We all want to save the world. Don’t we? And we try. We buy organic, we recycle, and we drive fuel-efficient cars. (Well, that last one has more to do with high gas prices, but still.) Don’t you wish you could save the world all the time, like even when you’re spending your well-deserved two weeks off on a tropical vacation, drinking cocktails and getting massages? No? Bear with me here.

What if you could do both? What if you could save the turtles and work on your tan? Maybe plant trees and trek through the rainforest? Never fear, that’s exactly where Volunteer International comes in. Consider it your one-stop shop for all do-gooder vacations. It has a search engine with links to all sorts of charity vacations.

Want to transport supplies to remote village in Niger? Here’s the place! For me, that tilts too far on the “do-gooder” end of the spectrum rather than “vacation,” but there’s more than a few opportunities we found that offer a good balance, here were some of our favorites:
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You want to do your part to save the Earth from melting into oblivion, right? I mean, I know I do…ahem, I gotta go.

You already know the basic tips to live eco-friendly, like recycling and turning the water off when you brush your teeth, but there are more ways than those for you to do your part. We’ve compiled a list of creative ways to save on energy and prevent further pollution.
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Don’t I know how chaotic life can get; even when you’re single (ah, memories). Add a spouse and kids to the mix and life usually gets even more complicated (don’t remind me). Between your iPhone, Blackberry, Palm Pilot, or even an archaic organizer book, keeping everyone’s schedules on track can be tricky. Thankfully there are some excellent new (free) online services that are making busy people’s lives a whole lot more organized.
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My sister is all about background reports. She runs them on everyone in her life because she is totally ridiculous and paranoid. However, as much as background checks usually have a negative connotation and I endlessly mock my sister, they’re actually a really useful tool. A background report can provide a lot of valuable information. Basically, performing a background check is the process of looking up official and commercial records about a particular person. They are often done when someone applies for a job that requires high security like a school or a bank. You wouldn’t want just anybody handling your children or your money…

A background report has traditionally been exclusive to police departments but nowadays can now be purchased as a service from a private business. Information usually includes the following: past employment, credit worthiness, and criminal history. These checks are important because they allow better informed and less-subjective evaluations to be made about a person.
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