Code Green: Experiences of a Lifetime    by Kerry Lorimer Order:  USA  Can Lonely Planet, 2006 (2006) Softcover      Reviewed by Hilary Williamson In his Foreword, Tony Wheeler tells us it is 'only through travelling, through meeting people, that we begin to understand that we're all sharing this world and all coming along for the ride, despite the barriers that governments, religions, and economics and political beliefs often seem to build up between us.' Lonely Planet offers Code Green 'to show how to make your next trip count.' The Introduction reminds us that the best, most memorable trips are ones in which we make a connection, and the trips suggested here are those that minimize impact and maximize connections - 'the antithesis of watching the world blur by through the bus window.' Responsible Tourism is explained, with tips on how to travel in a respectful way that minimizes environmental impact and offers financial benefit to the host community. Destinations are organized into five regions: Africa & the Middle East; Asia; Australia & New Zealand; Europe; North America; South & Central America, Mexico, Antarctica & the Caribbean. For each destination, there's at least one (full-page) photo, a general description, the spot's Responsible Travel Credentials, When to Go, and how to get there. Choices vary from the height of luxury (and expense) such as the Al Maha deserts resort in Dubai (where all suites have a private swimming pool!) to the very basic such as hiking in Lapland, carrying food and sleeping bag. I've been to many places mentioned here - like Bhutan, Varanasi, and Uluru (Ayers Rock) - before, but found many more that I'd love to visit, and hope to fit into future travel. Choices include taking drum lessons in Africa, tracking lemurs in Madagascar, foraging with Kalahari Bushmen, staying in yurts in Tajikistan, working with turtles on the Great Barrier Reef, sledding in the Arctic, and whitewater rafting in Chile. Interspersed through the books are pages discussing topics like Begging, the International Porter Protection Group, An Indigenous Australian Perspective, or Volunteering. It ends with a re-emphasis on Responsible Tourism: The Big Picture - how powerful a tool tourism can be 'for conserving wilderness and heritage areas' as well as its potential in promoting cross-cultural understanding and alleviating poverty (if done right in all cases). Code Green: Experiences of a Lifetime is an excellent resource for choosing responsible travel providers and destinations - I plan to take advantage of my copy. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Travel books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews