How To Find Eco-Friendly Travel Options

Traveling in an eco-friendly way is important for anyone looking to reduce their carbon footprint and make a difference toward global environmental change. Unfortunately, while it can be relatively easy to find eco-friendly products, foods and clothing, it can be a bit more difficult to find eco-friendly travel options, as the environment isn’t necessarily what most travelers put at the top of their list of concerns.

The No. 1 thing you can do to ensure your travel plans are as eco-friendly as possible is research your accommodations, transportation and activities. If looking for a hotel, the Green Hotels Association lists properties all over the United States, as well as several international destinations, that follow eco-friendly practices. You’ll find everything from budget options to luxury hotels to bed and breakfasts.

When planning your activities, give The International Ecotourism Society a try. You can browse their organizational membership list for tour operators and attractions in your destination that often support the local economy and operate in a sustainable manner.

While it can be rather difficult to fly in an eco-friendly manner, you can reduce the damage caused by choosing direct flights when available. If traveling to a destination where it’s possible, consider taking a train or even a bus, rather than a plane. After your arrival, bike around the area rather than taking taxis.

After all your efforts, if you still want to offset your carbon footprint, TerraPass can help you do so. Use their handy carbon footprint calculator to estimate the pounds of CO2 emissions you produce each year (the average American emits more than 63,000). They’ll also tell you how many urban trees are needed to offset your footprint (again, if you’re average, it’ll be close to 1,000). Then, according to your annual carbon footprint, you can purchase an offset to go toward destroying greenhouse gases produced by landfills, farms and abandoned coal mines.