I’ve had a soft spot in my heart for Scotland since the early nineties when a yearlong Fulbright teaching exchange took me there and ignited a passionate and insatiable curiosity about the world. A few years ago I was back in Scotland for the Adventure Travel World Summit and met Irene Lane, owner and founder of Greenloons, an ecotourism tour company.
If you’re ready to launch your own Scotland adventure, here are three eco-friendly trips—a Highland safari, family adventure and Scottish train experience—from Greenloons to get you there…
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
When does a trip to the rainforest become a luxurious escape? At the new (opening November 2012) 12-guest Kurà Design Villas set in the Osa Peninsula rainforest of Costa Rica, it’s the moment you arrive to one of the hillside villas, sink into the cozy sling of a patio hammock—Mojito in hand, of course—and watch the sun set over the Pacific from a private terrace.
As the newest retreat in the Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality collection, a company that manages Earth-friendly lodges, hotels and small inns in Central America, interiors are all stylish eco-elegance, full of natural materials such as teak, bamboo and glass.
Kurà features six private guest villas, including luxurious amenities such as a king-sized bed with quality linens, plush towels and bathrobes, double rainfall-style shower, private minibar and wine cellar, espresso coffeemaker, iPod docking station, and free wireless internet, in addition to a full-service spa.
And with a 19-metre (62-foot) saltwater infinity pool; outdoor lounge, bar and spa areas; and 360-degree view Sky Lounge for watching a star-glittered nightsky, even lodge lizards can enjoy the great outdoors while waiting for their massage.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Exclusive Access to New Zealand’s Wildlife and Culture and the Chance to Make a Difference
Fiordland Crested Penguin, South Island, New ZealandTerra Incognita Ecotours, an adventure travel company that specializes in wildlife-focused ecotours that give travelers the chance to “make a difference” while vacationing is offering a new ecotour of New Zealand for 2010. This unique adventure takes visitors to both the North and South Islands of New Zealand for an up-close and personal exploration of the incredible wildlife, scenery, and culture of the region.
Travelers will experience things like newly-hatched penguins, the flightless kiwi, keas and kakapo, spectacular marine life, Maori culture, high altitude sheep farming, majestic fjords, seals, dolphins, rainforest, glaciers, and so much more. Travelers also have the opportunity to have a positive impact on the local community as Terra Incognita Ecotours donates part of the booking fee to the Tiritiri Matangi Conservation Project, a program that involves protecting indigenous plants and animals on a small island off the coast of New Zealand.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Baobab Expeditions Offers Eco-Friendly Skiing at the Whitepod Resort in Switzerland
Baobab Expeditions, the company that turns travelers into explorers, is offering a great adventure ski trip combined with sustainable tourism at the Whitepod Resort in the Swiss Alps, where a unique concept to limit the impact of ski-vacationers on nature is in full force. 
Fifteen luxury pods (domed tents) are pitched on wooden platforms in an altitude of over 5,000 feet, next to seven km of challenging ski slopes for the exclusive use of Whitepod guests. The pods are naturally insulated to retain heat. In addition, each has its own wood burning stove along with organic luxury bedding on king size beds and en-suite bathroom. Easy chairs are set in front of porthole-style windows to capture spectacular views of the Alps which may also be enjoyed from the pod’s terrace. Everything has been carefully thought out to create a luxurious and comfortable environment while protecting the pristine mountains.
Using pods minimizes daily water and electricity consumption; reduces waste production; favors the use of renewable resources and increases awareness of environment preservation.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".