Login | Register | Subscribe to the GG RSS Feed

Earth Day Solutions: 6 Steps to Greener Travel

1
2
3
4
5

Since Earth Day began in the 1960s (it picked up speed in the nineties) environmental consciousness has moved from anti-litter campaigns to an anti-carbon worldview. Not good news for travelers' peace of mind: I've never been a litter-bug, but my guilty conscience keeps reminding me of plastic water bottles, unnecessary jet fuel, disposable cameras and lots of pretty shopping bags.

Finding Peace of MindFinding Peace of MindThis Earth Day is my environmental New Year's Eve. I promise to follow these environmental resolutions to the letter, and have a greener record by next year.

 

1. Plan wisely

Choose destinations that are close to home. This year I could afford a quick European jaunt, but I'm replacing it with camping and a Montreal trip instead. We'll take a car (packed to the brim) for the camping trip, but we'll take the train to Quebec.

 

2. Budget for food

Restaurant meals are more expensive than fast food, but pack way less packaging. Opt for places using real dishes, or street food which often has just a napkin. Balance the books by alternating expensive meals with dirt cheap supermarket finds.

 

3. Pack lightly

Extra weight means extra fuel (even in your hybrid car). Evaluate your luggage and leave the non-essentials behind. If you have to buy extra gear (that you'll probably never use again) get it second hand to save on manufacturing costs.

 

4. Beware of artificial environmentalism

Bottled water that "supports the rainforest" doesn't. Carbon offsets don't replace good planning. If you're picking between two polluting airlines, feel free to pick the one with a minor green aspect, but don't kid yourself. Make the right choices first, and plant the extra trees second.

 

5. Conserve at home

Use less, buy less, and throw out less. Just like a diet, regular good habits help to compensate for the bad ones - and they make sure you're back on track sooner.

 

6. And take those habits on vacation

Turn out the lights; avoid packaging and disposables, and all the other environmental habits you've learned at home. Getting to the destination has enough of an environmental impact that it doesn't need to be compounded by buying tacky plastic souvenirs. If I shop on vacation, it'll be for stuff I actually need.

 

Switching to an eco friendly lifestyle isn't going to make me carbon neutral. And I'm ok with that. But I do need to make my vacation choices a lot more carefully.

Rate This Post

No votes yet

Bookmark This Post



Comments

Eco travel is the way to go.

Eco travel is the way to go. The problem is we have to for go convenience and creature comforts to obtain it.

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Image CAPTCHA
Copy the characters (respecting upper/lower case) from the image.
Register

Membership is free and with it you can set up a profile, vote on stories and post your opinions.

Already a member?
Login
Not a member? Join!
Register

Most Recent Comments

  • On Canada Goes Green for St. Patrick's Day, Julia Rosien said "Great to meet you as well, Terri. And yes, we adore the Bay of Fundy :-) While I'll agree it's no longer parka weather in your neck of the woods, it's not quite string bikini weather either. Shall we toast to it and let the beer warm us up? Happy St Paddy's Day! Julia"

  • On Canada Goes Green for St. Patrick's Day, Terri said "hey Travel girls, great to hear that you love our Bay of Fundy here on the east coast of Canada as much as you love Tim Horton's ...and, as a Bay of Fundy chick, I love the green tide analogy. For sure, there will be lots of fun times down here around St Paddy's day but I just want to send you a correction to say you certainly won't be needing a parka? to visit at this time of year. It's +8 to +10 degress Celius (that's in the 50s F for our American friends) - definitely well above parka weather. haha So nice that the birds are chirping and the maple sap is flying out of the trees and, ultimately, on to our pancakes. Happy spring! Terri the Bay of Fundy blogger bayoffundy.blogspot.com "

  • On Bonaire - Landsailing or Diving, Ann Phelan said "I love when folks visit our island and immerse themselves in the very cool diversions offered..thanks for sharing."

  • On Tour Bus Crash in Tortola – Caribbean Princess Passenger Dies, Sad and heavy heart said "On a note about the roads of Totrola which are steep, and windy and narrow, all the more reason that tour vehicles should have regular safety checks, SEATBELTS (which dirvers should mandate use or not allow passengers to continue with the tour, driver's should go slow, and Princess Cruise Lines should do extensive background checks, and not hire people with the nick-name of Crash-Dummy."

  • On Tour Bus Crash in Tortola – Caribbean Princess Passenger Dies, Jan said "We were also on the ship with our friends, had spent the day at the beach in Tortola where the slider on my Omega came off, "broke" and lost. I had just purchased it on board the ship the day prior. But nothing can compare to the loss of a family member. The Captain had everyones attention for the announcement. Captain Draper done a great job informing the passengers of the accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Rumphrey family."