Offsetting your carbon footprint while traveling can be a difficult feat to manage. But nowadays, as companies and the general public become more and more informed, green travel can become a reality. Here’s a quick guide to small things you can do to make your trip less harsh on the environment.
First, utilize public transportation. That big smelly bus that is motoring down Fifth Avenue may look like an awful polluter. But it’s actually better to ride on that thing than your very own personal taxi. Until cities like New York and Chicago pass laws to require all taxi cab companies use hybrid vehicles, traveling on buses and trains will leave the least carbon footprint. It’s also a great way to meet and watch the locals in action. Buses are fantastic modes of transport for tourists, especially in foreign countries. It is also a great way to get around safely and economically. You also won’t get lost as easily as when you rent a rental car!
Second, reuse your sheets and towels. Nearly every hotel on the planet has installed those information cards that inform you of this. Reusing the same linens for your entire stay greatly reduces the effect on the environment. And why is it that 90 percent of us at home will sleep on our sheets for weeks at a time, but then can’t go two nights in a hotel?