Tips to keep your travel green

1. Use your do not disturb sign!

Most of us do not change our towels and sheets daily at home, so why should we do that on vacation? If you don’t have a maid cleaning your room every day you will save the resources involved in cleaning the room, washing sheets and towels and vacuuming the floors. (The only excuse not to put the sign up is naturally on a cruise when they make you those cute little towel animals. ;-) )

2. Support vendors with a vision for the planet that is in alignment with yours! Do research; most cities have eco friendly hotels or hotels that are on the path to becoming eco friendly. Also, B&Bs are always an eco-friendly option and you have the perk of supporting a small, locally owned business.

3. Hike, bike and use public transit whenever possible while travelling. In most cities you can do walking tours. If you are physically able to do so, it a very healthy alternative to going on a tour bus or even using public transportation. Use public transit as opposed to renting a car. You can use the internet to figure out which form of public transportation would support you best.

4. Visit CarbonFund.org to learn ways to offset your carbon emissions.

5. Just because you are on vacation doesn’t mean your eco friendly practices should take a vacation too! It can be easy to take a 20 minute shower while you’re on vacation just because you have the time. Let us not forget that we are using the same resources; just because it is on someone else’s dime, environmentally it has the same impact as it would at home. The same goes for leaving lights on in your hotel room or cruise cabin when you leave for the day. If you wouldn’t do it at home, don’t do it on vacation!

For those of you that would like to start supporting green hotels, here are some good questions to ask to gage how much effort the property is taking to be green:

1. Is the hotel locally owned and operated?

2. Is it staffed by local employees?

3. What kinds of recycling programs does the hotel have?

4. Do guests have the option to reuse towels and sheets instead of having them changed?

5. What programs does the hotel have in place in order to reduce consumption?

6. Do they have low-flow toilets and showers?

7. How does the hotel contribute to its local community?

June Blog Series!

Keeping the planet beautiful for future generations is something I am very passionate about, but travel is the greatest love and joy in life. To me there is nothing more amazing than waking up in a strange city somewhere half way around the world….not understanding the language, the people or the culture. Everything is a mystery! I thrive on that excitement when every moment is an opportunity to learn. The problem is, in general travel is not the most environmentally friendly hobby. As matter of fact, cars, planes, cruises and huge hotels create some of the greatest pollutants on the planet. I am committed to caring for and protecting our planet, but not at the sake of my travels. For this reason, I have decided to do a blog series this month on how to make your travel greener! I will be featuring blog entries that will include tips on keeping your travel green, info on which vendors are taking green initiative, and many other helpful topics . My hope is that by the end of the month people will have a better understanding of what vendors are doing to go green and what travelers can do to help.

I hope you all enjoy this series and I look forward to sharing lots of great info with you!

Nothing is Included

For the past several years the airline industry has been in financial trouble, and their creative new way to boost income has been to start charging an incremental fee for everything they can possibly get away with. Airlines have found this new method to be very profitable, which means for us, the travelers, that these new added costs won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. It started with in flight snacks and food, then luggage, US Air even charges for headphones! The cost of your ticket no longer covers all of the charges you may incur when flying, so it's important to be prepared and educated before purchasing your next flight so that you will know exactly what the total cost will be.

Here is the breakdown of additional fees by carrier (for domestic flights only)…

American Airlines…they even charge for you to call them! This I learned the hard way when I called to redeem some airmiles...they added $20 to my ticket for booking over the phone. So when redeeming miles…DO IT ONLINE and save yourself some money!
American Airlines is increasing their baggage fees. For tickets purchased on or after August 14, 2009, the charge for a first or second bag will change. It is currently $15 for your first checked bag and $25 for your second bag. Tickets purchased August 14th or after the cost will be $20 for the first checked bag and $30 for the second checked bag.(Bags must weigh 50lbs or less. More weight= more money)

US Airways
If you check in ONLINE: 1st checked bag $15, 2nd checked bag $25
Effective July 9, 2009 when checking in at the airport you will be charged an additional $5 for luggage, so at the airport you will pay: 1st bag $20, 2nd bag $30

United
For ONLINE check in: 1st bag $15, 2nd bag $25
At the airport you will pay: 1st bag $20, 2nd bag $30

Delta
For tickets purchased on or after July 15, 2009:
Online Check in: 1st bag $15, 2nd bag $25
Curbside/At the airport: 1st bag $20, 2nd bag $30

Jet Blue
1st bag FREE, 2nd bag $30

Southwest Airlines
All bags are FREE!

Prices go up for third bags and all bags for all airlines must be 50lbs or less.

There isn’t much hope for these charges going away, but the industry is working to make consumers more prepared. Most online booking websites are working on listing the additional costs with the price of the flight, so that you have a more realistic cost shown and you will know exactly how much the flight will REALLY cost you.

Apartments Abroad

A great way to save money while on vacation is to rent a local apartment as opposed to staying in a hotel. Whether you want to travel to Europe, Latin America, South America, Asia, or the Caribbean, an apartment can be rented just about anywhere you would want to go.
Say you want to go to Paris, France- a destination long adored by Americans. The city of lights can be quite expensive as is, even without considering the falling value of the dollar. Many of you may feel that a trip to some of Europe's dream destinations is simply out of your budget, but by choosing an apartment rental over a hotel, it can e possible to stay in the center of the action for a fraction of the cost! Rental apartments also include a full kitchen, so you will get to experience more of the local flavor (while saving money!) by eating in and picking up your baguette, Bordeaux, and brie at the local grocery store.
One word of caution to the Americans, the down side is that many of these apartments will not be air conditioned. Don't say I didn't warn you!
Next time you are traveling abroad, let me know if you'd like to look into a rental apartment! I would be happy to help you find something that meets your needs.