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Green Travel
From WikiVerde
It’s that time of the year where you have earned yourself that well deserved vacation. With modernizations in the travel industry, the world has become the traveler’s oyster and just taking off on a vacation is the best way to break away from the monotony of regular routines and tight working hours. While everyone would take into consideration that the vacation should be easy on the wallet, it is now becoming increasingly important to make our vacations easy for the planet earth as well. Our fragile earth has taken brunt of ignorance and impulse for a very long time and this has now started manifesting itself as undesired implications and effects. A few steps, awareness, tips and research can go a long way in reversing this seeming decline and a green vacation would be the best symbiotic relation that we can share with our planet earth.
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Modes of Transport
Doing your homework well in advance and performing research work will save you ample time and energy as well as equip you with all relevant information required for a perfect eco-friendly vacation.
Ideally, the prudent vacationer should opt for a spot that is not too far from his home. This not only saves time but also reduces gas guzzling. An eco-friendly vacation should essentially constitute opting for trains rather than roadways. After arriving at the destination, the traveler can utilize monorails or even rent bicycles and carry them aboard the trains. Wherever possible opt for public transportation over car rental or even taxis.
Opting for a Volunteer Vacation
A volunteer vacation is the best way to not only get involved in things that you like but it can be relaxing for the soul as well and in turn gives you a chance to contribute to preserving the planet earth. Opt for a vacation that requires building classroom furniture, planting trees and other such activities that promote the good health of our planet. This is the best way to give something back to our earth and help to retain its balance.
Digital Cameras Over Film
Make sure that you carry a digital camera rather than a camera that uses film. Also ensure that your camera is equipped with rechargeable batteries rather than disposable ones. Not only is this a green option, it is also a space saver now that you no longer need to carry all those film rolls.
Avoid Disposable Paraphernalia
Make sure you carry your own soaps, towels and shampoos and leave those disposable bottles unopened. Also avoid the use of disposable mugs, plates, plastic bags and bottles, canned drinks or toilet articles. Save natural resources and prevent forest fires by using a camp stove instead of a fire while camping. Delve into the minor details like packing light, avoiding the use of disposable materials and opting for recyclable materials whenever possible.
Explore the Local Area
If you happen to live in a cosmopolitan city or amidst scenic beauty, it would be worthwhile to explore the unexplored areas of your city, before venturing any further. Plan a visit to the parks, museums, restaurants or other recreational centers you have neglected until now. This would eliminate the hassles of traveling to long distances and yet offer the convenience and purpose of taking that well deserved vacation. This would not only prove to be an eco-friendly alternative but also offer a wallet-friendly solution. People are often surprised at just how much there is to do in their own backyards.
Green Hotels
Opting for an eco-friendly or green hotel is an ideal alternative when you are deciding on lodging options. Green hotels are specifically committed to conserving waste and energy and utilizing recyclable materials to minimize the environmental toll on the planet earth. Certain eco-friendly hotels do not allow motorized vehicles on their property. The best way to contribute towards this effort would be to check into a green hotel and support it with your contributions and actions. An average hotel room utilizes 218 gallons of water everyday. Opt for hotels that come equipped with low-flow shower heads in their bathrooms.
Avoid Environmentally Damaging Travel
Certain destinations are especially vulnerable to ecological and environmental imbalance, and these destinations should be off limits for vacationers. If tourists begin to visit these destinations in hordes, it could have long term and irreversible implications. These destinations include the Amazonian rainforest and the Galapagos Islands.
Steps to Take on Your Green Vacation
Make sure you turn off all lights and electrical connections in your house before taking off on your green vacation. Ensure that the air-conditioning and water heaters are turned off. Perform a prior research on the green hotels and vacation spots and narrow down the best available option that is not too far from your home.
Remember, a little effort goes a long way in obviating and minimizing the risk of endangering our planet earth. A perfect balance is imperative towards supporting all life forms. And while nature intended it to be that way, humans are tampering with this process and this may have long term negative repercussions. Nature is to be enjoyed and appreciated and not taken for granted. An avid vacationer should especially be careful about this and let the future generations be proud of us. Retaining the ecological balance is the key and every vacationer needs to be equipped with all relevant information and take appropriate actions towards achieving the same.
References
http://honeymoons.about.com/od/smarttravel/tp/greenvacation.htm
