How to be a green traveler

Your guide to planning an eco-friendly vacation

(iStock/Lily illustration)

According to a TripAdvisor survey, the majority of travelers already take small steps to be environmentally conscious when they’re on vacation: looking for recycling bins, turning off the lights when they leave the hotel room, etc.

The Washington Post’s Andrea Sachs consulted with a panel of green travel experts for guidance on planning the ultimate eco-trip. Here’s their advice:

Of course, all destinations make environmental missteps. However, some have truly committed themselves to promoting an Earth-friendly lifestyle, and it shows. Here are some recommendations from Jon Bruno, executive director of the the International Ecotourism Society:

If you’re looking for even more options, you can check out Dual Citizen’s Global Green Economy Index, a list of eco-friendly destinations.

• Of 80 countries surveyed, Sweden was #1, followed by Norway and Finland.
• Among developing countries, the report singled out Zambia, Ethi­o­pia, Brazil and Costa Rica.
• Copenhagen was rated the most eco-friendly city to visit.

Here are some more general tips for choosing the right vacation spot:

• Look for cities with public transportation systems, acres of parks, walkable neighborhoods, designated bike lanes, farmers markets, and volunteer opportunities.
• Ignore the temptation to go to endangered areas before they’re gone. “Choosing a place because it might not be there any longer? Well, you’re destroying it,” says Dawn Head, owner and editor of the online resource Go Green Travel Green,

Some ways of traveling are greener than others, but you can be environmentally conscious no matter what your mode of transportation is.

• The best way to get around is by using your own power. Many adventure-tour operators, such as Backroads and VBT, arrange cycling, hiking and walking holidays.
• Next in line are trains and buses. If you use them, try to find ones that run on electric power or alternative fuels and have a high occupancy rate.
• Planning to drive? Consider renting a fuel-efficient vehicle. Hertz’s Green Traveler Collection, which is available at select locations, stocks a variety of models, such as the Toyota Prius and Nissan LEAF. Some peer-to-peer rental sites also list low-impact cars.
• Wondering about boats and ships? Keep in mind that sailboats and catamarans are gentle on the planet, while larger vessels can cause a lot of damage. Typically, cruise ships are seriously harmful. The nonprofit organization Friends of the Earth gave only Disney an A-, while the rest of the cruise lines got Cs, Ds, and Fs.
• When flying, remember these tips: Travel less but stay longer. Select a full flight on a large plane in a fuel-efficient fleet. Book the itinerary with the fewest number of connections. Pack light and bring a refillable water bottle and snacks from home.

All hotels love to brag about being green, so it can be tricky to decide which one is really the best for the environment. Here are some ways to find one that suits your values.

• If a hotel catches your eye, look for a fact sheet about its green policies online. Ask them how they dispose of their graywater and if they compost. Then question them about the bathroom fixtures and toiletries, in-room recycling bins, and how they get their restaurant food.
• Search for hotels approved or accredited by respected certification programs, such as Green Key, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, and the U.S. Green Building Council.
• Some more tips: Participate in the hotel’s linen-and-towel-reuse program and always flick off the lights when you leave the room. Use reusable bottles, glasses, and mugs instead of plastic water bottles and paper cups. Decline housekeeping. At breakfast, ask the staff for real tableware instead of disposable plates and utensils. Recycle. Borrow the property’s bikes and utilize its shuttle service. Bring your own bathroom products and take the hotel’s amenities home to keep or donate. (Want to go above and beyond? Encourage your hotel to enroll in Clean the World, a nonprofit that sends donated hotel toiletries to developing countries.)

Good news: in many destinations, you have plenty of options for eco-friendly fun. Here are a few of them.

• Try some outdoor sports. Sail, snorkel, scuba dive, hike, paddleboat, paddleboard, kayak, bike, or swim.
• Visit a crafts or food market (and don’t forget to bring a reusable shopping bag along).
• Take a tour led by a local guide.
• Find a short-term volunteer opportunity. For example, 1 Hotel Central Park, which partnered with Bette Midler’s New York Restoration Project, invites guests to help beautify the city by watering trees, composting and pulling weeds.

Then have a guilt-free good time, knowing that you’ve made a difference.

Original story by The Washington Post’s Andrea Sachs.