Do we hear the ringing of the snow-covered bells, the rustling of the shiny paper used to pack gifts and some carols starting to spread cheer at a distance not too far away? You bet, as the festive season is all but on its way and while one might argue that there is a good month still to go, one can never get excited about all the joy too soon. With each festive season and holiday there also is the added bonus of making that trip to a place that you always wanted to visit or some special spot that you want to re-visit to capture some old magic and plenty of memories.

It is indeed time to get ready for packing stuff up, leaving your cozy nest and exploring a new destination which holds unknown delights and plenty of surprises for you. We all love traveling and as restless souls who have been bound by work, responsibility, office, stacks of files or even loads of books for the better part of the year, this is our time to spread our wings and fly with delight. But that flight should not cause a hindrance to the planet. Traveling is often a process that is far less eco-friendly than staying put and if you don’t believe me just look at all the tons have trash we left over on the moon and around the Earth in space after returning from our ‘expeditions’.

Yet, there are simple things that can actually make your journey a lot more pleasurable and also help reduce carbon emissions, enabling you to give a ‘green touch’ to your journey. Here are a few tips to help you go greener, and as always, you can improvise, add that individual touch and make it that bit extra special.

• Every green-revolution starts at home

If you wish to make your journey both safe and peaceful then the best way to start is by unplugging every gadget at your home and making sure nothing is left hanging from the sockets. This is going to help save energy as plugged gadgets can still consume 40Kwh of electricity each hour when idle and it also will rule out any chances of a fire accident. You do not want to keep that curling iron switched on and by the time you come back find out that in the place you had a home, you now have plenty of charcoal! Environmentally safe, psychologically peaceful and basically accident-free way to start the perfect holiday

• Reduce the use of hard copies and plastic wherever possible

A good and hassle-free way to make your journey a happy one is to study the routes you want to take beforehand. This is all the more true when you want to drive to a destination and for this one can avoid maps, brochures and others stuff by just using a bit of modern technology. Navigation systems are present with GPS technology and getting direction electronically is a lot easier than carrying tons of maps all put together. Carry as little as you can. This reduces littering and wastage along with making the trip less complicated for you.

• Be a part of the local community – Eat and drink what the holiday spot has to offer:

Unless you are going through the Saharan desert or the Amazon jungle, in all likeliness you will find good food and nice refreshing drinks wherever you go. Always indulge in local ecstasies and avoid carrying too much stuff with you. What is the point in going all the way and eating food from your home or the one that tastes just like the McDonald around the block back home? Carry re-usable containers and reduce your dependence on plastic. Refill bottles rather than buy one each time. Remember that when you throw away plastic, you pollute the planet for the next million years.

• Stay away from the luring cheap souvenir shops

I can already see the guys smiling and showing this to their special someone at home and saying, “Listen to the internet guy. It’s not about my pocket, it’s for the planet”. Of course, the gals are not too happy right now and asking, “How does that help the planet?” The thing is, the less you have to carry home, the less weight that needs to be transported. This pretty much means a reduced carbon-footprint. Also, cheap local stuff is often produced in methods that destroy the planet and pollute environment.

We are not against promoting local economic infrastructure by purchasing original handicrafts or items specially created by localized craftsman. This provides them with a livelihood and that little extra cash helps the planet and promotes some quality art!

• Avoid airways whenever you can

This is probably the best thing you can do unless you are left with no other option but to use the airways and travel across the continents. If you are going on a holiday in the same continent, then it is best to use more eco-friendly options and this also makes your holiday way more enjoyable. There is nothing like driving across a beautiful country side or taking the train watching the local changes in culture, architecture and even soil. This is a lot “greener” way to travel and way more fun than the airplane window!

• When visiting Rome, commute like a Roman

So we borrowed a bit from the ancient cliché, but this really is one of the best ways to travel without harming the planet. Many European cities offer tourists with options to go around the city on a bicycle and while this may not be easy to practice everywhere, use it wherever you can. Also use the public transportation instead of renting cabs. Cabs could both screw you out of some cash and also never allow you to get to know the city. A more public commuting option ensures that you get to understand people of the place and their culture better. They also might give you useful pointers and language tips!

One simple look at the above tips will tell you that we are not just taking care of the planet but also ensuring your own safety and comfort. That in essence is how eco-friendly measures and Mother Nature herself work. It is always about uncomplicated and simple measures that actually make the ‘once a year’ trips a lot more special. What better way to cap them off than by actually assuming the ‘moral high ground’ of eco-conscious travel. Enjoy nature and ensure that the generations coming after you also have the same delightful privilege!

Images 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Popularity: 1% [?]