Blog

Planning a Green Vacation

By Rachel Bertsche for Green Goes Simple

I recently returned from a weeklong honeymoon. Aside from being in awe of Croatia’s breathtaking scenery, delicious wine and fabulous seafood, I was struck by the little steps my hotel took to be greener. We had to use our key to turn the lights on in our room, which meant we could never leave the lights on when we weren’t there. Brilliant! Also, the air conditioner only worked when all the windows were closed, so no energy was wasted. Genius!

The hotel’s green tendencies got me thinking about what I could do to increase the eco-friendly factor of all my vacations. Turns out you don’t have to sleep in a tree house to travel green. The International Ecotourism Society offers plenty of tips for making your trip safe for the earth, no matter if you’re booking a five-star getaway or a rustic trek.

“People think sustainable travel means really roughing it, but there are a range of options and a range of opportunities,” says Ayako Ezaki, director of communications for TIES. “You don’t need to be one specific kind of traveler, and you don’t need to be overwhelmed.” Follow these tips for a green vacation everyone will love:

• Before you book, call any hotels or tour operators you’re thinking of using and ask them if they have any environmental policies and if they employ local citizens. Find out if they have any eco-label ratings or have won any eco-awards.

• When choosing your method of travel, think about the hierarchy of transportation. According to TIES, air traffic is responsible for 10 percent of greenhouse gases worldwide. Coach buses are the greenest option, followed by trains, then cars. If you don’t have to fly, consider another mode of transportation.

• While you’re there, support the local community. “The key words we often use are ‘local’ and ‘authentic,’” says Ezaki. “Take advantage of the vast knowledge of the citizens by hiring local tour guides.” Also, skip souvenirs that may have been manufactured thousands of miles away and instead buy gifts made in the community.

• Once you’re home, write reviews and give feedback. “The tourism industry is reputation-focused, so what each traveler can tell a business is more important than you may think,” says Ezaki. “Your message as a consumer is saying, ‘I care about the environment; I want you to be greener.’ That alone will get people to implement change.”

Rachel Bertsche is a Web producer and journalist in Chicago. She’s written for publications including O: The Oprah Magazine, Marie Claire, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Outside and Fitness. She’s currently working on her first book, MWF Seeking BFF, which will be out in 2012. If you can’t wait, check out her blog of the same name.

This thought has crossed my mind a few times. See I have the curse. The curse of perfectionism. I don’t do green perfectly, duh right? Well every so often I have this voice in my head that says I am suppose to do it perfectly.  Impossible.

Thankfully I have another a voice in my head(the voice of reason) that says “Hey, small changes do make a difference, keep it up!”  That is what I believe in my heart. I believe that everyone of us can make a difference, everyday. Walking a little bit out of your way to recycle a cup or bringing your bag to the grocery store – these actions make a difference.

So I will keep this blog and I will keep composting, looking for eco-friendly products, bringing my bags when I shop, using my canteen, driving less, unplugging electronics not in use, buying local and organic when possible, and teaching my son to respect and appreciate the earth.

I just booked my tickets to attend  the Women In Green Forum on September 1st and 2nd in Pasadena, California.

There will be some amazing speakers there, check out a few here.

I can’t wait to test drive an Electric Vehicle!

I have been thinking about what it means to be a Green Mom today. Of course it means you recycle and reduce your footprint as much as possible. I am trying to be a little more “green” everyday but I am far from perfect or “certified green”. I still drive a car that uses gas, I eat meat, we use papertowels, etc… but I am making a conscious effort everyday to be greener. I believe every little bit helps and that is why I started this blog. I want to find cool green toys, green activities, and other green kids products and share them here.

Here are few things I am doing to be more “green”

1. I try to buy organic sustainable food for my home. I have also started looking buying local whenever it’s an option, farmer’s market are great for this!

2. Try to buy green products for us whenever possible, including toys and clothes(my two favorite things to buy) I have also started passing on products that come with a ton of packaging. Is it really necessary to have things in so many boxes just to do more advertising?

3. Seeking out green, cool, earth friendly clothes for the whole family.

4. Teaching my son about recycling, conservation, composting, and reducing waste.

Please tell me what it means to you to be a “Green Mom”?