How to Travel Green is part of our Back to School: Green Travel Basics Series.
As the most basic introduction to green traveling, we’ve put together this simple post about how to travel green in four easy steps.
Step 1: Understand Why You Should Travel Green.
You’re probably not going to want to learn how to travel green if you don’t know why you should. We believe that you should travel responsibly because it’s good for the environment, it’s good for local economies, and it’s good for you.
Check out these posts for more about why you should travel green:
31 Reasons to Travel Green: In Pictures
Stepping on Penguins: Dilemmas in Green Travel
Step 2: Recall the basic principle: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
In it’s simplest form, the answer to “How do I travel green?” Can be summed up with the phrase: “reduce, reuse, recycle.” When it comes to being a green traveler you will generally focus on reducing your impact where ever you go. But, it’s just as important to reuse and recycle whenever you can.
photo credit: e-magic
Step 3: Know the Categories Where You Can Reduce.
Generally, you can reduce your impact in Transportation, Lodgings, Food and Restaurants, and Activities. By being aware of these categories, you can systematically go through your travel plans and green them.
Step 4: While Traveling, Commit to Minimizing Your Impact in These Areas.
Check out some of our favorite posts about minimizing your impact.
- 4 Principles for Choosing Green Transportation
- How to Find Green Accommodations
- Volunteer Travel Programs
- How to Find Sustainable Souvenirs
- Guide to Packing Light
- How to Choose a Stainless Steel Water Bottle
- Best Countries for Vegetarian or Vegan Travel
It’s really quite easy to travel responsibly. And frankly, it’s fun. You meet lots of new people and see plenty of new sights that you wouldn’t otherwise. As we continue on with this series we’ll go into more details about how to travel green, like how to make a green travel plan or about green vacation planning.
Recommended Reading:
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
My recommendation is to use ride sharing services when travelling. For example: Lift to Woop Woop rideshare or Freewheelers
Saves you money and you make great new friends!
Other places to find ride share services are standard classifed services (e.g. craigslist, gumtree)
great list – REALLY important to go green, esp while traveling. thank you!
Thank you for your post. You are presenting good tips and have a lot of interesting links. At Fox Rent A Car Blog, we wrote a similar post, to inform travelers on the habits to take to have a greener life. We believe it is important to create awareness on the green solutions we have to protect our environment.
thanks again for sharing.
Great posts, it is important to learn to be green.
Interesting list. Travelling green is these days, and we need most possible ways to do it.
rethink and refuse are also great to add to the “three r’s”- it will help cut back your impact as well!
Ok, so you truly want to travel green, there are so many ways to help do your part. Little things not not purchasing the travel size items, but going to a store, buying a little reusable container and refilling it when you go is a good one. Another is not renting a car, walk or bike when possible or use already provided transportation options is another.
The most exciting new endeavor by the US to promote not only more efficient but greener travel is the new high speed rail system run on electricity, no green house gasses! The expo is this month in NY and the first track is proposed by 2015. By the way, it goes 200 mph!