A powerful reminder of our environmental footprint

A tropical rainforest the size of a football field is destroyed every 4 seconds. How can one person possibly make a difference? Stop the destruction?

Ghost Foest ProjectIf you're a regular GoGirlfriend reader, you know how I lust after travel, but I'm acutely aware  how big my carbon butt-print (and contribution to global warming) can be - jet fuel, rental vehicles and taxis, fast food restaurants, half-used shampoo bottles and linens changed far more often than necessary.

But Angela Palmer is hoping to change that with The Ghost Forest Project. She's bringing the problem to us - one stump at a time.

Artist and self-proclaimed treehugger, Angela hasGhost Forest Project ~ Angela Palmer taken it upon herself to introduce us to the ghosts of trees gone by with her Ghost Forest Project. During the UN Climate Change Conference, her stumps were displayed in Copenhagen. They're now in Trafalgar Square, London sitting at the steps of Oxford University' Museum of Natural History.

Angela's trees come from Ghana, where 90% of the original rainforest has disappeared in the last 50 years. Most of the stumps used in the exhibit fell naturally (in a forest that had been logged) but three of ten were cut down. The stumps, devoid of their trunks, are a symbol of our planet, struggling to survive without lungs.

Most of the stumps have their roots intact ‘like the nerve endings of the planet,' Angela says.

Ghost Forest ProjectFor now, the Ghost Forest Exhibit is scheduled only for Europe (where there are no rainforests) but I'm hopeful it will make its way to North America. Although the stumps have traveled a long distance, their carbon footprint has been offset through ClimateCare where the money is being used to buy more fuel efficient stoves for families in Ghana.

As a traveler, can you reduce your carbon footprint?

Ghost Forest ProjectTraveling is not a license for wastefulness, though if you visit any airport that theory will be sorely challenged. Whether it's five-star dining and French linen sheets or schlepping through hostels, we can all do one better for Mother Earth. Think about it.

Reduce your impact by 1% each time you travel and imagine how that will add up - especially if you're a road junkie. The beautiful thing about reducing your impact is that it often only takes preplanning - and can often save you money.

• Pack less. With baggage fees continuing to climb, this one's a no brainer. When I travel, I pack my stuff into one small suitcase - no exceptions. 
• Whether you're on a cruise ship or at a resort, reduce your dependency on frivolities like elevators: Onboard the Princess.
• Give a volunteer vacation a whirl - they're a great way to get away with your gal pals while doing good for others: Volunteer Travel Hot Spots.
• Costa Rica Volunteer Vacation for Families.
• Dominican Republic Volunteering
• Bunk down at a green hotel - one that operates with an environmental conscience. Green doesn't mean sacrificing luxury. Have a look at some of the green hotels I've visited.
• Fairmont Hotels
• St. Anne's Spa, Ontario, Canada
• Orchard Garden Hotel, San Francisco
• El Monte Sagrado, New Mexico
• Amelia Island Spa, Florida

Whether you travel with fiendish delight or keep the home fires burning, reducing our dependency on fossil fuels and lightening our demand on Mother Earth is good for us and good for our kids.

Ghost Forest ProjectIf you've seen the Ghost Forest Project, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. And if you're trying to be a better steward of our planet, I'd love to hear that as well.

Comment here or visit me on Facebook or Twitter - let's talk!