How To Travel Green

So we do all we can at home to save the environment and reduce the carbon offset.  We live green almost every day of the year.  That’s right, almost.  What about those two weeks of the year that you are on vacation?  Are you traveling green?  Here are some tips on how to live green every day of the year, even when you are on vacation.

To and Fro

When going to and from your vacation destination, try to keep it within the same continent so you don’t have to fly.  Driving is a good alternative to flying in order to save on the carbon emissions.  A plane puts out way more emissions than does a car.  How about traveling by train?  There are passenger trains that go to many major cities around almost every country, and you can rent a car when you get there.

Where to Go

There are many destinations that are already coined as eco-destinations that you can choose from.  Eco-destinations are defined as areas where you can truly enjoy nature and the natural resources that it provides.  There won’t be any clubbing or skydiving on your eco-vacation but you can enjoy some hiking and scuba diving.  Independent Traveler has rated the top five eco-destinations as Palau, the island that the 10th season of the popular television series Survivor was filmed, Costa Rica, the Norwegian Fjords, Kerala, India, and Kenya, Africa.  Of course, you can find your own eco-destination by looking for a place where nature is the main attraction.

Where to Stay

Eco-lodging can be found around the world so there is no reason to have to stay anywhere else.  Look online for eco-lodging and you will be amazed at the steps that many hotels are taking to go green.  An eco-friendly hotel might be a new building with a Green Building certification or might be an old building that has made upgrades to be greener.  Some upgrades might include using energy saving fluorescent lighting, water saving technologies, or even using organic cleaning products to clean the rooms with.  If you want to travel green then you should make sure to find an eco-friendly sort of lodging once you reach your destination.

You Can Travel Green By Air, If You Must

Green travel doesn’t mean donning your backpack and hitchhiking across the country, or even driving for four days each way, reducing eight days of your 14 day vacation.  You can still fly and do your part to reduce the carbon footprint.

Flying across the country releases as much carbon from the plane as the typical person releases in a year of driving to and from work.  That’s just the carbon, there are other gases released from an airplane that aren’t even included here.  If you can take your trip by car, do it.  If that is not possible, though, then do your part to travel green by contributing to the carbon offset of the additional carbon you will be causing to be released into the atmosphere.

Sure, it is true that the plane would be making the trip with or without you, but if everyone on the trip was concerned about the environment and did their part then a real difference could be made.  Some travel agents and websites are linking up with non-profit and for profit carbon offsetting groups that will plant trees to reduce the carbon released.  You can add the price of the carbon offsetting in with your plane ticket at around $20 for a round trip, cross country flight.

What can the airlines do to contribute to green travel?  The obvious answer would be to reduce the number of daily flights.  If airlines would actually fill up their planes for each flight, they would be able to reduce their flight schedules by a minimum of one flight per day.  If each airline reduced flights by one per day, then it would certainly have a significant environmental impact.  Perhaps if travelers started requesting almost full flights for every leg of a trip then they could help the airlines to realize that reducing flights will not only save the environment but save them money, too.

Be sure to look for a green hotel or eco-lodge when you get to your destination, and help to conserve water and energy when you are there.  Rent a fuel-friendly car, or a hybrid if they have one available, or better yet use public transportation.  And plan some eco-friendly activities.

What Are The Electric Cars?

Electric cars are exactly what they sound like – cars that run on electricity.  Electric cars actually run on a battery that is charged by electricity, but they don’t run on gasoline at all.  These are different from the hybrid cars that are so popular on the vehicle market today, and more affordable.  Hybrid cars use both electricity and gasoline, sometimes simultaneously and sometimes independent.  Both cars are more environmentally friendly than a gasoline car, but electric cars are much more so.

Electric cars haven’t quite hit the market running yet.  They have been developed and tested, and apparently the batteries have been improved since the first electric car to allow for up to 200 miles between charges.  Unfortunately, according to an award winning documentary, the government and oil companies decided that the electric car would not be beneficial to their bottom line and killed the whole idea.  This, of course, is speculation, or some would call it a conspiracy theory, but it doesn’t make sense that the car companies would spend so much time and money to produce such a car only to shelve the idea without ever allowing consumers the chance to purchase them.

One company did put a limited number of electric cars up for sale, but they are not really a car in the traditional sense and certainly don’t make sense for families to own.  This car is more like a framed in motorcycle with four wheels.  It is a two seater, but with the second seat behind the driver.  It’s an odd looking car, but who cares?  If it helps the carbon footprint then it will sell.  It has sold, in fact.  George Clooney was so impressed he bought one of the first to roll out.  Way to go, George, for setting a great example!

Until the government and oil companies (if you believe this theory) allow true electric cars to be purchased by the general public, it looks like we are stuck with hybrids.  Hybrids are most certainly a better choice than full gasoline cars.  They give off much less greenhouse gas emissions and they’re not much more expensive than a gasoline car.  It is argued that the extra you pay for a hybrid car will be returned before the car is paid off in gasoline savings.

How Cities Can Use Green Hydro Energy

Could cities actually save money by going green?  One company seems to think so.  Hydro energy is the newest thing being tested to supply power to entire cities, and so far it looks to be far less expensive than the current electricity being generated by fossil fuels, with none of the harmful emissions or environmental hazards.

The only thing a city would need to utilize hydro energy is a source of running water and hydro turbine generators.  Several sources could be used for inland cities, including manmade streams.  Hydro energy is a constantly renewable, free source of energy, too.  So far, it doesn’t cost anything to take advantage of natural running water sources.

Not only would hydro energy save cities a ton of money, it would save the residents of the city on their electric bills.  This could have a significant impact on a city’s economy.  If the residents are saving money on utility bills, they will be spending more with the local merchants.  It’s a cycle that benefits everybody from residents to government to large and small businesses.

So why aren’t more cities using hydro energy?  There are a few who have shown great interest in hydro energy sources for their city, Toronto and Ontario, Canada for example. But only long term plans for major US cities are just being discussed and not close to implementation.

Toronto has already implemented its first city renewable energy project using hydro energy of sorts.  Toronto is using the cooler water from the depths of Lake Ontario as an energy source to run the air conditioning in 51 of the city’s office buildings.  This project is effectively reducing carbon emissions by nearly 80,000 tons and reducing the energy consumption of air conditioning by 90%.

More large cities around the world should look into using hydro energy to reduce their electricity consumption, to save the cities money, to save money for the businesses and residents of the city, and to do their part in saving the planet.  If everyone who is concerned about any of these issues would write a letter to their city officials, they will almost be forced to at least look into hydro energy and providing green energy resources for your city.

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