Seven Ways to Stay Green While on Vacation

ID-10084349 - Old Suitcases - iconmac - FreedigitalphotosIt’s all too easy to forego your diet while vacationing in favor of rich delectable foods and those hard-to-resist fruity umbrella drinks served in a coconut. You may even sleep in a little later, stay out a little longer, get a tad too much sun, and skip your regular workout. But – just because you’re on vacation – that doesn’t mean ALL of your good habits have to take a hiatus, too. Eco-friendly explorers can maintain their hard-earned environmental steward status – even when hundreds of miles away from home!

1)      Book a Room at an Eco-Friendly Hotel or Resort:  More and more hotel chains and resorts are finding value in sustainable practices. Do a little bit of research before you book your room to find accommodations at a hotel chain or resort that shares your commitment to protecting the environment.

2)      Staycation vs. Vacation: Take a good look at the resorts and attractions close to home. It may be possible to plan a wonderfully relaxing, incredibly fun and entirely memorable “staycation” that’s just a short car ride from your very own driveway.

3)      Walk This Way: Unless you plan to staycation nearby, chances are that you’ll need to fly or drive to your destination of choice. If that’s the case, try to plan your stay around the ability to walk, ride a bike or take public transportation once you arrive in order to leave as small an environmental impact as possible.

4)      Pack a Bag for Recyclables: Just as you pack a bag for your dirty laundry, you may want to pack a separate bag for recyclable materials. Most hotel rooms only have a trash receptacle or two, but – chances are – the hotel has a recycling bin somewhere on the property. Otherwise, you can plan to bring your bag of recyclables to dispose of in your own recycling bin at home (not as easy to do when traveling by plane).

5)      Plan Part of Your Trip Around Environmental Stewardship: If travelling to the beach, bring a trash bag on your morning walk and pick up litter along the way. In the event that there is an environmental or natural history museum where you’re headed, you may want to add it to your to do list. Truly gung-ho green people may even plan their trip around an environmental event like Earth Day or the Great American Backyard Campout.

6)      Dine at Farm (and Fish)-to-Table Establishments: Support the local economy, local farmers AND local fishermen by dining in restaurants with menus that feature local produce and fresh fish from the waters nearby.

7)      Maintain the Same Efficient Use of Energy and Water While on Vacation: It’s tempting to take a long hot shower, crank the AC up, and leave the lights on all day in the hotel room – but try to maintain those same conservative levels of usage while on vacation as you do at home.

Happy Travels from Your Friends at Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful!

Image Credit: iconmac/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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