Seven Tips for Eco-Conscious Travel

To minimize your impact on the environment during the busy summer travel season, here are seven tips to prepare you for a more environmentally-friendly trip.

Pack light- The more weight trains, planes and automobiles have to carry the more fuel they use. The more fuel they use, the more greenhouse gases are emitted into the atmosphere.

Bring a reusable water bottle- Rather than buying bottled water during your travel, bring a bottle for water fountain fill ups. A reusable bottle helps cut down on waste that goes to the landfill and saves you money. Look for special fill-up stations found at many airports, like those in the Denver airport.

Recycle before you go- If you purchased new products before the trip, like a new tube of toothpaste, recycle the cardboard wrappers before leaving home. You would be completing your green duty and won’t have to think about it during your vacation or business trip.

Turn off and unplug electronics- If no one is home, turning off electronics saves money and energy usage. To make a bigger impact, unplug your electronics. Did you know that they still use some energy even when they are off?

For short trips- Consider the train or bus. It might take a little longer, but it’ll emit three to seven times less gas than air travel. When you factor in parking at the airport, screening and pre-boarding times, the train or bus is often the same amount of travel time.

Renting a car- If you need to rent a car, rent the smallest car possible and select a hybrid model if one is available.

Choose a green hotel- Just like apartment homes, some hotels (especially in more green conscious cities) are LEED certified. Check the hotel’s website or give them a call to get a sense of the company’s environmental ethics. There many more things you can do to travel green.

A little research can help you determine how you can eat green, shop green, and get around with minimal impact to the environment. Happy travelling this summer!