Vacation Green
Vacationing Green
Naturally, a vacation is a time to relax, enjoy the destination and forget about the troubles in your life. Now you can vacation in an ecologically efficient fashion—without depriving yourself of fun, rest and entertainment. With help from the Green Hotels Association, here are some easy-to-do tips to make your vacation simply green:
Getting there
Book direct flights with airlines that recycle the waste created when serving food and beverages. Direct flights cut down on the large amount of greenhouse gasses expelled when landing or taking off.
Opt for a scenic train ride over a short-haul flight. Take advantage of walking tours, public transportation, share cabs or pack in as many people into a car as possible when taking a road trip.
Before you go checklist
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Turn the water heater to the lowest setting.
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Turn off AC/heat or adjust the thermostat to protect plants.
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Turn water off at outside connection (to prevent flooding should a pipe break while you're gone). When you return, turn on the water slowly and check for problems.
- Unplug appliances such as TVs and cable converter boxes; they can draw or "leak" as much as 40 watts per hour even when they're off.
- Turn icemaker off (lift wire) to prevent flooding should it break while you're away.
- Borrow items from people you know if you will use them infrequently – tents, voltage converters, guides/maps.
- Stop your newspaper.
While traveling
- Take photos with a regular camera. Disposable cameras are very wasteful and expensive. If possible use a digital camera.
- Carry bottled water with you and refill with filtered tap water.
- Don't buy endangered species products, take “natural souvenirs” or buy things that are so novel that they could end up in a landfill.Take everything out that you brought with you and take it one step further by picking up at least one piece of litter every day.
Things to do at the hotel
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Use the hotel van instead of renting a car. Many hotels offer this service and it can save you a lot of money traveling to and from popular locations and the airport.
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It’s not usually necessary to change your towels or linens every day. You should consider it like a room in your home, if what’s there can last multiple days then use what you can before requesting new ones. As for those little disposable bottles, they are actually best left alone.
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When you leave the room, turn off the AC/heat, lights and TV.
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Reduce fast food waste and avoid room service. Dining on local fare and using real utensils helps reduce disposables and packaging.
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Reduce the amount of water used for bathing or showering. It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re on vacation but important when behaving green.
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Check out of the hotel via the hotel's electronic program available on the TV in some hotels. You can view your bill, approve it, and help reduce paperwork.
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Environmental programs or events may be listed on "things to do in the area" portion of the in-house TV programming.
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Give them a piece of your mind. Comments left by customers actually do get read. So take a moment to write down your disappointment in there lack of a recycling program or let them know they are doing the right thing so that they will be encouraged to keep up the good work.
