Good Choice Initiative

Hi! My name's Noelle and I would consider myself an eco-citizen. I've spent most of my childhood living abroad in countries like Argentina and India, but Ottawa is and always has been home. Only a one hour drive away, our family cottage in La Pêche, Quebec is where I spent most of the day outside, swimming in the lake. Today, it is where I disconnect from the city and reconnect with nature. With a degree in Geography from Queen’s University, I’m passionate about sustainability and community development. I've studied tropical ecology in Costa Rica and benefited from an internship in environmental education in Honduras, working alongside local NGOs on conservation and environmental education projects. On the island of Utila, I learned to scuba dive and fell (more) in love with the ocean. My dream is to one day see a whale shark in its natural habitat... I even got a bamboo tattoo of this gentle giant in Thailand as a daily reminder of this personal lifetime goal. I...

Monday, January 20th, was apparently the "most depressing day of the year", suggesting that many of us tend to be under the weather due to the cold, lack of sunlight and pending bills from our Christmas expenses. On the other hand, some of us may just be affected by the seasonal blues as a result of winter's cold weather and darker days. I sometimes dream of going traveling to get away from it all and start imagining the places I can escape to with warm weather and nice beaches. If you're like me, you're ready to go on your next holiday by now. Beach in Koh Lipe, Thailand I've compiled some tips on how to travel more sustainably based on my own travel experiences and lessons learned, so you can enjoy your trip without worrying about your impact on the environment. 1. Fly less, choose direct Depending on where you plan to go, not flying is the best way to reduce your carbon emissions. I suggest seeing if there is an alternative mode of transportation ...