Top Tips for Traveling Green

Top Tips for Traveling Green

At Penda, we are serious about ‘treading lightly’, partnering with a tree-planting organisation called Greenpop to sponsor a tree for each person who joins a photo tour. But it doesn’t have to stop there! Learn how you can incorporate green practices into your travel plans from the Greenpoppers themselves!

Everyone loves to travel, but it’s no secret that between the planes, trains, and automobiles that it takes to get to your destination, traveling can often be pretty detrimental to the environment. However, by following just a few simple steps, you can ensure that your traveling plans will be a little more eco-friendly.

Before You Leave

Prep your house. Before you set off on vacation, make sure to turn down your thermostat and turn off the lights – keeping the heat running and lights on will use up unnecessary energy while you’re gone. Completing this step will not only help out the environment, but it will probably cut down on your bills too!

Pack Smart. Before hitting the road, ensure that you’re only packing what you absolutely need. The heavier your bags are, the more fuel your mode of transportation will be forced to use.

Bring a Reusable Bottle. As simple as it may sound, this step can go a long way in reducing your carbon footprint while traveling. By bringing a reusable bottle (preferably made of metal or glass), you’ll be able to cut back on a substantial amount of wasteful plastic that comes along with buying bottled water. In addition to reducing your plastic consumption, you’ll also be saving water – it takes about 3 litres of water in order to manufacture 1 litre of bottled water!

In Transit  

Choose Your Method of Travel Wisely. Consider how far you have to travel when selecting your mode of transportation. Although trains and busses may take a bit longer, they are a more efficient and eco-friendly way to get to your destination.

Airplanes. Often times, taking an airplane is unavoidable. If this is the case, try and select a flight with the most direct route. Despite being a tad bit more expensive, you’ll be significantly reducing your carbon footprint as planes use the most fuel during takeoff and landing.

While There

Pick a Green Hotel. When deciding on a hotel, be sure to ask questions about the hotel’s recycling program, whether or not it has programs in place to reduce consumption, and if it is locally owned and staffed. While staying at the hotel, choose to reuse your sheets and towels, rather than having them washed and changed each day. Keep showers short to save water, and turn off all electronics and air conditioning/ heating when you leave your room for the day.

Rent a Bike. One of the best ways to see a new city is to see it on a bicycle! You’ll get to move quickly through your destination while avoiding traffic, see the city like a local, and help the environment.

Eat Local. Another great way to see the city like a local while staying green is to consume locally sourced food. For a fresh meal that will also help support the community, make sure to look for restaurants that use locally sourced ingredients. You can also look for local farmer’s markets to get fresh ingredients to cook with yourself!

Using these simple steps, you should be able to make your getaway fun and enjoyable for both you and the environment. When you return from your trip, you can calculate your carbon footprint at http://greenpop.herokuapp.com/. A great way to offset some of that carbon footprint is to get outside, get dirty, and plant a tree!

Happy traveling!