If
traveling during the holidays has the green in you riddled with guilt, relax.
There are plenty of ways to reduce your carbon footprint during the holidays
and you can still enjoy your vacation in the processes. The tips are super easy. Take
a look.
1. Before
the trip
- When you
pack your bags pack light and only pack what you really need. Do you really
need to pack 15 pairs of shoes, 3 outfits per day, and three handfuls of
gadgets? No
- Don’t
forget to pack rechargeable batteries for your gadgets. If you are traveling
out of the country also make sure to pack an electric voltage converter plug so
that you can use your battery recharger.
- Before you
leave home turn off the lights, turn off the air conditioner, cover pipes
incase of freezing, unplug appliances, etc.
- When you
purchase your traveling ticket opt for an electronic ticket. This will help
reduce paper waste.
- If you are
going to drive make sure your car is up to date on maintenance (tire pressure
good, oil change recent, etc.) for maximum fuel efficiency.
- If you must
fly fly direct to help reduce carbon emissions.
2. Plan your trip
- If you
can, travel to eco-friendly destinations with environmentally friendly
commodities. If you do not know of any eco-friendly destinations search online
or ask a travel agent.
- Also, is it possible to take a
vacation near where you live, in the same city, state, or country? There are
more interesting, fun and beautiful places to visit close to home than you may think;
you just have to know where to look. An online search or travel agent can also
help you find this information.
3. Stay
at an eco-friendly hotel or resort
- Once you
are there, wherever you go, stay at an eco-friendly hotel. You can look in
advance for an eco-hotel online at the Green Hotel Association website or at the Eco Business Links website.
- At the
hotel you can ask the front desk not to change your sheets and towels every
day. This will cut down on water usage.
- Also, like at home, turn off the
lights, take shorts showers, turn the water off when brushing your teeth and so
on.
- You can also fill out a comment card and let your hotel know how much you
appreciate their green accommodations.
4.
Eco-friendly tourist
- Traveling from point A to point B
should be planned out and as eco-friendly as possible. Within
the area you are visiting ride a bike, walk or take a bus to get to restaurants
or local attractions For example, a museum you are interested in touring
is in walking distance from your hotel. You could bike or walk there instead of
drive to reduce your carbon footprint.
- If you must travel by
car from city to city consider renting a hybrid vehicle or better yet ride a
train. A train ride can be such a beautiful and relaxing experience.
- Also,
remember to eat and shop locally wherever you visit. Eating and shopping locally
will help support the local economy where you are vacationing. Avoid purchasing
products made from endangered plants or animals.
- Most importantly recycle and
reuse as much as possible everywhere you go no matter where you go.
Carbon offset
-
In
addition to all the tips above consider purchasing carbon offsets from someone
like Terrapass to help offset the
unavoidable carbon footprints of your travels.
Gloria Campos-Hensley is a freelance writer that resides in Texas. She has lived in the city all her life (for the exception of a 1 year in Alabama, 6 weeks in Georgia and 6 weeks in France) and loves the city greatly, but the gre...
