If you spend a lot of time recycling, carpooling and otherwise trying to reduce your carbon footprint at home, you probably want to carry that same mindset into your vacation planning. Living green is an admirable thing, and it’s entirely possible to travel and vacation green as well. Many environmentalists praise travel as a way to learn about and better appreciate the planet. Take some time before your next vacation to plan some strategies for making your trip as eco-friendly as you possibly can. Here are some tips to help you accomplish a green vacation.
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Before you leave. Prepare your house by adjusting your heating and cooling systems and unplugging any unnecessary chargers and appliances. This will help avoid avoid wasted energy and keep your electric costs down for the time that you’re gone, as well. When making your travel plans, choose the most efficient form of transportation available. If you’re going on vacation with multiple people, take everybody in one car rather than taking several vehicles. If you can reach your destination by bus or train, opt for that over flying or driving. If you do need to fly, try to fly direct. Take-offs and landings require huge amount of fuel, so avoiding stop-overs makes your plane trip greener.
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While you’re there. If you plan to stay in a hotel, you can check the Green Hotels Association for environmentally friendly hotels and resorts, which are readily available in many parts of the world. Another useful resource for the eco-friendly traveler is the Center for Sustainable Tourism, where you can research the environmental scorecard for the vacation spot that you’re interested in. While you’re at your vacation destination, take care to buy locally when you shop for souvenirs, and eat at locally owned restaurants that use locally sourced ingredients. This helps the local economy, reduces the fuel emissions needed for bringing in supplies and, as a bonus, helps you get a more authentic experience in the area that you’re visiting.
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Other ideas. Travel as lightly as you reasonably can. The heavier your bags are, the more fuel needs to be expended to transport them. The lighter you travel, the greener you are. During your stay at a hotel, don’t have your towels and linens laundered daily. This will cut back on the amount of water and energy that you use. Many hotels offer the option of having linens changed every two or three days instead of each night. Sign up for an eco-tour in your vacation spot, if one is available. This is a fun and interesting way to learn about the natural environment of the area you’re living in, and about conservation in that area.
One more thing that you may be interested in considering is by donating a carbon offset coupon to compensate for any increase in your carbon footprint while traveling. You can invest in environmentally responsible options like wind energy or planting trees. You can find carbon offsets in a variety of prices. It’s just one more way to make your vacation greener.
Have you taken a green vacation? Do you have any tips to share?
