Begin your travel planning by tracking your flight's carbon footprint. The United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, has unveiled a carbon calculation tool on its website that allows travelers to estimate the carbon footprint for any flight they take. Once a traveler knows how much carbon dioxide is produced for a given flight, he or she can purchase offsets, such as funding renewable energy or planting trees. Several options exist for purchasing offsets. One solution is to book your travel through TravelTheGreenWay. When a traveler completes travel arrangements through Expedia, Travel The Green Way plants a tree to offset your carbon footprint.
Another viable option is to book your travel through Hotwire. Hotwire's partnership with Terrapss allows this discount travel site to pay half of its customers' carbon offsets purchased through a new program with Terrapass. Money contributed to the Terrapass offsets support clean energy projects including wind power, farm power, and landfill gas capture projects.
Keep in mind that several of the airlines offer carbon offsetting programs as well. Continental Airlines has a voluntary carbon offsetting program that lets customers view the carbon footprint of their booked itinerary and to make a contribution to Sustainable Travel International to fund the purchase of carbon offsets.
In our eco friendly consulting with clients living a sustainable lifestyle, we direct our clients to the following resources to integrate sustainability concepts into their travel plans:
- TheBetterWorldClub makes being a responsible traveler easier by supporting and promoting low impact, responsible travel through partnerships with companies who share their philosophy and commitment to protecting the planet.
- The Green Hotel Association is comprised of environmentally-friendly properties committed to encouraging, promoting, and supporting eco awareness in the hospitality industry.
- Orbitz offers eco awareness services in finding hotels, hybrid rental cars as well as offsetting flight related carbon emissions through Carbonfund.
- Enterprise Rent-A-Car customers have the opportunity to benefit the environment by offsetting the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated by an average rental car operating in our fleet. "For every 100,000 customers who choose to take part in this program, this effort will offset more than 30 million pounds - or 13,500 metric tons - of CO2."
Need more ideas? Here's what you can do to travel green this Thanksgiving holiday:
What You Can Do to Travel Green
- During your hotel stay, let management know that it is not necessary to change your towels and sheets every day. When you leave the room, turn off the AC/heat, lights and TV. Leave the little bottles of shampoo, if you don't use them. Avoid room service.
- Book flights with airlines that recycle the waste created when serving food and beverages to passengers. Southwest Airlines recycles all cabin waste, and was the first to offer electronic ticketing system wide.
- Use the hotel van instead of renting a car. Use public transportation in your destination city.
- Turn water heater to "Vacation" or lowest setting.
- Turn off AC/heat or adjust the thermostat to protect plants, etc.
- Appliances, such as TVs and cable converter boxes, should be unplugged because they can draw or "leak" as much as 40 watts per hour even when they're off.
- Turn icemaker off (lift wire) to prevent flooding should it break while you're away.
- Purchase electronic-tickets for airline travel whenever possible. Less waste. If paper tickets are lost, they may cost $75-100 to have replaced.
- Walk and use public transportation where sensible and available.
- If you're driving, turn your motor off when idling. Encourage tour/bus drivers to turn the motor off when idling.
- When you leave your hotel room, turn off the AC/heat, lights, TV and radio. Close the drapes.
- Participate in hotel recycling programs by placing recyclables in appropriate bins.
- Let hotel management know, by speaking directly to management or writing them a note, that you want them to conserve and that you want to participate.
- Instead of leaving bathroom lights (and fans) on all night, it's wise to pack night lights for hotel stays.
- If the hotel provides complimentary newspapers, pass yours on to someone else, or leave it in the lobby for another reader. Ask the hotel to see that it's recycled.
- Be sure to turn off exercise equipment, sauna, whirlpool, Jacuzzi or tennis court lights when you're through.
- Check out of the hotel via the hotel's electronic program available on the TV in some hotels. You can view your bill, approve it, and help reduce paperwork.
Last but not least, Happy Thanksgiving!
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