For volcano enthusiasts, Hawai’i is a unique destination offering one-of-a-kind encounters with Kīlauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, and Mauna Loa, the world’s most massive volcano. I was fortunate to get to know one of the most reputable local ecotour providers in Hawai’i, VolcanoDiscovery Hawai’i, and to experience the Big Island differently.

As conservation tourism becomes more and more popular, how can travelers be certain where and how their money is being spent? One well-known wildlife conservation tourism project, called SEE Turtles, is clearly outlining exactly how travelers’ dollars contribute to the sustainability of conservation projects and surrounding communities.

Since the very first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, over 20 million Americans from all walks of life have contributed to major environmental accomplishments. For 2012, the Earth Day Network is again hosting “A Billion Acts of Green®” with the ambitious goal of registering another one billion environmentally friendly actions.

In honour of Earth Day – scheduled this year for Sunday April 22 – and our focus this month on ecotourism, we’re thinking about our planet. We’re thinking about the human activities that have the most harmful impact on it, especially the one we love most – travel. We’re compelled to ask: What is tourism in its worst form, environmentally? Even in its best form, can the cost to the earth of tourism ever really be offset?

Vast areas were destroyed by a fire that forced the closure of Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park between December 29, 2011, and January 4, 2012, and caused permanent environmental damage in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Unfortunately, it was not the first time that a fire has started as a result of a tourist’s irresponsible conduct.

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System is impressive, covering 560 miles from Cancun to Honduras. In Belize, where the reef stretches for a remarkable 186 miles, a company called Blue Ventures has taken a creative and effective approach to conservation. Beginning in January of 2010, Blue Ventures began a project to understand the impact the local coastal communities have on the nearby reef.

Projects in Kenya, Peru, Sri Lanka and Brazil have been announced as the winners of the first travel2change idea challenge. Over 500 members joined the travel2change online community since its launch in late April 2011, and submitted around 60 innovative project proposals. The submitted ideas were evaluated based on creativity, effectiveness, impact, feasibility and sustainability.

I traveled to Egypt to examine the potential for volunteer tourism in Cairo and Aswan. We participated in a series of volunteer tourism workshops, consultations and media-outreach events across the country. The goal of the program was to energize people in government, the non-profit and private sector about how they might directly implement the concept of volunteer tourism in Egypt. A few of the organizations we visited, which offer some potential for volunteer tourism, are profiled here.

In honour of Earth Day, staff at WHL Group took a moment to think about our planet. Today, we can travel the world in a way that we never could before — virtually, online. Although there is no replacement for seeing the wonders of nature live and in person, digital media such as online video delivers powerful and inspiring messages. Here are our top picks of videos of ‘earth moments’ that move us.