Green Traveling: How to Be Eco-Friendly and Save Money

Whether you're traveling across country, across the state or making a quick trip to the market, there are plenty of ways to cut down and be a little more eco-friendly. Being responsible for your impact on the environment, whether it's your daily commute or an extended vacation, can help make an impact on reducing pollution, extra waste and your own carbon foot print.

Local Trips

Being eco-friendly when traveling isn't limited to just long distance or long vacations. Saving money and reducing your carbon foot print can be done easily, even during your daily routine.

First, put your seatbelt on before you start the engine. It may sound silly, but think about it: how much gas are you wasting every time you get into the car, start the car and then put on your seat belt? It may seem like a trivial amount at first, but over time it adds up to less gas used, less pollution produced and more money in your pocket.

Also, avoid idling your car whenever possible. Shut your car off whenever you run into the store or into your house. It takes just as much (and in most cases,) less gas to start your car back up then it does for your car to sit and idle for 5 minutes.

Lastly, leave the air conditioning off. Air conditioners produce pollution, even in the most eco-friendly of cars. Plus, you'll save money by turning off the air because your car will require less gas to run and therefore, your dollar will stretch several miles further.

Pack Light

Packing light should be a no brainer. By bringing less, you're using less space, which in turn means less money spent on transporting your things but also less fuel used to transport your things.

If you're worried about not having enough clothes, consider rolling them rather than folding them. Rolling clothes around a central item and then rolling several shirts into one roll, conserves space (and helps prevent wrinkles.) So, you can pack a larger amount of clothing into a smaller space, which saves you money and helps you stay eco-friendly without sacrificing any clothing items you may need during the trip.

Before You Leave

Before you stick your key in the lock and head out, there's something you should do before you leave: turn everything off. Your home will be sitting there for a predetermined period of time, but does everything need to be plugged in? The obvious answer (aside from your refrigerator) is no.

You can (and should) unplug all major appliances including, but not limited to, your TV and it's appendages (DVRs, DVD player, cable box, etc;) your microwave, lamps, computers and so forth.

While you're at it, turn down your water heater or alter your thermostat (unless you have pets who will be home (and taken care of) during your vacation, such as a cat) according to the weather to save both money and resources.

Utilize Local Public Transportation

When you travel to a new place, whether it be a few towns over or on a completely different continent, you can reduce both emissions and your carbon footprint by using local public transportation.

What I mean is this: when you travel to a new place, you are one more person adding to that area's pollution output. So by using an existing bus route, taxi service or other means of local transportation, you aren't adding any extra pollution that wouldn't have already been created whether or not you were there.

If you must rent a car, (say, if you have an infant) then consider renting an eco-conscious car like a hybrid or a car that is known to use less fuel. Think small and avoid larger cars, SUVs and trucks, as they'll guzzle down the gas and create more pollution.

How Does This Save Me Money?

In short, using less resources automatically creates less pollution. Using fewer resources also means less of your hard-earned money spent. Plus, it goes without saying that you're aiding in ensuring that these travel destinations will still exist for future generations to enjoy 10, 100 or 1,000 years from now.

More Information and Helpful Tips:

Go Green, Travel Green: Travel Tips for the Eco-Conscious Traveler