Check out these green travel tips from Green Global Travel, an eco-tourism, nature/wildlife conservation, and cultural preservation magazine co-founded by Bret Love and Mary Gabbett.
Adhering to one, some, or all of these tips will make you a more responsible traveler and will reduce your environmental footprint.
Below are just a few to get you started. You can read the full story here.
TIP FOR GETTING THERE
1. Book non-stop flights whenever you can: It’s takeoffs and landings that create most of an airplane’s carbon emissions.
TIP FOR CHOOSING A GREEN HOTEL
6. When traveling in the U.S., check to see if the hotel has LEED Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, which judges on sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, material selection, indoor environmental quality, and innovation in design.
WATER-SAVING TIP
11. Take a BPA-free water bottle you can refill over and over again.
ENERGY-SAVING TIP
16. When you leave your room, turn off all lights, heat/AC, and television.
GREEN HIKING TIP
21. Marked trails are there for a reason. Stick to the path to avoid harming native flora.
GREEN SHOPPING TIP
26. Buy locally made products, rather than those that have been imported. Items that are flown or shipped in have a much larger carbon footprint, and who wants a souvenir from an Asian assembly line?
ECO-TOUR TIP
31. Travel with small group tour operators, which tend to have less of an environmental impact. Membership in an organization like The International Ecotourism Society is a good sign that the tour operator tries to conduct itself in a responsible, sustainable manner.
TIP FOR BEING A TRAVELER, NOT A TOURIST
36. Honor local customs. Do a little research to learn about the local cultural traditions, so that you can speak and behave appropriately.