SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL
Opt to Travel Green This Holiday Season
Holiday travel isn’t always enjoyable but it’s easier than you might think to make it sustainable
When it comes to sustainable travel we often think of either the daily commute — an electric car versus public transportation, using the carpool lane or cycling — or we think of an eco-travel vacation to a specific destination. We don’t always think of the sustainable options we have when it comes to our holiday travel plans. Holiday travel is seen as something we just have to get through and we only do it once or twice a year. We make the commitment to drive or to fly and we put up with the prices and the hassles, but we forget about the cost to the environment. With millions of people traveling just for Thanksgiving alone, looking at greener travel options can gave a big impact on our collective carbon footprint.
It’s time to start examining our holiday travel footprint and demanding greener options from the transportation industry.
Sites like Kayak are already seeing a surge in 2021 holiday travel reservations being made, with car rentals up more than 200% from last year. This means a lot of cars on the roads.
Most major car rental companies rent hybrid cars, from the compact Prius to minivans that fit the whole family. A hybrid rental can be an option once you’ve arrived at your destination or as your mode of getting there rather than flying. If the rental companies are running out of inventory, try a car-sharing app like Turo. Just like Uber or AirBnB, tell Turo your location and they’ll show you cars to use nearby. The cost of hybrid and electric car rentals is comparable to gasoline-powered cars from traditional rental agencies, which means the amount of money you save on gas isn’t eaten up by the cost of the rental.
If you prefer to fly, Google has launched a new feature that compares the carbon emissions of several flights alongside the price and number of layovers, so flyers can make an informed decision. Valerie Delzer recently wrote about it:
Sometimes you want someone else to do the driving, but you don’t want the expense of flying or the hassle of getting to the airport and going through the check-in and security lines. In this case, the train or a bus is the best option. According to the BBC, taking a train is usually the most carbon-efficient mode of transportation. Unfortunately the United States does not have a convenient, efficient railway system throughout most of the country, so the train is not an option for many travelers. Commercial bus companies like Greyhound are introducing busses with reduced emissions that are now some of the greenest modes of transportation. And the bus is one of the cheapest ways to travel, too.
Once you get to your destination, if you’re not staying with family or friends, look for sustainable lodging. Check AirBnB, Home Exchange, or a variety of other short-term house rental sites and search listings for homes that incorporate sustainable practices like solar power, or homes that are within walking distance of grocery stores and attractions to reduce your time spent driving. If a home rental isn’t an option, most major hotel chains are implementing green initiatives to reduce water and electricity usage and food waste. You can find this information on most hotels’ websites, or seek out smaller boutique hotels based on their carbon footprint.
It may take a little extra planning, but getting started now on your holiday travel itinerary, with an eye toward reducing your carbon footprint, will save you some stress closer to the holidays and may even save you another kind of green — money!
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