Tips for the Eco Traveler
If you do decide to travel this summer or if you are a frequent business traveler, you may want to prepare yourself to be a responsible eco traveler. First things first, you probably will be packing your bags. So as you are deciding which shoes or outfits to bring, make sure to bare in mind to pack lightly. By packing ten pounds lighter you save the airplane a half a gallon of fuel (which you can guess would add up quickly). So ladies as tempting as it might seem, try not to put your whole closet in your luggage. If all travelers reduced their load by one pound each, airlines would use up to 33 million fewer gallons of fuel per year. The same rules apply while riding in a car by the way.
So if your flying, try to book a direct flight. They release an estimated 30 percent fewer emissions than ones with layovers (every takeoff, landing, and taxiing uses additional fuel). If you plan to take a road trip than rent a hybrid vehicle. Once you arrive to your destination take public transit, use a bicycle, or find out if there are eco cabs available.
Whether you made it to a beach fun tropical paradise or a visit to the in-laws across country in Idaho, their are ways to green your hotel experience. If you did your research before departure then you might have chosen to stay in a green hotel which are located all over nationwide. While you settle in to your room remind yourself to write a note to the cleaning staff that you would like to reuse your towels and sheets. You may also simply just leave the "do not disturb" sign on your door. The amount of water wasted and energy it takes to constantly wash towels, sheets, and blankets is alarming. Also another thing you could do to help in a big way is to unplug all appliances. There are usually many lamps, possibly a mini fridge, coffee maker, hair dryer, television etc. Since appliances pull a lot of energy from outlets even when not in use you will definitely be making a difference. A few other things to add to the list are:
There are 1 billion tourists that travel the globe every year. I'm sure you have seen tourists and the one thing that they mostly all carry in hand is a camera. If you plan on sight seeing or documenting your adventures, digital is the way to go. Digital cameras are more eco-sensitive than film as long as you recycle the reusable batteries when they are at the end of their life span. Sharing your photos online rather than printing them is a lot kinder to mother earth as well.
Thoughts, Comments, Questions...
4 COMMENTS, ADD YOURS HERE:
One time I was staying in the Residence Inn and while I was gone, they came in and replaced all the old bulbs with CFL's and apparently did some other random stuff that was suppose to reduce their bills and help the environment at the same time...I was like...it's about time!
These are great tips for traveling more green. I didn't even think about putting up the "Do Not Disturb" sign, so that they will not wash the towels and linens. When I travel, I look for green hotels on www.environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com. They offer green lodgings all over the world for me to choose from!
I've even tipped better when I had a hotel person do something for the environment!
Thank you for the article! It's very helpful in helping us to be considerate environmentally conscious travelers. I wonder if planes actually measure their gas based on the amount of weight a plane is carrying in bags? If they did, that would be a great way to try to help! Also, remember to reuse your towels to save water and detergent!
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