Go Green Travel Green: A New Way to Travel
Traveling green isn't difficult - it is all about making choices. And, traveling green is important for both our world and our future. I recently found a fantastic site that not only talks about going green, but makes it easy to do so! Go Green Travel Green is an incredible resource for any traveler.
I was lucky enough to sit down with one of the site's founders, Elizabeth, and discover more about traveling green. Here's what she had to say:
WE: Please tell us about your site, Go Green Travel Green...
GGTG: Go Green Travel Green is a site for anyone who loves to travel, but wants to leave their destinations in better shape than when they got there. We know that living off-the-grid and using composting toilets isn't for everyone. That's why we focus on simple steps anyone can take to travel greener.
Whether you're a traveler who wants to be a little bit greener or an eco-consious person who loves to travel, Go Green Travel Green has resources for you. We’ve traveled the world over and packed our green travel knowledge and experience into our site.
From green hotels and public transportation to local food and eco-tours, Go Green Travel Green is your source for eco travel tips, reviews, and news.
WE: It seems difficult to travel green, but when perusing your site, it is very inspiring! What sorts of things can travelers do to travel green?
GGTG: There are so many things travelers can do to be a little bit kinder to the environment. The most basic step is simply to be conscious of your environmental impact. We also suggest considering what "shade" of green traveler you are, and setting realistic goals for yourself. Not everyone is up for biking across South America instead of flying. Are you willing to go all out and give up your plush hotel room for camping, and try to be the greenest of travelers? Or would you be more comfortable staying at an environmentally-friendly hotel or an eco-lodge, which is still green, but less so?
Some of the easiest things to do to be a greener traveler include:
Carry a reusable water bottle.
Eat locally-grown and/or organic food.
Pack light -- even removing 3 items from your bag will help. The heavier your load, the more fuel it takes to carry it.
Walk. Walk. Walk.
If you can't walk, take public transportation.
And we've just launched a new tool that helps you be a greener traveler from the start of your trip. With Search Green Travel, you can search for cheap plane tickets, hotels, and rental cars and save the environment at the same time. When you search, we receive a share of advertising revenue and then donate 50% to environmental charities. So just by searching, you're giving back to the environment.
WE: What are some of the things that people are talking about, on your site?
GGTG: One of our most popular posts is about how to choose a healthy water bottle. With all of the news about bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical found in plastics, in water bottles, people want to know what's safe and what's not. Stainless steel water bottles are the safest bet right now.
Another hot topic is packing light. Since nearly every airline is now charging for checked bags (be it the first or second), our readers are happy to share their packing secrets.
And, of course, with gas prices skyrocketing, readers want to know how to conserve fuel. We wrote a popular and controversial post about hypermiling that includes 450 tips on how to improve your miles per gallon. But since hypermiling can be dangerous, it's highly controversial. Our list of tips starts with the safest and most practical. For instance, inflate your car's tires to the proper capacity.
One thing people don't talk too much about on our site, which surprises me, is the concept of a carbon offsetting. We've written several posts on the subject, but frankly I think the concept is hard to understand, so people just ignore it. The best rule of thumb with carbon offsetting is to do your research. You'll find that when you pay for carbon offsets, the prices vary and sometimes the projects aren't especially beneficial. In general, you're better off taking steps to green your trip in other ways.
WE: Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?
GGTG: You don't have to be an extremist to make your travels a little more eco-friendly. Taking a few easy steps can be just as beneficial as taking one giant leap.
And in addition to preserving the environment, traveling green can save you money and improve your health. For instance, if you buy a reusable water bottle, you won't be spending $3.50 on bottled water in the airport, and you'll be more likely to shy away from sodas and sugary drinks. When you walk, you don't pay for transportation costs and you get a good workout.
Traveling green is very manageable and doesn't have to be extreme -- and that's the key point we want to drive home.
WE: Thanks so much, Elizabeth! I appreciate your great site, and you sharing it with us.
To learn more about Go Green Travel Green, please visit their site at:
http://gogreentravelgreen.com/
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Dr. Jessie Voigts
Thanks, Ed. I really like their site - full of great info.
Jessie Voigts
Publisher, wanderingeducators.com
Rossie Indira
Thank you Ed, it is very informative! I think I have done a little bit of traveling green as I love to walk and use public transportation, but I still have a problem with traveling light, so I will check out their tips on that!! :-)
Rossie Indira
Jakarta-Indonesia
fairlynm
Great article with wonderful tips! I shall definately be aware of Going
Green when I travel. Will visit GoGreenTravelGreen to learn more and
look for airline tickets for future flights. Thanks for the
interesting info.
Fairlyn Montella
Publisher, PREPARED AND EMPOWERED. ORG