Green Travel Tips
Why Go Green?
There is always a continuous dialog of why individuals should lead a “greener” lifestyle. This is no exception to this in the travel world either. Each year there are close to 1 billion tourists that traverse the globe. There is no time like the present for travelers to try and minimize their impact on our precious treasure known as the environment. There are potential negative effects of tourism that are on both a local and global scale. Hotels that line our beautiful coastal waters contribute to beach erosion. An increased number of tourists visiting fragile ecosystems like our coral reefs threaten these habitats. Carbon dioxide emissions from planes are major contributors of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Why not be more environmentally friendly on your next trip? It is a great way to protect the places that you love coming back to. Remember, it doesn’t affect just one individual, but many generations to come. In the end, your travels will make for a more genuine and rewarding experience and it will foster deeper connections with the places and people you have visited.
Here are some helpful tips when scheduling your next traveling adventure.
Select a Green Hotel
In many states, there are specific programs that are geared to earth friendly practices. Each property has different guidelines, so check to see what initiatives they have in place.
During your stay
Take advantage of the programs the properties take part in such as the sheet and towel reuse program. Do your sheets and towels really need to be changed every day?
If the hotel offers in-room recycling program, make sure to use it. Most properties make it very simple by asking guests to place their recyclables in a specified container in their room.
If you only use a small portion of the toiletries, take them with you to use at home. Once you have opened a container of shampoo or a bar of soap, any leftovers are thrown into the landfill.
Most importantly, offer feedback to the hotel. If a program needs improvement, the guests can certainly offer suggestions for the future. Good intentions don’t always translate into the perfect program.
Transportation
Once you arrive at your destination, find out if it is necessary to rent a car. Your hotel may offer a program such as bicycle rental. If you are close to activities within biking distance, this may be a great alternative to stay green, get exercise and be more cost effective.
If biking or walking isn’t feasible, see about public transportation. This is still cost effective and green, and it gives you an opportunity to visit areas that you may have missed on your own. If you do have to rent a car, rent the smallest vehicle that will accommodate you comfortably. If a hybrid is available, try it out. It is like test driving your next new car.
Sightseeing
Be a responsible tourist and make an effort to not take any souvenirs back with you when visiting our area beaches. Instead, take photographs or visit our area shops. Keep a safe distance from wildlife and of course don’t feed the animals. Dispose of all trash in the proper receptacle. The only thing you want to leave behind is a footprint.
Support the local economy and try out some new cuisine by buying local goods when possible.
Consider taking a volunteer vacation and give back to the place you have visited.
