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Reduce CO2 Emissions When You Travel
Global travel and tourism enjoyed strong growth worldwide in 2006, and forecasts call for additional growth of 4.6 percent for each of the next ten years.1 It's more important than ever for travelers to minimize their individual environmental impact; the potential negative effects of tourism are both local and global.
Air travel has a particularly negative impact on the atmosphere. The sum total of the damage is about 1.9 times that of driving a relatively fuel-efficient car. So a trip to Europe for a west coaster or a trip to Hawaii for an east coaster is nearly equivalent to the yearly CO2 emissions of the average fuel efficient car. We now live in a global world and air travel is an integral part of that world. So find out how travellers can offset the environmental impact of their air travel.
Throughout the planning phase and actual traveling, a traveler is faced with many opportunties along the way to impact climate change, either negatively or positively. Below are some tips to travel by to minimize the impact on the places we love to visit. |
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BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME
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Turn water heater to "Vacation" or lowest setting. |
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Turn off AC/heat or adjust the thermostat to protect plants, etc. |
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Appliances, such as TVs and computers, should be unplugged because they can draw or "leak" as much as 40 watts per hour even when they're off. |
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Stop your newspaper. You may be able to donate it to a school. |
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Purchase electronic-tickets for airline travel whenever possible. |
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WHILE YOU ARE TRAVELING
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When on vacation - hire a bicycle to explore locally rather than a car. If you must rent a car, do so from an eco friendly company. See listings on the right. |
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When staying in a hotel turn the lights and air-conditioning off when you leave your hotel room. |
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Ask for your room towels and sheets to be washed every other day, rather than every day. |
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Choose rental car companies and air carriers who have environmentally friendly policies. |
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Know your hotel's recycling program and sort your trash accordingly. |
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Give your hotel feedback and support those who put into place eco-friendly services. |
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Choosing a Green Hotel |
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| There are a number of websites that recommend eco-friendly lodging. Each has their own method of review, so do your homework. Learn more about Green Hotels. >> |
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Top Five Destinations for Eco-Tourism |
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| Independent Traveler, an online travel resource site, provides an overview of the top five eco-tourism destinations. Top Five Eco-Tourism Destinations.>> |
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