Getting Green Vacation Packages

Many people have heard the terms "green travel" and "ecotourism". These terms conjure images of someone napping in a tree house in a jungle located at the far reaches of the Earth or floating down the Amazon River in a canoe. And while these are certainly green alternatives, this is only one type of eco-friendly travel. The good news is that you won't have to sacrifice the comforts to which you've grown accustom, nor will you have to venture to a location in the middle of nowhere. You can even go green when traveling to big cities or populated beaches. All you really need in order to preserve the planet is a desire to protect and preserve the planet around you, no matter where you travel.

"Green travel" is a catch phrase that has become common as of late.  This phrase and others such as eco-tourism, responsible travel and sustainable tourism are certainly common topics of today. We hear these terms more and more as the concern over our planet's state continues to grow. There are a variety of shades of divergence amongst each of these terms, but the value of defending the natural and societal environments of each place you visit remains as the heart of the matter. This means we must strive to conserve plant and wildlife, as well as other resources, while respecting all the local cultures and traditions.

Almost a billion tourists cross the globe annually. For this reason, it's become more imperative than ever before for travelers to reduce their singular impact on natural and cultural resources. The harmful effects of tourism will affect both the local and global environment. It's a well known fact that oceanfront hotels heavily contribute to beach erosion in Hawaii and the growing number of tourists is severely threatening the delicate ecosystem in the Galapagos Islands.  On top of everything else, we're causing global warming with our plane rides and our car trips in a massive way!

Your first step should be to try and find a green hotel. You will find lots of online sources to help you along the way. When using websites to search for green vacation packages; always remember that each site has its own rating criteria. Therefore, you will need to do your homework in order to make sure that your hotel of choice meets the standards you're seeking.

Consider asking the following questions before booking a hotel:

• Is the lodging facility locally owned? If it isn't locally owned, is the staff local? It's a good idea to stay at a hotel that is run by local citizens.
   
• Does the hotel offer a recycling program? Do they offer bins for potential recyclables?
   
• Does the hotel encourage guests to reuse towels and linens?
   
• Does the hotel employ techniques to reduce consumption? For example, do they use low flow toilets, low flow showers, solar power, and energy saving light bulbs?

EnviroCitizen.org suggests you ask lots of questions and remember that finding a green hotel is only one step in the process. Do your homework and go green today!