Traveling is always fun. Ask anybody what do they like most and the chances are pretty high that traveling might be one of the answers. But the big question is that are we taking proper care of our ecosystem when we travel or at least are we aware how we can contribute to “Go Green” efforts. This article discusses certain important points, which should be kept in mind if you wish to become green-minded traveler.
- Efforts to go green start from the place where you start your journey i.e. your home. Before departing make sure you have switched off all the lights, electrical equipments and removed chargers from the charging points. You can also use timer devices to control the electric lights in your home when you are away to ward off the burglars. Also make sure that thermostat is set at around 60 degrees to conserve power and prevent water pipelines from bursting.
- Make sure that you pack as much little belongings as possible when you go for a trip. The reason behind is that the heavier you pack, more fuel will be required to transport the luggage from one place to another. Moreover you will also feel lighter when you carry your luggage from one place to another.
- When you are in the new city or country make sure you use their local or public transport to go from one place to another. This will not only save money for you but will also ensure that you leave small carbon footprint in terms of fuel consumption. If it’s absolutely essential to hire the cab, make sure you choose the smallest size that suits you. In any case you can also use bicycle or solar powered cycle rickshaw for small distance commutation.
- If you go for a camping trip, you should be careful not to litter. The chances are pretty high that you may not find any dustbin in vicinity to dispose off the garbage. In such cases it’s advisable to store the garbage and bring it back to hotel for proper disposal. The idea while camping is pretty simple – leave the place the way it was when you arrived.
- At many tourist spots water is a scarce commodity and is considered quite precious. You need to be aware of this fact and use as much less water as possible. As far as laundry is concerned, wash you dirty clothes keeping in mind that you need to wash only those clothes, which are really dirty. If you wore a shirt for an hour or two then you might want to wear it again before washing.
- Always stay in hotels and resorts that are environment friendly. For example if a resort does rainwater harvesting then it should be a good choice for you to stay.
