When I was little, I'd sit in my bedroom with my record player spinning "It's not easy being green" over and over again and I'd cry my little heart out because I just felt so awful for Kermit. In my adult life, "being green" has a very different meaning.
I've been thinking about the whole green movement a lot lately. A good college friend of mine is back in school to become a Certified Sustainable Building Advisor and is really hopeful that the stimulus package will bring new opportunities. My son and I sang along to Jack Johnson's "3 Rs" this morning -- a song with a good beat and even better lyrics about the importance of Reducing, Reusing and Recycling. Better yet -- my company is in the midst of packing up and moving our HQ to a "green" building down the street. There are recycling bins literally everywhere around here right now!
One of the hot topics in the travel industry right now is that of sustainable travel. Yes, we all want to make a difference in the world but honestly, how many of you are really willing to put your money where your mouth is? Would you pay more a night to stay somewhere that is LEED Certified or considered "green"? Are you one of those who hangs the towels back up on the rack to reuse them or do you expect and covet new towels and bed linens daily while traveling?
In my every-day life, I don't wash my towels every day. I also don't change my sheets each morning. I do make sure to turn off all of the lights when I leave a room and I walk into the grocery every Saturday morning with my cloth grocery bags. I try to keep the heat lower and we only use energy efficient light bulbs in our home.
I'll admit though, I drive an SUV and I love to take a nice, hot bath which means that I'm refilling every few minutes to keep the temp just right. Overall, I'd say that I'm doing my best.
For even the most dedicated green-groupies, traveling can make things more difficult. You get on a flight and immediately, your carbon footprint just grew a size. However, we have some tips to keep in mind when planning your next trip:
Green Travel Tips You Can Use*
With nearly 1 billion tourists crisscrossing the globe every year, it is more important than ever for travelers to minimize their individual impact on the earth's natural resources.
- Before you leave home, turn down the thermostat on your hot water heater, adjust your air-conditioning or heat thermostat, and stop your newspaper.
- Let the property know that you don't need your sheets and towels changed every day.
- Keep your showers short, and shut off the water while you're brushing your teeth.
- When you leave the room, turn off the air conditioning, heat, television, lights or any other electronic devices.
- Bring your own toiletries and drinking cup rather than using the prepackaged ones provided. If you do use the hotel's toiletries, reduce waste by taking them with you and use them at home or during the rest of your trip.
- Ask about the hotel's recycling program and sort your trash accordingly. If the hotel does not recycle, consider taking your empty bottles or other items home with you to recycle them there.
- Pack light -- estimate what you think you'll need, and then reduce it by half. Extra weight not only requires more fuel, it may cost you more in baggage.
- Take public transportation or walk whenever possible.
- Give the hotel feedback by expressing appreciation for eco-friendly programs it currently offers. If it doesn't have any, encourage management to "go green" in the future.
* Source: MSNBC article, "Green Travel Tips," by Sarah Schlichter
For more information on how the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands are making a difference, visit www.wyndham-green.com. How do you make a difference while you're on the road or in the air? Have some great tips that you want to share? Submit your tips to us and help other Women on Their Way to make a difference.
March 27, 2009 3:52 PM
Great read.