In my opinion,  you can never have too many tips about ways to travel green. So when one of our Perceptive Travelers sent through this guest post, I just had to share it with everyone…

5 Tips for the Everyday Traveler Going Green
 by Jennifer Gregory from On the Go Travel Blog.

 I have a secret. The concept of “going green” was, at one point, incredibly scary to me. As a child I loved being outdoors, hiking and camping, but never considered whether or not my actions were having an impact on the environment. After all, my young persona was invincible – surely the earth was invincible, too?

Apparently, such is not the case. As I have grown older I’ve watched the world slowly growing into one that is more conscious of the environment. We’re taking steps to lessen our impact on global warming, save our natural resources, and live less wasteful lives. But, while my compost pile in the backyard is great for home use, I quickly realized that those less familiar with natural methods of conservation might have a little more trouble implementing these concepts on the road than they would at home.

So, while you may not be able to do everything you do at home while out and about, here are five simple things you can do to keep your vacation or road trip as environmentally friendly as possible:

1. One of the first things I do upon entering my discount hotel room is to hang the “do not disturb” sign, which stays up until the end of my stay. This prevents housekeeping from coming into the room and needlessly replacing towels and sheets that have only been used once or twice. This cuts back on unnecessary water consumption and energy use. Also, I am only one person and don’t need to use 6 lamps at one time – so I usually unplug all but one or two for the duration of my stay as well.
2. Consider using public transportation instead of renting a car at your end destination. In most tourist-heavy areas, public transportation is easily accessible. It costs less to use public transportation, and you won’t be wasting fuel or releasing harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
3. Carry your own environmentally friendly water bottle. Filling and carrying your own water bottle is great for a couple of reasons. First, if you ever find yourself in a questionable environment you’ll know exactly where your water came from and whether or not it was purified. Second, you won’t feel the need to open up the water bottles you find in your hotel room, which means you won’t add additional plastic waste to the nearest landfill.
4. Stay on previously mapped out trails when hiking and exploring. These trails have been laid out both for your safety and to protect the wildlife and plants within the environment you’re exploring. Make sure your garbage ends up in a trashcan, and if there isn’t one available, carry it with you until you find a proper method of disposal.
5. Purchase souvenirs that have been made locally or by natives. You’ll support their local economies, reduce the impact of mass production, and go home with an authentic piece of memorabilia. Check the labels. Why would you purchase a souvenir stamped “Made in China” from a tourist trap in Mexico when you could easily walk to a local stand or shop and purchase an authentic hand woven blanket for less?

It’s not easy going green, and I don’t expect anyone to do a complete 180 degrees in a single trip, either. Simply begin by making small changes to the way you move across the earth and you’ll soon find that the impact you have on the environment is growing less with each adventure. Have a safe trip!

(Jennifer Gregory is a writer with a passion for travel. After completing her degrees in Social Work and eBusiness, she traveled through Europe, across America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. She now writes for On the Go Travel Blog.)

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 26th, 2008 at 1:47 pm and is filed under Liz projects, green travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.