Meet Kristen McKenna | Traveler & Environmental Activist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kristen McKenna and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kristen, career-wise, where do you want to be in the end?
I deeply yearn to merge my passions and establish a framework to travel and explore while educating the global youth regarding environmental sustainability amongst varied alternative learning atmospheres. Alas, I haven’t settled on how to successfully go about such an endeavor.

However, lately I have been fantasizing of a newfound dream thought of by a dearly loved one. The concept of being a small business owner rang loud when I was first presented the idea. As I plan to one day live within Southern Maine, securing a plot of land with room for potential expansion has always been on my agenda – though I never thought of launching my own environmental education center. Fixating on after-school, weekend, and summer programs, I hope to attract an intimately sized group of young individuals. Each section of the property would cater toward different topics of environmental sustainability; compost bins, recycling, a garden, a small (rescue) animal farm, solar panels, an apiary (bee yard), trails for hiking and exploration, and a small classroom for projects, crafts, and experiments. To be able to enlighten and instruct on my own terms would be the ultimate achievement.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Through feverishly discussing my personal fascinations, I hope to encourage others to have a more intimate connection with wherever they are exploring and stimulate a desire to immerse oneself within an environmentally sustainable lifestyle. Initially, I began writing to allow my family insight on my travels – combined with the location’s historical narrative, I hope to boost the impression that adventuring is so much more than a location’s visual presence. I then came upon an area of concern I dove head first into and felt everyone should be aware of. Whether we like to believe it or not, the environment is deeply suffering, and I was shocked to realize how unaware the public was once I began to voice my findings and concerns to family and friends. The two matters of interest can be examined together or separately, though the concept of consciousness persists among both.

Currently, I am in the process of completing a Climate Change Awareness and Leadership Graduate Certificate. By achieving a comprehensive background, I hope to be a reliable source of information and expand my breadth of knowledge to then voice publicly. Of course, I’m always excited to travel and unearth new and exciting places – the world’s diversity is beyond measure, and choosing to not enrich oneself amongst our planet’s cultural and environmental distinctions would be criminal.

While I’m very much in the early stages of my online voice being heard, I take comfort knowing I have revamped the perspectives of some people. Whether the feedback relates to feeling confident to investigate one’s hometown, book a trip abroad, or to simply start bringing reusable bags, I recognize my statements have been acknowledged. The road toward ultimate notoriety remains lengthy, though I’m more concerned with having society take a second look at their current lifestyle. Motivation and insight, the ultimate message behind Tip Toe the Globe.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Distinctively separate from New York State, Long Island may only be 118 miles long and 23 miles wide (at its most distant points), but the heavily populated region contains unmistakable qualities. While I typically venture off the Island for adventure, every once in a while my home satisfies my lust for travel. If given the task to occupy my best friend with a week of Long Island excursions, I would firstly head to Huntington to sit down at one of my favorite breakfast spots, Munday’s. The small diner on Main Street radiates with personality and mouth watering food. Classic diner food always soothes the soul and trumps a typical iHOP meal any day.

After filling our bellies, I would head further out into Suffolk County for Long Island’s version of wide open spaces and country land. During the summer months, state parks and beaches are a favorite of mine to explore. Home to 37 state parks, the options are seemingly endless.Wildwood State Park and Hallock State Park Preserve both allow visitors to escape the congestion of the heavily trafficked Jones Beach on the South Shore. Although Long Island beaches are rocky and accommodate frigid waters, the endless blue and peaceful surroundings make up for the slight defects.

Passing through Riverhead along the way, countless farm stands and markets scour Sound Avenue and neighboring roadways. Restraining myself from stopping at each sign for fresh, local produce proves to be quite the difficult task. Along the same lines of edible indulgence, an adventure with myself as the host would not be complete without a stop for bakery delights. To appease my unrelenting sweet tooth, I would lead my friend and I to For Goodness Cakes, a darling food truck on a mission to, “bake the world a better place.” Each weekend, the truck parks up at varying farm locations and serves utterly unique baked good items. With a significantly higher blood sugar level, the dynamic duo sister run business leaves customers eagerly waiting for the following weekend.

A large aspect of Long Island are the many food establishment opportunities at one’s disposal. Comfort food from a small business outshines any larger establishment on any occasion. Main Road Biscuit in Jamesport presents a simple, quiet environment with superb dishes and the most decadent hot chocolate to ever exist. With brimming stomachs, we hit the road once more.

Venturing deeper into the North Fork, we head for a historic maritime village nestled amongst the Peconic River. Regularly bustling with activity, the vibrant town of Greenport could easily take up the entire week! Lazing around Mitchell Park, walking the boardwalk, wishing to be aboard one of the many water vessels, browsing the shops, and choosing which waterfront restaurant to dine at perfectly tops off the week of Long Island exploration.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My strong appetite for travel commenced back during the peak of YouTube after discovering the small niche of travel vloggers. However, my more recent fascination for unhurried, in-depth travel stems from the pair behind Bound for Nowhere, MAK and Owen. I first discovered the couple while they were living out of their converted Toyota Tacoma, affectionately named Lando. The duo earn a living through their freelance remote work of motion graphic design, printmaking, graphic design, photography, writing, and their web store. By acquiring an income through the internet, MAK and Owen have been living out their dream of slowly exploring each area they find themselves in.

Concerning my desire to spread knowledge of environmental sustainability, I owe my confidence and enthusiasm to a locally run non-profit organization, Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE). Although my time at CCE was short, I left with a new sense of assurance within myself and the cause I desperately wished to advocate for. The small team of canvassers and myself would head for neighborhoods within an hour radius of the office and proceeded to go door to door, speaking with those interested in learning of the policy changes CCE was looking to enforce upon local government representatives. To be completely honest, the work was tough. Oftentimes, the majority of folks who were kind enough to answer the door were not concerned at all with the work my fellow canvassers and I were hoping to accomplish. However, every so often, I would have the chance to chat with genuine supporters who engaged in conversation and asked questions. Those were the people that made the job worthwhile, kept my spirits high, and helped to remind myself that the efforts I was making were affecting some people. CCE was my introduction to environmental education and communication methods and I am thankful I had the opportunity to be a part of the team.

Website: https://www.tiptoetheglobe.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristenmckennaa/

Other: Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/tiptoetheglobe77/_created/