Preserving Paradise: Hawaii’s How-to-Serve Guide

Subscribe to the Blog RSS Feed Jun 29, 2009
There's an old saying that says many hands make light work, and this is truer than ever in President Obama's home state of Hawaii.

Recently, Island Heritage Publishing, based in Hawaii, put out a book called Preserving Paradise: Opportunities in Volunteering for Hawaii's Environment, written by Kirsten Whatley. It puts together a coalition of service organizations from all across Hawaii -- from organizations focused on preventing Hawaii’s coastlines from being developed to environmental organizations that seek to protect endangered plants and wildlife against invasive species to those that just generally want to protect the pristine beauty of the Hawaiian islands.

So what's Preserving Paradise about? Well, the author describes it like this:

Preserving Paradise: Opportunities in Volunteering for Hawaii's Environment features over 65 organizations throughout the islands focused on preserving Hawaii's land, ocean, and wildlife -- and how you can join them. These eco-volunteering opportunities are free, short-term, and an authentic way to experience the people and places of Hawaii, while giving back to them. The book features over 65 organizations in Hawaii that offer short-term volunteer opportunities with the islands’ land, ocean, and wildlife. Going beyond "green tourism" or ecotourism, it’s a way to experience the Hawaiian Islands that doesn’t just have less of an impact, but actually gives something back.

Because these volunteering opportunities are short-term, they're perfect for vacationers looking to do some good while taking a break from their regular lives. Some are just one day long, others can last as long as three months -- either way, you know you're making a difference and having a fantastic vacation while you're doing it. Not as enamored with the crowded beaches and tourist hot spots? Some of the projects described in the book take you to places that would otherwise be inaccessible. Not bad for a service vacation!

Beyond offering an opportunity to good, there's another aspect of this book that will probably be appealing to many people in this economy -- the volunteer experiences are inexpensive:

For visitors whose travel budgets have been cut considerably, these free "voluntourism" opportunities also provide an antidote—they allow you to travel in Hawaii inexpensively while providing a hands-on way to help preserve the islands for years to come.

This presents a unique opportunity for other states to follow Hawaii's example and increase the efficiency of volunteer programs, because it's a great example of what people and organizations can do when they get together to create change. In addition to offering one of the most beautiful vacation spots on the planet, people can go to Hawaii and feel good about it, because they have helped to preserve the environment of such an awesome place.