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Author: $4ut
Go paperless with your PDA.
Save a tree — and your back — by downloading travel guides, maps, and even boarding passes onto a handheld device. Lonely Planet sells travel content in “Pick & Mix Chapters” downloads, allowing you to buy only the information you need and view it on your PDA, and Rough Guides provides free downloads of cultural audio “iToors” for iPods. On domestic flights, Air Canada offers paperless tickets featuring scannable electronic bar codes that are sent to your cell phone or PDA. Continental Airlines is currently testing this technology.
Streamline your suitcase.
Even 10 extra pounds per passenger translates into the need for extra fuel, which can then lead to more carbon dioxide emissions. Pack light.
Towel off twice.
Use only the towels you need, hang them to dry, then reuse. Likewise, why have your sheets changed every day? Leave a note for housekeeping to skip changing the sheets and towels. Opting to use them again can save up to 30 gallons of water a day.
Bring your own shampoo — or take theirs.
Hotel soaps and bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and lotion that have been opened — even if just for one use — are routinely tossed in the trash. Carry your own amenities in reusable travel containers. If you open one of theirs, toss it in your bag to be finished off at home and refilled for future trips.
Eat locally.
An American meal involves food flown in from, on average, five different countries, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Minimize food-transport pollution by choosing a restaurant that utilizes regional ingredients.
Drink locally.
If the tap water is safe, go ahead and drink it. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, while public water gets tested for contaminants thousands of times a year, bottled-water facilities may not test their products as frequently. Plus, a discarded plastic bottle can take years to biodegrade.
Walk, ride, or rent a hybrid.
Too far to walk? Hop on a bus or the subway. Most cities’ transportation-authority websites have a route-planner function; also try www.hopstop.com or www.subwaynavigator.com. If your trip requires a car, rent a hybrid (choose “hybrid” under “car options” at www.kayak.com) to reduce emissions by up to one-half. The next best option? Find a “green” car at www.hybrids.orbitz.com.
Written by Nicole Alper, Elizabeth Jenkins, Kate Merker, and Lori Seto
Category:
Travel Tips
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