How to be greener while on vacation this year
Staying green while on vacation can present quite the challenge, but it can be done.
With just a little preparation and know-how, you can have a more eco-friendly vacation that you can feel good about.
Plan ahead
Hop in any of the popular travel sites out there and do some research. They all offer advice for just about any place you want to visit, and that includes eco-tourism, lodging and activities. You can also visit sites like Gogreentravel.com to get tips on how to travel in a sustainable way. These sites can all help you plan a vacation that suits your style without hindering your vacation fun.
Choose green lodging
Did you know that hotels can now obtain “green certifications”? This mean they have been certified environmentally friendly by the EPA, so before booking with any hotel as them if they have won any such awards or if they offer green options, like recycling.
Carpool or take a non-stop flight
If possible, choose a non-stop flight for travel to reduce carbon emissions. While on vacation, take public transportation, carpool, ride a bike, or walk to reduce your carbon footprint.
Support Eco-Tourism
This is really simple to do- just get active outdoors by visiting national parks and participate in activities that support protecting the earth. When outdoors, take photos and leave footprints, but nothing else. In other words, protect the environment around you by not littering or taking natural objects.
Give green
For souvenirs, buy local or buy gifts that are made with recycled or reused materials. This supports green living and local communities.
Going Green On Vacation is a good thing!
It will make you feel better about taking your vacation and will help the environment as well. It’s a win/win. It’s important to take care of our Earth. It’s the only one we have!
Check out my other Earth Day posts and ways to help the Earth. You can find 10 activities that you can do with kids to help the Earth. This ones really important it’s 3 chemicals to get out of your house immediately. Or have you read 10 little things you can do to be a tiny bit greener! And let’s not forget going green while on vacation. Here’s a list of great homemade cleaning recipes that will help you clean and be green. Happy Earth Day!
These are great tips! I like to bring along my own snacks when we travel. I purchase large containers of snack foods and then scoop it into my reusable containers. This helps to reduce waste of individually wrapped goodies and save money (and who wants to drive a long way with a bag of garbage?)
Love these green tips! I am always looking for ways to be more friendlier to our environment!
Great tips. I think it is so important to support the local community of wherever you are!
Those are all awesome tips. We are on vacay right now actually and I never even really thought about going green while I was away.
Thanks for the tips! Every little bit helps out.
Great tips. I try to find green lodging when we are vacation.
These are some great tips. I’ll keep them in mind while vacationing from now on.
I love the idea of going green when it comes to souvenirs for friends and family. When we lived in CO we collected leaves and made wreathes for my daughter’s grandparents!
These are excellent tips. So often we forget everything when we go on vacation.
Nice tips! I never really thought about green lodging!
Great tips! planning ahead s a big must!
Awesome tips! Staying green is not for just being at home. It’s great when you travel too
I wish I could afford to fly direct (because while that’s helping be eco-friendly, it’s also awesome to not have to have stop-overs haha)!! I do make sure to walk lots when I’m out on vacation, not only to be good to the environment but it’s really the best way to see some places 🙂
These are great tips! We love to shop local wherever we are!
Love the idea of a green vacation. That would be a great teaching opp for the kids too.
These are great ideas to reduce your carbon footprint while travelling!
These couldn’t come at a better time. I have a trip this month!
I would love to take a trip that’s specifically eco-friendly. There are some wonderful options out there. I didn’t know some places were green certified though. That’s awesome.
I never thought about going green while on vacation. These are a lot of great suggestions and I will have to keep these in mind next time we travel. We do try and do our best when we are home.
I never realized that I was “less green” on vacation but its true. I am far less concious of my footprint. Great tips.
Eco-friendly trips are super popular. My family likes to take trips to state or national parks and explore – but always being careful not to take or destroy anything during our visit. Also, when we go to hotels we try to use towels and our bedsheets for multiple days to cut down on washing & detergent.
I had not thought about green travel. I really need to step up my game.
Great tips, just in time for Earth Day! I need to incorporate more Green Tips into our family trips!
These are great tips. I will be traveling in June to Mexico and will definitely keep these in mind.
What a timely post for Earth Day! It is always important to consider doing things in a more eco-friendly way.
These are all really great tips! I always feel so bad when we vacation because I feel we aren’t being “green” enough. I will surely remember these for our next planned vacation!
I noticed a lot of the hotels are going green! That’s great since I’m sure they have lots of waste!
For some reason I hadn’t thought of green lodging. Great suggestion!
All of these tips are really fantastic. I really like the suggestion to Give Green. I enjoy supporting local artisans whenever I can!
Nice post just in time for Earth day! I’m all for carpooling, we try to do this whenever possible.
Thanks for the tips! Honestly I recycle at home and work but never think green on vacation. Great job spreading awareness!
We always plan ahead. We could always do better to be green, but we are learning.
These are incredible tips! I love the idea of going green on vacation.
I consider myself a green person, and would travel in the most earth friendly car on vacation if I could!
These are some great tips
These are great tips! I’ve noticed some hotels have that certification.
Great tips to be used almost anywhere. I’m adjusting to being more green and this is a helpful post.