Because everyone can contribute!
Tip: Take a look at our magazine article "Human rights water" at.
