TerraCurve.com is an unbiased, news resource, featuring the best green-travel news, places, people and events.

TerraCurve.com is my own personal project; an avenue of creativity that allows me to combine my beliefs in social responsibility with my own professional and personal experience.

Its mission is to enable individuals and businesses to actively participate in the effort to fight for a greener, brighter future, by educating themselves on the environmental policies of the travel choices they make.

"Green travel" is one of many catch phrases -- like ecotourism, sustainable tourism and responsible travel -- that are used a lot these days. But what exactly do these terms mean?

There are various shades of difference among all these terms, but at the heart of the matter is the importance of protecting the natural and cultural environment of the places you visit. That means conserving plants, wildlife and other resources; respecting local cultures and ways of life; and contributing positively to local communities.

With nearly 1 billion tourists crisscrossing the globe every year, it's more important than ever for travelers to minimize their individual impact on the earth's natural and cultural treasures. The potential negative effects of tourism are both local and global; oceanfront hotels contribute to beach erosion in Hawaii, rising numbers of visitors threaten the fragile ecosystems of the Galapagos Islands, and carbon dioxide emissions from planes are a growing contributor to global warming.

Taking a green approach to travel is an easy and essential way to protect the places you love to visit, not just for yourself but for the travelers who come after you and for the people who will continue to live there long after you've flown home. As an added bonus, it often makes for a more rewarding, authentic travel experience, encouraging deeper connections with the people and places you visit.