The Green Holiday Guide

Our easy to read guide to eco-friendly holidays

Want to go on holiday but want to do it ethically?
Well here’s how.Almost all holidaying is going to have some impact on the environment, this site is all about how you can minimise that impact and become a  more ethically responsible green tourist.

Below are some simple tips.

Avoid planes if you can
Why not take a flight-free holiday?
Or travel there by coach, car or plane boat or train.

Flying to Paris from London will create approx 244kg of CO2.
On the other hand, getting there by Eurostar only creates 22kg of CO2 per passenger.

Offset your Carbon Footprint
Plane travel is bad for the environment but you can ease your guilt by paying to offset your carbon use.
Click here for more details

Use Green Holiday Operators
The green banner is becoming more frequently used but truly eco-friendly holiday operators will pay considerable attention to everything from recycling, water use and energy efficiency in hotels to fuel consumption and the participation and just treatment of indigenous peoples.

Stay at Eco-Friendly Hotels
Many hotels are now doing their best to minimise their environmental impact. If you are travelling independently why not stay in one?
Click here for more details of eco-hotels.

Volunteering / Conservation
Why not combine your trip to foreign climes with some unpaid work, helping the community or environment?
Volunteer projects range from helping with turtle conservation in a remote part of Queensland, Australia to helping in panda reserves in China or working alongside local fishermen in Ecuador/Galapagos as they visit local islands collecting debris from coastal areas and beaches.
Click here for more details

More eco-friendly holiday tips.

Travelling by Car
If you are traveling by car, make sure you drive in a fuel efficient way.
Accelerate gently. Avoid harsh braking
Make sure your car is well serviced.
Make sure your tyres are  properly inflated.
Minimise your luggage – the more weight, the more fuel consumption

Travelling by Plane
Reduce your flying time by selecting the airline with the most direct route
Keep internal flights and stopovers to a minimum, since take-offs and landings release the most carbon.
Minimise your luggage – the more weight, the more fuel consumption.

WHEN YOU ARE THERE
Being a green traveller is not just about being kind to the environment its also means behaving ethically and responsibly.

Tourism is not in itself bad, it can be a major benfit for local people. So, buy locally – produce, services, souvenirs or guides – the more the local economy depends on visitors, the more important it is that you support it.

Respect the local culture and customs. Be sensitive to the local culture by wearing clothing that is accepted. Master  a few phrases in the local language – you will win yourself a good deal of respect and goodwill.

Be aware of people’s sensitivity to being photographed by always asking first.

Being a responsible traveller also means taking care with resources – especially in impoverished parts of the world, where ready supplies of water and electricity may be far less plentiful than at home.

if you want to give gifts to local people in developing  countries don’t give sweets. Instead bring clothes and pens, and ask your tour operator or driver to give them to community elders so that you don’t  encourage begging from children.