The term "eco-tourism", much like the "organic" label which has been used as a marketing tool to capitalize on the growing demand for organic food, has spurned a lot of fake green destinations. Dishonest tourism operators, now known as "greenwashers" have resorted to using eco-tourism solely for money-making.

There is no universal definition for it but the International Eco-tourism Society says eco-tourism is "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people".

To help sort  the true-blue green destinations from the greenwash, Lonely Planet, the world's leading publisher of guidebooks, has published Code Green (US$19.99). Code Green is a collection of green ideas defined by three principles:

• Tread lightly on the environment
• Immerse yourself in the culture
• Have a positive economic benefit for the local community

The book is filled with ideas for travelling across the planet. These include walking the Larapinta Trail in Central Australia, whitewater rafting in Chile, whale watching in New Zealand, hiking in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan and learning bush survival skills in the Kalahari Desert. Each featured destination comes with a narrative that captures the essence of the place as well as a list of responsible travel credentials.