 Even if you are staying at the most sustainable, eco-friendly hotel in the world, EnviroCitizen.org has found that there is still one aspect of your vacation that you could change to make your vacation even more eco-friendly-reduce your carbon footprint at home! Before you leave on your eco-friendly vacation, take a little time to prepare your home for the vacation.
Alter your heater or air conditioner settings while you are away. This small change varies a lot depending on your situation and the season. Regardless of how long you'll be gone, consider turning your air conditioner or heater completely off if your climate allows for it. This will also depend on if you have pets or plants that you're leaving at home and what time of year it is (house plants would definitely get stressed out in the dead of winter with no heat). Unless you have plants or pets that will inhabit your home while you're away or you live in an area where your home would suffer harm due to the lack of heating or cooling, there is no reason not to shut the heating/cooling system off. You could even have a friend or neighbor stop by your house a day or two before you get back to switch it back on so that your home is comfortable by the time you return. You'll save money on your electricity bill and reduce your carbon footprint. You can even try to keep the outside temperature outside using other methods. Try insulating your windows well and covering your windows with curtains or other window shades that effectively keep the indoor temperature as consistent as possible.
Get rid of phantom power. Phantom power is the power that appliances continue to suck even if they are on the “off” setting. Walk through your home and unplug everything, from toasters to TV's, that doesn't need to stay on (obviously, you want to keep your refrigerator plugged in if you have any food in there). Make sure to also check your refrigerator to make sure that you aren't wasting energy keeping expired items cold (it also prevents the undesirable smell of rotting food that you'll find when you open up your fridge for the first time after coming home from your vacation).
Turn your hot water heater off (or down). There is absolutely no reason to keep it on while you're away on vacation, especially because as the water is heated then left unused, the water heater will continue to kick on in order to maintain a higher temperature.
If you're concerned about burglars while you're away, don't just leave on the porch light. If a criminal is watching your home to see if you are indeed on vacation, the porch light always being on will quickly lose its deterrent effect. Consider buying a lighting device that turns multiple lights on and off at random, automatic intervals. This device deters criminals effectively and prevents the need for several lights from being on the entire time while you are away (reducing your energy needs and carbon footprint).
If you subscribe to the newspaper, temporarily cancel your service so that you won't waste paper (and trees) by having the newspaper delivered while you are away. You can also ask your cable and internet services if they will temporarily suspend your services for a reduced rate.
EnviroCitizen.org has found that these tips can be very helpful in keeping your green vacation as eco-friendly as possible while reducing your utility bills! |
