Indulge in a “Green” Vacation

HempCloud -- 05/04/2011 09:15 AM —

Like everything else, vacations have changed. Environmental (and financial) consciousness has led people to rethink how they spend their precious time off. It used to be that you would jet off to some faraway destination, lie on the beach outside your luxury hotel, sipping piña coladas underneath an umbrella. As appealing as that image is, nowadays, people want to do something a little bit more meaningful with their vacation dollars.

Where To Go

Instead of going far away, you could choose a vacation destination much closer to home. You might even indulge yourself in a ‘stay-cation,’ patronizing the pampering of local spas and the excitement of local attractions. You could choose one of the ‘greener’ cities, like Chattanooga, Tennessee, which has transformed itself from the worst city, environmentally, to number one.

Where To Stay

Look for hotels that participate in some kind of ‘green’ program, from housekeeping to design. In fact, the green hotels organization (www.greenhotels.com) was practically the first to recognize humanity’s environmental impact; for nearly 20 years member hotels have offered guests the option to re-use their linens, which can save as much as 475 gallons of water, per room!

How To Get There

Transportation offers many opportunities to ‘go green.’ If your destination is within driving distance of home, consider renting a hybrid vehicle for the trip, especially if the family car is a gas-guzzler. If you are going a little farther, consider taking public transportation – a train trip is an adventure in itself, and replaces many individual vehicles. If you must fly, be sure to enroll in a carbon offset purchase, where your extra dollars contribute to the development of environmentally-conscientious energy sources, ‘offsetting’ the carbon dioxide emissions that are a part of air travel.

It’s Easy Being Green

When you get where you are going, remember the good habits you already have. Strive to fit in to the vacation environment without adding to its ecological burden. Bring your own water bottle from home and refill it along the way. You might bring your own soap and shampoo and donate your little hotel bottles to a homeless shelter. When you eat out on vacation, don’t abandon your good habits – eat at local restaurants and strive to order locally grown produce.

Everywhere Is a Holiday

Look for local specialties, not just in your foods but also in your fun. Find out what is unique about a community by investigating local artisans and producers. Bicycle or walk around in your holiday destination, rather than driving about. If you do decide to rent a vehicle, make sure it is a hybrid, to keep your carbon footprint small.

Put Your Ecology on the Line

If you are truly serious about ecology, why not go all the way and look for opportunities to volunteer in remote communities, helping a town develop a clean drinking water system, for example. Your eyes will be opened and you will have lent your talents and your dollars to excellent causes. Go to www.ecotourism.org to get you started.

Heather Johnson is a writer for Honeymoon Destinations, the leading online honeymoon planning resource. Learn all about the best honeymoon destinations today!