“Not all those who wander are lost.” J.R.R. Tolkien

Traveling in an environmentally conscious way is a challenge to do for short trips. Weekends away are costly and not all that eco-savvy when you are driving long distances. Lots of luggage can make the car heavier, burn more fuel, and in general, increase the carbon footprint you produce. Aside from some of the obvious suggestions to make your summer travels more “green” such as car pool, pack light, etc., there are also some less known tips that might improve the overall impact your travels have on the environment. 

First, despite the TSA being an added nuisance when needing to take flights for travel, the requirements for carry-on liquids needing to be in containers of 3.4oz or smaller, and smushed together in a one quart clear plastic container does not need to be a tragedy when packing. For example, instead of buying travel sizes of your necessary products every time you travel, you can use BPA Free recycled plastic bottles every time you travel. There is a perk for not wasting additional plastic in purchasing the travel sizes, but also the added benefit that if you buy in bulk, or have DIY products, they can travel easily without interrupting your regular routine. Additionally, this reduces the need to check luggage (which saves you money, and saves on the fuel the plane will need to transport you!) as you will be able to carry-on your needs for vacations. 

Some hotels offer more sustainable methods of housekeeping as well. The Liberty Hotel in Boston, which originally was built in the 1850s as a prison, is a luxury hotel which could serve as a model for other hotels and hotel chains. In the bathrooms, instead of providing guests with small containers of toiletries, they use large refillable dispensers mounted to the wall, and housekeeping refills those from bulk containers when they clean rooms. This eliminates the waste of endless trial size bottles, and half used products. Granted, its not a perfect solution, but it’s a start! This in addition to the already green (and relatively popular) option of not changing out the towels everyday that have only been used once. Even modern hotels now have toilets that will flush with more or less water depending on the needs of each use. 

While I have much more traveling to do this summer: via flights, car, foot, and bike; I hope to encounter more and more ways to save money and environment. What sustainable travel tips do you have? How do you reduce your carbon footprint in your travels?