 EnviroCitizen.org has found that there are many simple travel steps that you can take that will make a big, green impact. For example, wherever your travels take you, talk to the people that you interact with and let them know that you want to see the travel industry become greener. Businesses are always looking for ways to tailor their products or services to better suit you (so that they can make a profit). If you tell them what you want, they'll respond. When you talk to a manager at a hotel, for example, it's almost as if you're casting a vote. You are voting for that business to become greener. If they're already green, thank them. That way, they can be assured that their green practices are worth their time and money.
You can also make a big, green impact when you travel by choosing where to spend your money. Support businesses that want to be sustainable. There are many hotels and airlines out there that really maintain an environmental commitment. You should patronize these companies because it lets the other companies know that the green companies are on to something and that they should follow suit. The Green Hotels Association (GHA) is a great resource if you're looking for, as you might have guessed, green hotels. Make sure you choose an airline that recycles waste from the planes and works on other environmental challenges.
When you are on your vacation, choose to walk in town instead of drive. In most cases, you can find a hotel that is centrally located, so that all of the destination hotspots are only a few blocks away. If you need to go further than a few miles, plan to take public transportation instead of renting a car. Not only is public transportation more affordable than renting a car, but it is far more energy-efficient and you can leave the driving up to someone else. When you do this, you are sending a message to that city that their public transportation system is valuable and you're sending a message to the tourism industry that their rental cars aren't needed.
The next thing that you can do, which you'll enjoy in the process, is to support ecotourism. Ecotourism is great because it enables you to interact with the natural environment while supporting the local economy and culture. You can take this a step further by not buying certain souvenirs, like products made from endangered species or non-renewable resources.
All of these steps have a greater impact than the effort it takes to make them. By putting your dollars into companies and programs that promote environmental sustainability, EnviroCitizen.org guarantees that you will be sending a message to your vacation destination. You will be letting them know that you value the environment and that you are committed to making green decisions. This tells businesses that, if they want your money, they need to do the same thing, too.
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