Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
6
Madagascar and You
Tsihy be lambanana ny ambanilantra
All who live under the sky are woven together like one big mat.
Malagasy saying
YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
The question I'm most often asked by journalists is how do I deal with the dilemma of en-
couraging people to fly halfway across the world while knowing that this contributes to car-
bon emissions and global warming? I reply that to me it's no dilemma...
Notlongago,Iwasthelectureronboardacruiseship.Yes,alongflightthenashipwhich
also contributed its share of CO2, so thumbs down. But in my lectures I described the work
done by the Ivoloina Zoo and the charity HELP in Toamasina, and invited passengers to see
the work for themselves. Afterwards some told me it was one of the highlights of the trip,
andtheoutcomewasacombinedon-the-spotdonationofaboutUS$1,500.Inmyexperience
this sort of generosity is not unusual once people can see for themselves the work done in
Madagascar in conservation and educating the next generation.
Thebudgettravellers'contributionisequallyvaluablebecausetheybringgoodwillandan
enthusiasm for breaking down cultural barriers. The backpackers who contribute their stor-
ies and philosophies to this topic may be the politicians or businessmen and women of the
future.TheirexperiencesinMadagascarwillhelpinformthedecisionstheymakeasleaders.
And even those visitors who simply enjoy Madagascar, relaxing on the beaches, visiting
the national parks, buying handicrafts and gaining a little understanding of what makes the
average Malagasy tick, have made a contribution to the economy of the country.
So, although I admire those conscientious people who are prepared to make the sacrifice
of not flying, I think they're wrong. The best way to save Madagascar is to go there - and
that means taking a plane. If you want to offset your carbon emissions do it by contributing
