Web Analytics
American Roads Travel Magazine - Vagabond Traveler
American Roads Travel Magazinesubscribe to American Roadscontact american roadsfriends and linksbecome a sponsor or advertise
travel writers - travel magazine columns and travel articles
current issue of american roadsamerican roads writers, contributors, photographersarchives of American Roadsbooks by Kathleen Wallshome page of American Roads Travel Magazine
writers

Main Street
Inn Roads
Fork in the Road

Scenic Highway

High Roads
Corts Crossroads
Art Trails
Heritage Trail
Vagabond Traveler
Off the Beaten Path


american roads travel magazine - regular features
latest books by Kathleen Walls
Wild About Florida - North

Central Florida

Wild About Florida

Hosts with Ghosts

Finding Floridas Phantoms

Georgias Ghostly Getaways

Man Hunt

Sarahs Story

Tax Sale Tactics

Last Step

Kudzu

 

 

 

"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

 

  1. Carry out what you've carried in.
  2. Don't litter and leave cans, plastic, and paper along the way.
  3. Pick up litter items you see. I know, they're not yours. It's not fair.  But it helps save the earth.
  4. Learn to use recyclable items for your food storage and wrapping, as well as for your belongings.
  5. 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

American Roads travel magazine
terms of useprivacy policysite mapcopyright