"GOING GREEN" IN YOUR TRAVELS By Mary Emma
Allen
"Going
Green" has become a common term in our lives today and takes on meaning when we
travel, too. Many travelers look for green
places to travel, agencies that will book them into green destinations, and car rentals
with green energy saving autos.
What is "green" or "going green" in today's
world? It means something different to
various people, but in general
saving the environment, refraining from leaving carbon
footprints, and becoming aware of environmentally safe practices. These all figure into it and thus into travel,
too.
I've
begun writing The "Green" Vagabond Traveler Blog (http://greenvagabondtraveler.blogspot.com ) where I discuss some of these ideas and refer to
resources for the traveler who is environmentally conscious. Of course, we can carry this practice to extremes
so that the "green" practices actually don't save the earth overall.
However, here are some things to keep in mind at home and in your
travels:
5 Tips for Green Hiking
- Carry out what you've carried in.
- Don't litter and leave cans, plastic, and paper along
the way.
- Pick up litter items you see. I know, they're not yours. It's not fair.
But it helps save the earth.
- Learn to use recyclable items for your food storage and
wrapping, as well as for your belongings.
- Stay on trails and be aware of rare plants that are easily
destroyed. (Also staying on trails helps keep
you from getting lost.)
Here are some Green Ways activities you can practice at home
and when you travel. Enjoy a variety that
incorporates an appreciation of the environment and a conscious desire to be a friend of
the earth.
1.
Become considerate of the environment
in your daily life and when you travel; educate yourself and your family as to what these
are.
2.
Enjoy the natural world around you
wherever your travels take you. There is so
much to see and do that is nature or environmentally oriented to provide pleasure.
3.
Take your family for walks near your
home and find places for this when you're away from home. We've often discovered parks, greenways,
scenic overlooks, waterfalls, etc. for walks and entertainment, even in cities we visit.
4.
Watch birds at a feeder, birdbath, or
in the wilds. I've often watched them
from my hotel window.
5.
Involve your children in arts and
crafts projects that incorporate recycled materials.
Some of these can keep youngsters busy in a car, on a plane, bus or train as
you travel.
Travel Green
Included in State Programs
States and cities incorporate "green" into their
programs, events, and advertising slogans. I
see this when I travel through airports, on billboards along the highways, in tourism ads,
and in the welcome signs to small towns.
For
instance, Wisconsin has Travel Green Wisconsin program (http://www.travelgreenwisconsin.com/consumer/About/index.htm ). Here you'll
learn about various businesses and events that follow "green" practices. This is not to say others don't. However, some have opted to become involved with
Travel Green Wisconsin. Other states will
have similar programs.
"But we don't have much that's green around here,"
some might say who live in desert or arid areas. "Going
green," doesn't mean you
have to make everything green. Simply be
aware of earth friendly practices that save and enhance what we have and minimize any
necessary construction, travel, work and living that infringe upon the environment. Because there are many instances when man and
nature will conflict/interact, a sensible, not extreme, balance must be found as we live
and travel.
�
Mary Emma Allen
(Mary Emma Allen writes for children and adults, has been a travel editor of a
regional publication. She and her husband
have a love of travel and seeing other parts of the country.)
For information about Mary
Emma click here
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