Does it matter where and how you travel? greenroutes.jpg By Deborah McLaren Director, Sustainable Tourism Initiatives, Renewing the Countryside Special to Minnesota 2020
http://www.mn2020.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={465B2AB6-EC1A-4EB4-A9A4-730C77488490}&DE= Yes, it does matter not only for you, but also for the environment, for society and for our economy. According to Explore Minnesota, travel and tourism in Minnesota generate $10.2 billion in gross sales and $628 million in state sales tax a year ... Travelers in Minnesota spend more than $32 million a day [and] tourism is comparable to agriculture in its contributions to the gross state product. By patronizing unique, locally owned restaurants, lodging, cultural centers, and other destinations that are committed to sustainability, travelers can contribute directly to Minnesota in a way that really matters. Renewing the Countryside is a Minnesota nonprofit that promotes sustainable ways to strengthen rural communities and reduce poverty. Sustainable tourism is based on long-term planning that connects the livelihoods of people with sustainable use of agriculture, fisheries, forestry and energy. It is an integrated approach to community-led development and a tool to educate both local residents and visitors. Through the Green Routes program, travelers can find one-of-a-kind places to eat, play, shop, sleep and learn that benefit Minnesota. Visitors to destinations on Green Routes support groundbreaking sustainable development work, family farms, tribal communities and local small businesses. Tourists dollars go directly into the regional economy when they dine at restaurants that serve healthy, local foods. For example, the Minwanji Café in Ogema, on the White Earth Indian Reservation, serves traditional Anishinaabe dishes such as wild rice cranberry stuffing, corn posole, bison stew and oatmeal bread. The Green Routes website helps travelers find local accommodations such as the Moonstone Farm in Montevideo a cornucopia of the community's art, crafts, history, nature and cuisine. Broodio, Moonstone's rentable one-room cottage, called a bed and bagel, showcases handmade furnishings, original artwork, warm, earthy colors, and handcrafted pottery. The surroundings are no less exceptional: 290 acres of natural and cultivated wonders, gardens, a vineyard, a livestock pasture and 60 or so native wood species. Many of the farm's goodies, including home-grown beef, are for sale. Green Routes helps travelers locate farmers markets offering locally grown foods, Minnesota wineries and fun places like the Putting Green in New Ulm -- an environmental adventure park designed, developed and operated by young people and visited by everyone. Share your Comments website metrics www.GreenRoutes.org www.Renewing the Countryside.org Native Energy The Putting Green
